1. Motivations
To recall and summarise the benefits of usage of Interface Data Structures (IDS) - mentioned in previous parts of this tutorial:
A standard interfaces between codes:
- solves the problem of API between various codes (no need to a design API between every cooperating codes)
- allows coupling of codes even if they are not written in the same programming language
- allows for accessing a data coming from various simulations and/or experiments (and publish them too)
2. Levels of adaptation
Codes, depending on the needs, can use IMAS at different levels:
- Standalone programs
- Standalone, self contained, programs/scripts of different complexity
- Handles IDS I/O operations on they own
- Actors
- Components, being a part of more sophisticated computing scenarios ('workflows') joining together a number of codes coming from various developers, and using various programming languages
- Workflow orchestrator is responsible for saving/reading IDSes