PYSHACL(1)

💖 PYSHACL 💖

okay bestie, sit DOWN, because we're about to talk about PySHACL — the manual page for PySHACL Version: 0.30.1. it's a validator command line tool and it is genuinely iconic, no cap. 🦋

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✨ NAME ✨

PySHACL — the manual page for PySHACL Version: 0.30.1. that's the whole vibe. she validates. 💅

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🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

so here's the usage line, and yes it's a lot, but we love a maximalist queen:

usage: pyshacl_validate [-h] [-s [SHACL]] [-e [ONT]]
       [-i {none,rdfs,owlrl,both}] [-m] [-q] [-im] [-a] [-j]
       [-it] [--abort] [--allow-info] [-w] [--max-depth [MAX_DEPTH]]
       [-d] [--focus [FOCUS]] [--shape [SHAPE]] [-f
       {human,table,turtle,xml,json-ld,nt,n3}] [-df
       {auto,turtle,xml,json-ld,nt,n3}] [-sf
       {auto,turtle,xml,json-ld,nt,n3}] [-ef
       {auto,turtle,xml,json-ld,nt,n3}] [-V] [-o [OUTPUT]] [--rules]
       [--server] [DataGraph]

PySHACL 0.30.1 Validator command line tool. that's her. that's the whole résumé. 👑

🎀 positional arguments 🎀

• DataGraph — the file or endpoint holding your Target Data Graph. this is the thing getting validated, bestie. it's the main character.

🧚 options 🧚

• -h, --help — shows this help message and then dips. classic. ✨
• -s, --shapes, --shacl [SHACL] — a file containing the SHACL Shapes Graph. your shapes live here.
• -e, --ont-graph [ONT] — a file path or URL pointing at a document with extra ontological info. the RDFS and OWL definitions in there get used to inoculate the DataGraph. yes, inoculate, like a lil vaccine for your graph 💉
• -i, --inference {none,rdfs,owlrl,both} — pick what kind of inferencing runs against the Data Graph before validation. options are exactly none, rdfs, owlrl, both.
• -m, --metashacl — validates the SHACL Shapes graph against the shaclshacl Shapes Graph before it validates the Data Graph. meta af. 🪞
• -q, --sparql-mode — treats the DataGraph as a SPARQL endpoint and validates the graph at that SPARQL endpoint. remote girlie behavior.
• -im, --imports — lets sub-graphs be imported when they're defined in statements with owl:imports.
• -a, --advanced — turns on features from the SHACL Advanced Features specification. advanced. she's leveled up.
• -j, --js — turns on features from the SHACL-JS Specification. javascript in my shapes? it's more likely than you think 💀
• -it, --iterate-rules — runs the Shape's SHACL Rules over and over, iteratively, until the data_graph reaches a steady state. she will NOT stop until it's stable, periodt.
• --abort — aborts on the first invalid data. no second chances, no mercy. 🙈
• --allow-info, --allow-infos — shapes marked with a severity of Info won't make the result invalid.
• -w, --allow-warning, --allow-warnings — shapes marked with a severity of Warning or Info won't make the result invalid. so forgiving, so generous.
• --max-depth [MAX_DEPTH] — the maximum number of SHACL shapes "deep" the validator can go before it hits an "endpoint" constraint. don't go too deep bestie, there be dragons 🐉
• -d, --debug — outputs extra verbose runtime messages. for when you need the tea ☕
• --focus [FOCUS] — optional IRIs of focus nodes from the DataGraph; the shapes will validate only these nodes. it's a comma-separated list, so mind the commas.
• --shape [SHAPE] — optional IRIs of a NodeShape or PropertyShape from the SHACL ShapesGraph; only these shapes get used to validate the DataGraph. also a comma-separated list.
• -f, --format {human,table,turtle,xml,json-ld,nt,n3} — choose an output format. Default is "human".
• -df, --data-file-format {auto,turtle,xml,json-ld,nt,n3} — explicitly state the RDF file format of the input DataGraph file. Default="auto".
• -sf, --shacl-file-format {auto,turtle,xml,json-ld,nt,n3} — explicitly state the RDF file format of the input SHACL file. Default="auto".
• -ef, --ont-file-format {auto,turtle,xml,json-ld,nt,n3} — explicitly state the RDF file format of the extra ontology file. Default="auto".
• -V, --version — shows the PySHACL version and exits. quick little flex. ⭐
• -o, --output [OUTPUT] — sends output to a file (and it defaults to stdout, obviously).
• --rules — ignores the validation options and runs PySHACL in Rules Expansion mode. same as pyshacl_rules.
• --server — ignores literally all the rest of the options and starts the HTTP Server. same as pyshacl_server. 🖥️✨

⚠️ heads up: --rules and --server both go "ignore everything else", so if you were hoping your other flags would do something, they will Not. respect the override, bestie.

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

the full documentation for PySHACL is maintained as a Texinfo manual. if the info and PySHACL programs are properly installed at your site, this command:

info PySHACL

should give you access to the complete manual. go get that full lore, iykyk 📖

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and that's the whole page bestie!! 🫶 this is PySHACL Version: 0.30.1, dated September 2025, and it's giving PYSHACL(1) energy from start to finish. slay, validate, and stay steady-state. 💖🎀🦋✨🔥👑💅