How to interact programatically with Ontology?

[jaryszek]

Hello,

Is there any way to interact with the Ontology programmatically?

[v-sgandrathi · Accepted solution]

Hi @jaryszek,

The API you mentioned for creating an ontology item in Microsoft Fabric does exist, but it’s important to note its current capabilities and limitations. The Create Ontology API is part of the Fabric REST API, introduced for Fabric IQ scenarios, and is currently in preview or limited rollout. Right now, it mainly allows you to provision the ontology item within a workspace, similar to creating other Fabric resources like a Lakehouse or Warehouse.

Currently, this API does not support full programmatic management of ontology content. Actions such as creating or updating concepts, defining relationships, managing mappings, or editing the internal structure are not available through public APIs yet. So, while you can create the ontology artifact programmatically, detailed modeling and management still need to be done in the Fabric UI.

API availability can also depend on tenant settings and Fabric IQ feature rollout. For automation, you can use Fabric REST APIs to manage related assets such as semantic models, metadata, and lineage, but ontology configuration still requires the UI. Full programmatic control of ontology structure is not generally available at this time.

Thankn you.

[jaryszek]

thank you

[v-sgandrathi]

Hi @jaryszek,

This will depend on what you mean by Ontology. If it’s part of a specific platform, you can usually interact programmatically using that platform’s APIs and endpoints.

For Microsoft Fabric, there isn’t a separate ontology object available. In most cases, ontology refers to the semantic layer, including semantic models, relationships, business metadata, or governance concepts. You can interact programmatically through:

Fabric / Power BI REST APIs (for managing items, metadata, and lineage)

XMLA endpoint (for working with semantic models via TOM or external tools)

Admin & Metadata scanning APIs (for catalog, lineage, and governance)

Microsoft Purview integration (for business glossary or governed metadata)

There isn’t a dedicated “ontology service” in Fabric, so you generally work with the semantic model, metadata, or governance layers instead.

If you mean ontology in a broader sense (such as OWL/RDF-based semantic web or knowledge graph ontologies), interaction is typically done using standards like SPARQL, graph APIs, or specialized tools.

Ultimately, programmatic access depends on the specific product or service hosting the ontology. If you specify the platform or tool, it will be easier to provide targeted guidance.

Thank you and Continue using Microsoft Fabric Community Forum.

[MohdZaid_]

Hey @jaryszek , 

At the moment, there isn’t a supported way to interact with Ontology programmatically in Microsoft Fabric.

The Ontology experience is currently designed to be managed through the Fabric user interface. Microsoft hasn’t exposed it through a public REST API, SDK, PowerShell module, or XMLA endpoint. So you can’t create, update, or read Ontology objects using code or automation tools right now.

If your goal is automation around related assets (like semantic models, Lakehouses, or pipelines), those can be managed programmatically using Fabric REST APIs or the XMLA endpoint for semantic models. However, that access applies to the data and model layer not to the Ontology layer itself.

If you’re trying to achieve something specific (for example, syncing metadata, automating governance, or dynamically generating business concepts), there may be an alternative architectural approach using available APIs. But direct programmatic control of Ontology isn’t currently supported.

If this answered your question, please mark it as the solution so others can benefit from it.

If it helped, a quick Kudos is always appreciated to highlight useful answers for the community.

Thanks for being part of the discussion!

[jaryszek]

thanks,

what about this API?:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/fabric/ontology/items/create-ontology?tabs=HTTP

Best,
Jacek

[jaryszek]

thanks, I am refering to Fabric IQ Ontology. 

Best,
Jacek