Triples: claims as relationships

Atoms give the graph nouns. Triples give it statements.

A triple connects three terms in a subject–predicate–object form:

subject — predicate → object

For example:

Atlas — audited by → Secure Labs

Each position matters. “Atlas audited Secure Labs” is a different claim from “Atlas was audited by Secure Labs.” The predicate is not decorative text; it defines how the subject and object are related.

Claims, not facts by declaration

Creating a triple records that a particular relationship has been asserted. It does not automatically establish the relationship as objective truth. A triple might express a verifiable event, an opinion, a classification, a prediction, or a disputed allegation.

This distinction keeps the data model honest. The graph can preserve contradictory or competing positions without silently choosing one. Readers inspect provenance, context, evidence, and signals to decide what the claim means for them.

Predicates are semantic infrastructure

Compare these claims:

• Atlas — uses → Intuition
• Atlas — recommends → Intuition
• Atlas — is compatible with → Intuition

They connect the same subject and object but make materially different assertions. Reusable, well-scoped predicates reduce ambiguity. Vague relationships such as “related to” may be easy to create but difficult for applications to interpret consistently.

Predicate design also encodes direction. “employs” and “employed by” may describe the same real-world connection from opposite perspectives, yet fragmented conventions make graph queries harder. Communities benefit from discovering and reusing established relationship terms.

Objective-looking and subjective claims

Some triples look straightforward: a package has a repository URL, or an organization issued a credential. Others are explicitly evaluative: a developer is skilled at auditing, or a source is trustworthy.

Even objective-looking claims need provenance and time. A URL can change. A credential can expire. An audit can cover an old version. Structure improves machine readability, but correct interpretation still depends on context.

What does the existence of a triple prove?Reveal answer

It proves that the structured claim exists in protocol data under its recorded provenance. It does not, by itself, prove that the claim's real-world assertion is correct.

Official references

• Triples
• Intuition primitives