Description Logic (DL) was designed as an extension to framess and semantic networks.

Description Logic was given its current name in the 1980s. Previous to this it was called (chronologically): terminological systems, and concept languages. Today Description Logic has become a cornerstone of the Semantic Web for its use in the design of Ontology.

The first DL-based system was KL-ONE (by Brachman and Schmolze, 1985). Some other DL systems came later. They are LOOM (1987), BACK (1988), KRIS (1991), CLASSIC (1991), FACT (1998) and lately OIL which inspires the evolution of the Semantic Web.

See also: