PyGRASS documentation
=====================

Python is a programming language which is more powerful than shell
scripting but easier and more forgiving than C. *PyGRASS* is an
object-oriented Python Application Programming Interface (API) for
GRASS GIS. *PyGRASS* offers interfaces to GRASS modules and
functionality, as well as to vector and raster data. For details,
see Zambelli et al. (2013) in the references below. *PyGRASS*
improves the integration between GRASS GIS and Python, making the
use of Python under GRASS more consistent with the language itself.
Furthermore, it simplifies GRASS scripting and programming and more
natural for the user.

Background: In 2006, GRASS GIS developers started to adopt Python
for the new GUI. Due to this Python became more and more important
and developers converted all shell scripts from GRASS GIS 6 to Python
for GRASS GIS 7.

To work with *PyGRASS* you need an up-to-date version of GRASS
GIS. The only action before starting to work with *PyGRASS* is
to launch GRASS GIS 8 and from the console launch *python* or
*ipython* (the second one is the recommended way).


Read more about how to work with *PyGRASS* in this documentation.

**Contents:**

.. toctree::
   :maxdepth: 2

   pygrass_gis
   pygrass_raster
   pygrass_vector
   pygrass_modules
   pygrass_messages
   pygrass


References
^^^^^^^^^^

* Zambelli P, Gebbert S, Ciolli M., 2013. *Pygrass: An Object Oriented
  Python Application Programming Interface (API) for Geographic
  Resources Analysis Support System (GRASS) Geographic Information
  System (GIS)*. ISPRS International Journal of
  Geo-Information. 2(1):201-219. `doi:10.3390/ijgi2010201
  <http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijgi2010201>`_
* `Python related articles in the GRASS GIS Wiki
  <https://grasswiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Category:Python>`_
* `GRASS GIS 8 Programmer's Manual
  <https://grass.osgeo.org/programming8/>`_

This project has been funded with support from the `Google Summer of
Code 2012
<http://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/GSoC#PythonhighlevelmapinteractionforGRASSGIS>`_

..
    Indices and tables
    ==================

    * :ref:`genindex`
    * :ref:`modindex`
    * :ref:`search`
