In short. A knowledge graph connects identifiable entities through relationships, supporting entity-based search features such as Google knowledge panels.
Definition: A knowledge graph represents entities, the things being described, as nodes and their relationships as connections. Relationships describe how entities are connected, such as identifying the creator of a painting.
Key facts
- As of 17 October 2026, Google's Knowledge Graph Search API documentation describes a read-only service that returns individual matching entities.
- The W3C's RDF 1.1 Primer explains relationships as statements with a subject, predicate and object, called triples.
- Google's knowledge panel help says panels are automatically generated from information across the web.
- Google's Organization structured data documentation says homepage markup can help distinguish an organization from others in search results.
How do relationships connect entities?
An entity can participate in several relationships. The Resource Description Framework, or RDF, is a framework for expressing information about resources. Its primer uses Bob's interest in the Mona Lisa and the painting's creator to illustrate connections:
<Bob> <is interested in> <the Mona Lisa>.
<the Mona Lisa> <was created by> <Leonardo da Vinci>.
This informal pseudocode uses a subject for the resource described, a predicate for the relationship, and an object for the related resource. The Mona Lisa connects the statements because it appears in both. The primer illustrates how a graph query can find people interested in paintings by Leonardo da Vinci.
An identifier gives a resource a reusable identity. RDF uses International Resource Identifiers, or IRIs, which other publishers can reuse to identify the same thing.
What does Google's API expose?
An application programming interface, or API, lets software request data. Google's API guide documents entity search and uses Taylor Swift as its example. The sample result includes an @id identifier, a name, and types including Person. It uses JSON-LD, a format for linked data, and Schema.org types to describe the result.
The service returns individual matches; Google points readers to Wikidata data dumps for interconnected entity graphs. The guide also directs new API users to Google Cloud Enterprise Knowledge Graph and warns against making a product critically dependent on the documented service.
How does the graph appear in search?
Google's knowledge panel explanation describes panels as information boxes for entities in its Knowledge Graph. A panel presents a snapshot based on Google's understanding of available web content.
Google combines information from web sources and, for some topics such as movies or music, data partners. Panels update automatically as web information changes. Verified entities can also suggest edits to facts about themselves. These are documented ways that information reaches a search feature built around entities.
What can a website describe explicitly?
Structured data is a standardized format for describing a page and classifying its content. Google's Organization guide recommends placing organization information on the homepage or a single descriptive page, such as an about page.
The url property identifies the organization's website and helps Google identify the organization. The sameAs property can link to an external profile with additional organization information. The guide recommends the most specific applicable Schema.org subtype, including LocalBusiness subtypes for local businesses.
For implementation checks, the same guide recommends validating markup with the Rich Results Test and using URL Inspection to check how Google sees the page.
Related terms
FAQ
Can you add an entity through the Knowledge Graph Search API?
Google's API documentation describes the service as read-only. Its documented uses include finding entities and annotating content with them.
How can you suggest a correction to a knowledge panel?
Google's panel help says subjects and official representatives can claim their panel and suggest changes. Other users can suggest edits for review through the panel's feedback link.
Sources
- Google, "Google Knowledge Graph Search API", updated 26 April 2024
- W3C, "RDF 1.1 Primer", 24 June 2014
- Google, "About knowledge panels", accessed 17 October 2026
- Google Search Central, "Organization (Organization) structured data", updated 8 September 2026
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