Recap of your meeting with Radiant Earth Foundation

[Fathom]

Meeting Purpose Review recent STAC updates and discuss future priorities. Key Takeaways - STAC Geoparquet is a top priority for 2025. Microsoft's Planetary Computer team needs it as a tabular replication format for analytics platforms (e.g., Databricks), making its formalization a key driver for STAC adoption. - PySTAC v2 is planned to fix critical architectural flaws. The current version's complex link resolution and extension management prevent reliable mixed-version (1.0/1.1) document generation, which is a blocker for large users like Microsoft. - STAC API RFCs are addressing key usability issues. New proposals will enable hierarchical collection grouping to improve user experience and standardize a QUERY HTTP method to resolve conflicts with the POST method. - STAC JSON schemas will be overhauled to improve validation errors. The current oneOf logic produces noisy, unhelpful errors. The plan is to generate schemas from a simpler source, potentially using if-then-else for clearer, type-specific feedback. Topics STAC Geoparquet & Analytics Platforms - Microsoft's Need: Gustavo Hidalgo (Planetary Computer) identified STAC Geoparquet as a critical component for enabling STAC adoption in data analytics platforms. - Primary Use Case: Replicating STAC collections into a tabular format (Geoparquet, Delta Lake, Iceberg) for direct consumption in tools like Databricks. - Rationale: This approach allows business users to first analyze metadata, proving value before requiring access to the raw asset data. - 2025 Plan: Pete Gadomski will lead work to formalize the STAC Geoparquet spec, create a dedicated website, and develop tutorials. PySTAC v2 Refactor - Problem: The current PySTAC architecture is a blocker for large users. - Mixed-Version Generation: It cannot reliably generate both 1.0 and 1.1 documents within the same process, which is required for managing mixed-spec collections. - Architectural Flaws: Complex link resolution and extension management cause internal mutation problems and make the codebase difficult to maintain. - Proposed Solution (PySTAC v2): A major refactor to simplify internals while preserving the external API to minimize user disruption. - Key Changes: - Simplify link resolution logic. - Decouple extension management from the core library. - Status: Unfunded; a customer-driven need for 1.1 support would likely accelerate development. STAC Schemas & Validation - Problem: The current JSON schemas produce noisy, unhelpful validation errors, especially from the oneOf keyword, making it difficult for users to debug their STAC data. - Proposed Solution: Generate schemas from a simpler, more maintainable source. - Method 1: Replace oneOf with if-then-else logic to provide type-specific error messages. - Method 2: Explore alternative schema languages (e.g., Becquerel Schema) that can validate both JSON and tabular formats like Geoparquet. - Constraint: Any new system must still generate standard JSON schemas for client compatibility. Recent STAC Updates - STAC API RFCs: - Hierarchical Collections: An RFC proposes a method to group collections into a hierarchy, making large APIs (like Planetary Computer's) more navigable. - Children Extension: Rewritten to allow the children endpoint at any level, not just the root. - STAC Browser: - v4 Released: Includes numerous updates. - v5 in Progress: A full migration to Vue.js 3 and Bootstrap 5. - STAC API Collection Search: - v1 Approaching: The extension is nearing a stable release. - HTTP Method Conflict: The POST method for search conflicts with its use for creating resources in the Transaction extension. A new QUERY method is being investigated as a standard solution. - STAC Zarr Integration: - Use Case: Embedding STAC metadata directly into Zarr datasets. - Discussion Point: Exploring how this relates to Geoparquet, which uses a similar "NV arrays style" for tabular data. Next Steps - Pete: - Finalize and announce the STACUtils release bot. - Lead the STAC Geoparquet formalization effort in January 2025. - Gustavo: - Provide feedback on the Hierarchical Collections RFC, focusing on the Planetary Computer's need for a grouping construct. - Emmanuel: - Continue the STAC Zarr integration discussion in the StackSpec discussions forum. - Matthias: - Evaluate replacing oneOf with if-then-else in JSON schemas to improve validation errors. - All: - Review and provide feedback on the Hierarchical Collections RFC. - Review and provide feedback on the STAC Best Practices document, especially the section on links.

Get your own FREE AI Meeting Assistant Meeting with Radiant Earth Foundation STAC Community Meetup December 15, 2025  •  60 mins  •  View Meeting or Ask Fathom Action Items ✨ Tag Emmanuel on PyStack 1.1 bands support issue Pete Gadomski Post PyStack v2 write-up in chat Pete Gadomski Comment on Matthias' hierarchical collections RFC Gustavo Hidalgo Meeting Summary ✨ Meeting Purpose Review recent STAC updates and discuss future priorities. Key Takeaways STAC Geoparquet is a top priority for 2025. Microsoft's Planetary Computer team needs it as a tabular replication format for analytics platforms (e.g., Databricks), making its formalization a key driver for STAC adoption. PySTAC v2 is planned to fix critical architectural flaws. The current version's complex link resolution and extension management prevent reliable mixed-version (1.0/1.1) document generation, which is a blocker for large users like Microsoft. STAC API RFCs are addressing key usability issues. New proposals will enable hierarchical collection grouping to improve user experience and standardize a QUERY HTTP method to resolve conflicts with the POST method. STAC JSON schemas will be overhauled to improve validation errors. The current oneOf logic produces noisy, unhelpful errors. The plan is to generate schemas from a simpler source, potentially using if-then-else for clearer, type-specific feedback. Topics STAC Geoparquet & Analytics Platforms Microsoft's Need: Gustavo Hidalgo (Planetary Computer) identified STAC Geoparquet as a critical component for enabling STAC adoption in data analytics platforms. Primary Use Case: Replicating STAC collections into a tabular format (Geoparquet, Delta Lake, Iceberg) for direct consumption in tools like Databricks. Rationale: This approach allows business users to first analyze metadata, proving value before requiring access to the raw asset data. 2025 Plan: Pete Gadomski will lead work to formalize the STAC Geoparquet spec, create a dedicated website, and develop tutorials. PySTAC v2 Refactor Problem: The current PySTAC architecture is a blocker for large users. Mixed-Version Generation: It cannot reliably generate both 1.0 and 1.1 documents within the same process, which is required for managing mixed-spec collections. Architectural Flaws: Complex link resolution and extension management cause internal mutation problems and make the codebase difficult to maintain. Proposed Solution (PySTAC v2): A major refactor to simplify internals while preserving the external API to minimize user disruption. Key Changes: Simplify link resolution logic. Decouple extension management from the core library. Status: Unfunded; a customer-driven need for 1.1 support would likely accelerate development. STAC Schemas & Validation Problem: The current JSON schemas produce noisy, unhelpful validation errors, especially from the oneOf keyword, making it difficult for users to debug their STAC data. Proposed Solution: Generate schemas from a simpler, more maintainable source. Method 1: Replace oneOf with if-then-else logic to provide type-specific error messages. Method 2: Explore alternative schema languages (e.g., Becquerel Schema) that can validate both JSON and tabular formats like Geoparquet. Constraint: Any new system must still generate standard JSON schemas for client compatibility. Recent STAC Updates STAC API RFCs: Hierarchical Collections: An RFC proposes a method to group collections into a hierarchy, making large APIs (like Planetary Computer's) more navigable. Children Extension: Rewritten to allow the children endpoint at any level, not just the root. STAC Browser: v4 Released: Includes numerous updates. v5 in Progress: A full migration to Vue.js 3 and Bootstrap 5. STAC API Collection Search: v1 Approaching: The extension is nearing a stable release. HTTP Method Conflict: The POST method for search conflicts with its use for creating resources in the Transaction extension. A new QUERY method is being investigated as a standard solution. STAC Zarr Integration: Use Case: Embedding STAC metadata directly into Zarr datasets. Discussion Point: Exploring how this relates to Geoparquet, which uses a similar "NV arrays style" for tabular data. Next Steps Pete: Finalize and announce the STACUtils release bot. Lead the STAC Geoparquet formalization effort in January 2025. Gustavo: Provide feedback on the Hierarchical Collections RFC, focusing on the Planetary Computer's need for a grouping construct. Emmanuel: Continue the STAC Zarr integration discussion in the StackSpec discussions forum. Matthias: Evaluate replacing oneOf with if-then-else in JSON schemas to improve validation errors. All: Review and provide feedback on the Hierarchical Collections RFC. Review and provide feedback on the STAC Best Practices document, especially the section on links. View Meeting → Ask Fathom! Ask our AI Assistant for answers and insights. It's ChatGPT for your meetings! Try Ask Fathom → Never take notes again. Sign up for Free 🎁 Referral bonus: Sign up now and unlock a free month of Premium for you