Parliament
Parliament is a triple store and reasoner for Semantic Web data, with support for RDF, OWL, and SPARQL standards.
What Parliament is
Parliament is a triple store and reasoner for Semantic Web data, with support for RDF, OWL, and SPARQL standards. It is open source under the BSD 3-Clause License and is intended for self-hosted use on Linux, macOS, or Windows. The listed plan is free.
The repository reports version 2.8.1, released June 9, 2022, and that release included a Docker Hub image named `idemmons/parliament:2.8.1`. The release separates software and data files; users can configure the data directory through `kbDirectoryPath` in `ParliamentKbConfig.txt`. Deployment documentation describes systemd service installation on Linux and UNIX and a PowerShell startup script for Windows. Release notes say long-running queries time out, and that a SWRL rules engine was added in 2019. The 2.8.1 notes also added a section about securing an instance. Parliament began in 2009, with initial development funded by DARPA through the DAML program; Raytheon BBN Technologies later extended it for internal R&D use. Its license provides the software “AS IS” and disclaims warranties.
Good
- Supports RDF, OWL, and SPARQL.
- Includes reasoning support.
- BSD 3-Clause open-source license.
- Data directory can be configured.
- Available for Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Watch out
- Self-hosted deployment is required.
- The reported release is from 2022.
- The license disclaims warranties.
Who it suits
Parliament may suit developers and organizations building self-hosted Semantic Web applications that need a triple store and reasoner. It supports Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Verdict
Parliament offers a self-hosted, open-source option for Semantic Web storage and reasoning. Its documented release details and warranty disclaimer are worth considering before adoption.
Plans and prices
From Parliament's own pricing page, checked 4 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Parliament | Free | BSD 3-Clause open source software |
The facts
Each one read from Parliament's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Container
- The 2.8.1 release included a Docker Hub image named idemmons/parliament:2.8.1.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- The release notes document systemd service installation support on Linux/UNIX and a PowerShell startup script on Windows.checked 4 Oct 2026
- License
- The source is distributed under the BSD 3-Clause License.checked 4 Oct 2026
- License warranty
- The license provides the software “AS IS” and disclaims express and implied warranties.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Origin
- Its initial development was funded by DARPA through the DAML program, and Raytheon BBN Technologies later extended it for internal R&D use.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Product
- Parliament is a high-performance triple store and reasoner designed for the Semantic Web.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Query timeout
- The 2019 release notes say long-running queries now time out.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Release
- The repository README reports Parliament version 2.8.1 released on June 9, 2022.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Rules
- The 2019 release notes say a SWRL rules engine was added.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Security documentation
- The 2.8.1 release notes mention a new section detailing how to secure a Parliament instance.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Standards
- The project describes Parliament as a standards-compliant triple store for RDF, OWL, and SPARQL.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Storage
- The release separates software and data files, with the data directory configurable through kbDirectoryPath in ParliamentKbConfig.txt.checked 4 Oct 2026
The company
- Founded
- 2009checked 28 Sep 2026
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