mars

Ecosystem and Foundation Alignment

This page captures ecosystem and foundation alignment targets that are adjacent to scientific package review. These are not immediate submission instructions; they define what would make the project credible in each ecosystem.

Alignment Matrix

Target	Why it matters	Current state	Next repo-side step
Apache Arrow	Arrow is the main cross-language data interchange story for columnar analytics and memory-oriented interop	no Arrow runtime surface yet	evaluate Arrow C Data / C Stream as an optional data boundary for matrix and table inputs
PyPA	Python packaging standards define the Python distribution baseline	PyPI package and release metadata exist	keep pyproject.toml, trusted publishing, metadata, and wheel smoke tests aligned with PyPA specs
.NET Foundation	C# ecosystem stewardship and project-health framing	NuGet package exists	document C# binding ownership, support policy, and whether foundation membership is useful
Julia communities	Julia General is the registry path and community discovery route	Julia package registration is pending for MarsEarth; MarsRuntime is a separate legacy identity	keep Julia docs, package metadata, examples, issue routing, and registration status current for future releases
R communities	R package review and discovery depend on R-specific documentation and checks	R package is locally publication-ready	complete r-universe/CRAN path, then align examples and review notes

Apache Arrow Position

Arrow is relevant as a future data interchange boundary, not as a requirement for the current API. A non-breaking path would be:

1. keep numpy/list inputs and ModelSpec JSON as public APIs
2. add optional Arrow import/export helpers behind feature gates or package extras
3. consider Arrow C Data / C Stream only after ownership and lifetime rules are documented
4. keep model semantics independent from the transport format

PyPA Position

The Python package should stay aligned with PyPA interoperability specs:

• pyproject.toml remains the Python packaging source of truth
• wheels are smoke-tested from clean environments
• trusted publishing stays preferred over long-lived credentials
• metadata is mirrored in docs/release_metadata.json

.NET Foundation Position

The .NET Foundation is relevant if the C# binding becomes a serious community surface. Before that, the repo needs:

• documented C# ownership and support policy
• NuGet package quality checks
• clear issue routing for C# users
• a maintainer statement for the binding

Julia and R Position

Julia and R should be treated as language communities with their own publication norms:

• Julia: General registration for MarsEarth (legacy MarsRuntime separate), package metadata, examples, issue routing, and review status tracking
• R: r-universe/CRAN, R CMD check, manual/vignette quality, and maintainer communication

Additional SOTA Improvements

Recommended improvements that cut across ecosystems:

• add CITATION.cff
• add codemeta.json
• add release DOI workflow through Zenodo or equivalent
• add OpenSSF Scorecard tracking
• add SBOM generation for release artifacts
• evaluate conda-forge packaging after Python release cadence stabilizes
• add Spack and EasyBuild feasibility notes before claiming HPC packaging

References

• Apache Arrow overview: https://arrow.apache.org/
• Apache Arrow format overview: https://arrow.apache.org/overview/
• PyPA specifications: https://packaging.python.org/specifications/
• PyPA documentation: https://www.pypa.io/
• .NET Foundation membership policy: https://dotnetfoundation.org/about/policies/.net-foundation-membership-policy
• Julia package registration: https://help.juliahub.com/juliahub/stable/registering/
• r-universe documentation: https://docs.r-universe.dev/

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