Ontology Explorer
Parse, navigate, and query materials science ontology structures — browse class hierarchies, inspect individual classes and their properties, look up object and data property definitions with domain/range, search for ontology terms by keyword, and parse or summarize raw OWL/XML files. Supports the OCDO ecosystem (CMSO, ASMO, CDCO, PODO, PLDO, LDO). Use when exploring what classes or properties an ontology provides, finding the right CMSO term for a crystal structure or simulation concept, understanding parent-child class relationships, or onboarding to an unfamiliar materials ontology, even if the user only says "what ontology terms describe my FCC copper simulation" or "show me the CMSO class hierarchy."
MCP get_skill({ skillId: "ontology-explorer-6409f1d4" })Use this skill with your agent
Create a free account and connect via MCP
# Ontology Explorer
## Goal
Enable an agent to understand, navigate, and query the structure of materials science ontologies without loading verbose OWL/XML files directly. Provides fast access to class hierarchies, property definitions, and domain-range relationships through pre-processed JSON summaries.
## Requirements
- Python 3.10+
- No external dependencies (Python standard library only)
- Internet access required only for `owl_parser.py` and `ontology_summarizer.py` when fetching remote OWL files
## Inputs to Gather
| Input | Description | Example |
|-------|-------------|---------|
| Ontology name | Registered ontology to query | `cmso` |
| Class name | A specific class to inspect | `Material`, `UnitCell` |
| Property name | A specific property to look up | `hasMaterial`, `hasSpaceGroupNumber` |
| Search term | Keyword to search across labels | `crystal`, `lattice` |
| OWL source | Path or URL to an OWL/XML file (for parsing/summarizing) | `https://raw.githubusercontent.com/OCDO/cmso/main/cmso.owl` |
## Decision Guidance
```
What do you need?
├── Understand overall ontology structure
│ └── class_browser.py --ontology cmso --list-roots
├── Inspect a specific class
│ └── class_browser.py --ontology cmso --class <name>
├── Find properties for a class
│ └── property_lookup.py --ontology cmso --class <name>
├── Look up a specific property
│ └── property_lookup.py --ontology cmso --property <name>
├── Search for a concept
│ ├── class_browser.py --ontology cmso --search <term>
│ └── property_lookup.py --ontology cmso --search <term>
├── Parse a new/updated OWL file
│ └── owl_parser.py --source <path-or-url>
└── Generate/refresh a summary JSON
└── ontology_summarizer.py --source <url> --output <path>
```
## Script Outputs (JSON Fields)
| Script | Key Outputs |
|--------|-------------|
| `scripts/owl_parser.py` | `results.metadata`, `results.classes`, `results.object_properties`, `results.data_properties`, `results.class_hierarchy` |
| `scripts/ontology_summarizer.py` | `results.output_file`, `results.statistics` |
| `scripts/class_browser.py` | `results.class_info`, `results.subtree`, `results.properties`, `results.path_to_root`, `results.roots`, `results.search_results` |