Releases

This page tracks releases and version history of the CAC Ontology Family.

Latest Release

The latest stable release of CAC Ontology is available on GitHub:

• Releases: https://github.com/Project-VIC-International/CAC-Ontology/releases

Latest: v3.0.0 (Mar 21, 2026)

v3.0.0 is a major architectural release introducing the Semantic Spine — a three-layer architecture (cac-core-spine → cac-core → domain modules) with dedicated bridge modules for gUFO, UCO, and CASE alignment.

• Release tag: https://github.com/Project-VIC-International/CAC-Ontology/releases/tag/v3.0.0
• Changelog entry: https://github.com/Project-VIC-International/CAC-Ontology/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md

Key deliverables:

• Semantic Spine (cacontology-core-spine.ttl): 7 foundational abstract classes (Entity, EnduringEntity, Event, Situation, Role, Phase, and branches) that provide a stable, top-level class hierarchy for the entire ontology family
• Bridge modules: cacontology-bridge-gufo.ttl, cacontology-bridge-case.ttl, cacontology-bridge-uco.ttl for external ontology alignment via skos:exactMatch
• Module renaming for clarity: ai-generated-content → ai-csam, soe → sadistic-online-exploitation, sentencing → legal-outcomes
• Temporal lifecycle module with investigation phase modeling
• 97 ontology modules validated with SHACL shapes
• 56 example knowledge graphs covering real-world cases
• 28 SPARQL query files
• 2,154 classes and 2,443 properties across all modules
• All files updated to owl:versionInfo "3.0.0"

v2.12.0 (Mar 13, 2026)

v2.12.0 adds a dedicated Victim Recantation module for modeling child-victim statement change dynamics, recantation risk factors, coercive pressure, and post-recantation investigative response.

• Release tag: https://github.com/Project-VIC-International/CAC-Ontology/releases/tag/v2.12.0

Key deliverables:

• New module: cacontology-recantation.ttl — statement lifecycle vocabulary (VictimStatement, DisclosureStatement, RecantationStatement, etc.), context/risk vocabulary, and investigative response vocabulary
• Extended modules: cacontology-case-management.ttl (accommodation and testimony-planning concepts), cacontology-victim-impact.ttl (support concepts), cacontology-training.ttl (recantation response training), cacontology-custodial.ttl (contact restriction)
• New SHACL shapes: cacontology-recantation-shapes.ttl
• New example KG: coursing-justice-recantation-101-example.ttl
• New SPARQL suite: coursing-justice-recantation-101-analytics.rq

v2.11.0 (Feb 20, 2026)

v2.11.0 adds the Knowledge Synthesis module and hardens the SR2026.1 TF-CSEA systematic review example knowledge graph with audit-safe evidence alignment.

• Release tag: https://github.com/Project-VIC-International/CAC-Ontology/releases/tag/v2.11.0

Key deliverables:

• New module: cacontology-synthesis.ttl — report/work vs artifact split, evidence pointer conventions, hash semantics helpers
• New SHACL shapes: cacontology-synthesis-shapes.ttl — evidence pointer validation (line-range or page-range), hash validation (UCO HashFacet or legacy inline)
• New example KG: ipie-sr2026-1-tf-csea-systematic-review-example.ttl
• New SPARQL suite: ipie-sr2026-1-tf-csea-systematic-review-analytics.rq

v2.10.0 (Feb 16, 2026)

v2.10.0 adds explicit modeling for Emergency Disclosure Requests (EDRs) used in time-sensitive missing-child investigations.

• Release tag: https://github.com/Project-VIC-International/CAC-Ontology/releases/tag/v2.10.0

Key deliverables:

• New/updated ontology concepts in the platforms module (cacontology-platforms.ttl)
• Updated SHACL shapes for validation (cacontology-platforms-shapes.ttl)
• New example knowledge graph: police1-modern-missing-child-investigations-2026-example.ttl
• New analytics suite: police1-modern-missing-child-investigations-2026-analytics.rq

If you are new, the easiest way to see “what the ontology does” is to open a recent example suite and run its SPARQL queries against the example .ttl graph.

Version History

For detailed version history and changelog, see the CHANGELOG.md file in the repository.

Release Information

Current Version

The CAC Ontology Family follows semantic versioning principles. The current version (v3.0.0) includes:

• 35+ specialized ontology modules organized into six domain areas plus a core semantic spine and bridge layer
• 30 SHACL validation modules with comprehensive business rules
• Semantic Spine (cac-core: namespace) — stable, top-level class hierarchy mediating all alignment to gUFO, UCO, and CASE
• Bridge modules for gUFO, CASE, and UCO alignment
• gUFO integration for enhanced semantic precision
• Full CASE/UCO compatibility for seamless integration
• 97 ontology files with 2,154 classes and 2,443 properties

Release Types

• Stable Releases: Production-ready versions with full documentation and validation
• Development Releases: Pre-release versions for testing and feedback
• Archived Releases: Historical versions maintained for compatibility

Download

GitHub Repository

All releases are available from the CAC-Ontology GitHub repository:

git clone https://github.com/Project-VIC-International/CAC-Ontology.git

Ontology Files

Ontology files are located in the canonical ontology/ directory:

• https://github.com/Project-VIC-International/CAC-Ontology/tree/main/ontology

Examples

Example files based on real-world cases are available in:

• Examples (canonical): https://github.com/Project-VIC-International/CAC-Ontology/tree/main/examples_knowledge_graphs
• SPARQL analytics suites (canonical): https://github.com/Project-VIC-International/CAC-Ontology/tree/main/example_SPARQL_queries

Under Development

Upcoming Features

• Additional specialized modules for emerging investigation patterns
• Enhanced validation rules and business logic
• Expanded international coordination frameworks
• Improved documentation and tutorials

Contributing

To contribute to the development of CAC Ontology:

1. Review the Contributing Guidelines
2. Check open Issues and Pull Requests
3. Join the Community to discuss contributions

Release Notes

For detailed release notes, visit the GitHub Releases page or check the repository’s CHANGELOG.md file.

Versioning

CAC Ontology follows Semantic Versioning principles:

• Major version (X.0.0): Breaking changes or major architectural updates
• Minor version (0.X.0): New modules, features, or significant additions
• Patch version (0.0.X): Bug fixes, corrections, and minor updates

Compatibility

CASE/UCO Compatibility

All releases maintain compatibility with:

• CASE Ontology: Full compatibility with CASE investigation structures
• UCO: Compatible with Unified Cyber Ontology foundational concepts
• gUFO: Integration with Unified Foundational Ontology patterns

Backward Compatibility

• Minor and patch releases maintain backward compatibility
• Major releases may include breaking changes (documented in release notes)
• Deprecated features are marked and supported for at least one major version

Support

For questions about releases or version compatibility:

• Check the Documentation
• Review GitHub Issues
• Contact the Community