TopoToolbox 3 – improving the quality and reuse of a research software for terrain analysis

• Applicants: Professorin Dr. Anna-Lena Lamprecht; Professor Dr. Dirk Scherler; Privatdozent Dr. Wolfgang Schwanghart
• Subject Area: Physical Geography ; Geology
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 528549173

The Earth’s surface results from the fascinating interplay of tectonic and erosive forces, and the action of organisms and humans. To gain a deeper understanding of these interactions, accurate monitoring and analysis of topography is essential, and digital elevation models (DEMs) are powerful tools for achieving this goal. And this is where TopoToolbox comes in. TopoToolbox is a research software that provides a “laboratory” for the analysis of DEMs, fostering customized, automated analysis, prototyping and creative method development. Its high computational efficiency, ease-of-use and extensive documentation have attracted a worldwide user base across multiple research disciplines. Over the last ten years, TopoToolbox has undergone numerous developments and achievements. This project seeks to build on those past successes and take TopoToolbox to the next level. Specifically, our goals are threefold: (1) improve usability and accessibility, (2) enhance quality assurance in the software’s development process, and (3) increase community involvement in the ongoing development of TopoToolbox. To achieve these objectives, we will incorporate new capabilities to handle very large grids and spherical geometries. We will also write new code to enable TopoToolbox to interface with other high-level programming languages such as Python and R. To enhance quality assurance, we will implement a rigorous code review process, establish documentation standards, create test suites, and implement a continuous integration/continuous development pipeline. But the key to achieving these goals is greater involvement from the research community. We will organize dedicated events, such as a hackathon and workshops at conferences, to attract community members to participate in programming, documentation, and even a book project. With these efforts, we will improve TopoToolbox's usability, expand its usage, and increase its impact in a new version 3. Ultimately, TopoToolbox 3 will better serve its purpose of facilitating and enabling novel research on the Earth's surface.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants