🔌 Custom Data Sources

Content Outline

Detailed guide to creating custom data source plugins for PyMapGIS:

1. Data Source Plugin Architecture

• Plugin interface and base classes
• Registration and discovery mechanisms
• URL scheme handling
• Configuration and settings integration
• Lifecycle management

2. Plugin Interface Implementation

• DataSourcePlugin base class
• Required methods and properties
• Optional method implementations
• Error handling requirements
• Performance considerations

3. URL Scheme Design

• URL scheme selection and registration
• Parameter parsing and validation
• Query string handling
• Fragment and anchor support
• URL normalization

4. Authentication Integration

• Authentication provider integration
• API key management
• OAuth flow implementation
• Session management
• Security best practices

5. Data Retrieval Implementation

• HTTP client integration
• Database connection handling
• File system access
• Cloud storage integration
• Streaming data support

6. Format Handling

• Format detection and validation
• Data parsing and conversion
• Metadata extraction
• Error handling and recovery
• Performance optimization

7. Caching Integration

• Cache key generation
• Cache strategy implementation
• TTL and invalidation handling
• Performance optimization
• Error handling

8. Error Handling and Validation

• Input validation strategies
• Error classification and handling
• User-friendly error messages
• Logging and debugging support
• Recovery mechanisms

9. Performance Optimization

• Lazy loading implementation
• Parallel processing support
• Memory management
• I/O optimization
• Benchmarking and profiling

10. Testing and Quality Assurance

• Unit testing strategies
• Integration testing
• Mock data and services
• Performance testing
• Error condition testing

11. Documentation and Examples

• Plugin documentation requirements
• Usage examples and tutorials
• API reference documentation
• Configuration examples
• Troubleshooting guides

12. Distribution and Maintenance

• Plugin packaging and distribution
• Version management
• Dependency handling
• Community support
• Long-term maintenance

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This guide will provide step-by-step instructions for creating custom data source plugins, with complete examples and best practices.