# Using SPARQL to access graph data in Amazon Neptune
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SPARQL is a query language for the Resource Description Framework (RDF), which is a graph data format designed for the web. Amazon Neptune is compatible with SPARQL 1.1. This means that you can connect to a Neptune DB instance and query the graph using the query language described in the [SPARQL 1.1 Query Language](https://www.w3.org/TR/sparql11-query/) specification.

 A query in SPARQL consists of a `SELECT` clause to specify the variables to return and a `WHERE` clause to specify which data to match in the graph. If you are unfamiliar with SPARQL queries, see [Writing Simple Queries](https://www.w3.org/TR/sparql11-query/#WritingSimpleQueries) in the [SPARQL 1.1 Query Language](https://www.w3.org/TR/sparql11-query/). 

The HTTP endpoint for SPARQL queries to a Neptune DB instance is `https://your-neptune-endpoint:port/sparql`.

**To connect to SPARQL**

1. You can get the SPARQL endpoint for your Neptune cluster from the **SparqlEndpoint** item in the **Outputs** section of the CloudFormation stack. 

1. Enter the following to submit a SPARQL **`UPDATE`** using HTTP `POST` and the **curl** command.

   ```
   curl -X POST --data-binary 'update=INSERT DATA { <https://test.com/s> <https://test.com/p> <https://test.com/o> . }' https://your-neptune-endpoint:port/sparql
   ```

   The preceding example inserts the following triple into the SPARQL default graph: `<https://test.com/s> <https://test.com/p> <https://test.com/o>`

1. Enter the following to submit a SPARQL **`QUERY`** using HTTP `POST` and the **curl** command.

   ```
   curl -X POST --data-binary 'query=select ?s ?p ?o where {?s ?p ?o} limit 10' https://your-neptune-endpoint:port/sparql
   ```

   The preceding example returns up to 10 of the triples (subject-predicate-object) in the graph by using the `?s ?p ?o` query with a limit of 10. To query for something else, replace it with another SPARQL query.
**Note**  
The default MIME type of a response is `application/sparql-results+json` for `SELECT` and `ASK` queries.  
The default MIME type of a response is `application/n-quads` for `CONSTRUCT` and `DESCRIBE` queries.  
For a list of all available MIME types, see [SPARQL HTTP API](sparql-api-reference.md).