A spatial logic for querying graphs

Abstract

We study a spatial logic for reasoning about labelled directed graphs, and the application of this logic to provide a query language for analysing and manipulating such graphs. We give a graph description using constructs from process algebra. We introduce a spatial logic in order to reason locally about disjoint subgraphs. We extend our logic to provide a query language which preserves the multiset semantics of our graph model. Our approach contrasts with the more traditional set-based semantics found in query languages such as TQL, Strudel and GraphLog. © 2002 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.