The Galaxy Project is pleased to announce the formation of the Tool Developers Special Interest Group (SIG), a new initiative designed to strengthen the backbone of the Galaxy ecosystem: its tools.

Operating as an extension of the Intergalactic Utilities Commission (IUC), this group provides a dedicated forum for developers of all experience levels to collaborate on high-quality, sustainable tool development. The SIG was established to address the growing need for coordinated maintenance, standardized best practices, and a supportive environment for knowledge sharing within the community.

A Hub for Innovation and Mentorship

The Tool Developers SIG aims to standardize and streamline the creation of Galaxy tool wrappers. By centralizing efforts, the group ensures that tools remain accessible, functional, and scientifically rigorous.

Key objectives include:

• Standardization: Establishing and maintaining best practices for wrapping, testing, and documentation.
• Collaboration: Coordinating community-driven maintenance responsibilities to reduce redundancy.
• Mentorship: Offering training sessions and peer support to onboard new developers and elevate the skills of existing contributors (similar to this event).
• Governance: Representing the technical needs of tool developers within the broader Galaxy governance structure.

Call for Participation

Participation is open to all individuals interested in improving the Galaxy tool ecosystem, regardless of their current skill level. Whether you are an experienced IUC member or a newcomer seeking to learn tool wrapping, your contributions are vital.

The group engages through bimonthly virtual meetings, peer review cycles, and collaborative hackathons.

How to Join

We invite all interested developers to participate in our upcoming sessions.

• Meetings: Held every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 14:00 CET. Subscribe to the Calendar.
• Communication: Join the discussion on our Matrix channel or follow our progress on the GitHub Project Board.

For full details on our mission, resources, and meeting agenda, please visit the Tool Developers SIG webpage.