What is a GS1 Linkset?
At its core, a GS1 Linkset is a machine-readable file, typically in RDF (Resource Description Framework) or JSON-LD format, that provides semantic relationships (links) between:
A GS1 Digital Link URI (e.g., a URL that resolves from a barcode or QR code)
Other useful resources or documents associated with the product (like a product page, image, instruction manual, safety data sheet, etc.)
It describes how these resources relate to the product identified by a GS1 identifier (such as a GTIN, GLN, etc.).
Why is it useful?
Semantic interoperability across different systems (e.g., supply chain, retail, and logistics platforms)
Easy retrieval of contextual data about a product, location, asset, etc.
Use of standardized vocabularies like schema.org and GS1 Web Vocabulary
Dynamic linking — different users (e.g., consumers vs retailers) can see different linked content depending on their needs or context (language, location, role, etc.)
Structure of a GS1 Linkset
{
"@context": [
"https://www.w3.org/ns/json-ld#context",
"https://ref.gs1.org/standards/gs1-link-types"
],
"anchor": "https://id.gs1.org/01/09506000134352",
"links": [
{
"rel": "gs1:pip",
"href": "https://example.com/pip/09506000134352"
},
{
"rel": "gs1:certification",
"href": "https://example.com/certificates/09506000134352"
},
{
"rel": "gs1:productDescription",
"href": "https://example.com/products/09506000134352/description"
},
{
"rel": "gs1:allergens",
"href": "https://example.com/products/09506000134352/allergens"
},
{
"rel": "gs1:nutritionalInfo",
"href": "https://example.com/products/09506000134352/nutrition"
},
{
"rel": "gs1:usageInstructions",
"href": "https://example.com/products/09506000134352/usage"
},
{
"rel": "gs1:consumerInformation",
"href": "https://example.com/products/09506000134352"
}
]
}Key Elements Explained
| Field | Meaning |
|---|
| @context | Points to JSON-LD context, including GS1-specific link types. |
| anchor | The identifier for the resource (e.g. the GTIN URI https://id.gs1.org/01/GTIN). |
| links | An array of link objects that describe different GS1 Digital Link relations. |
How to test if Linkset is available?
How to access the Linkset?
Option 1: Content Negotiation (Preferred)
The GS1 Digital Link URI itself (e.g. with GTIN) returns different representations depending on Accept headers.
GET https://id.gs1.org/01/09506000134352
Accept: application/linkset+json
Option 2: .linkset.json Suffix
Alternatively, the client can directly request the linkset using the suffix linkset.json
https://id.gs1.org/01/09506000134352.linkset.json
Option 3: linkType Parameter
Alternatively, the client can directly request the linkset using the linkType parameter set to all or linkset.
https://id.gs1.org/01/09506000134352?linkType=linkset
https://id.gs1.org/01/09506000134352?linkType=all