A RDF query language is a computer language able to retrieve and manipulate data stored in Resource Description Framework format. SPARQL is emerging as the de-facto RDF query language, and is a W3C Recommendation. Released as a Candidate Recommendation in April 2006, it returned to Working Draft status in October 2006, due to open issues. It returned to Candidate Recommendation status in June 2007. On 12th November 2007 the status of SPARQL changed into Proposed Recommendation. On 15th January 2008, SPARQL was standardized.