CROW: Python-based Configuration Toolbox for Operational and Development Workflows

The increasing level of complexity of EMC workflows lead to several challenges for researchers and users. One of the major issues is the absence of a modernized and generalized front-end. The Configurator of Research and Operational Workflows (CROW) is developed to fill the gap between developers and users, through an object-oriented programming approach using python. The goal of CROW is to drastically simplify the most time-consuming and error-prone stages of executing a workflow, such as platform adaptation, resource allocation and model configuration. This means more creative work could be done with given resources, in terms of both user hours and computer capacity. Highly human-readable YAML definition files are taken as input of CROW, and Rocoto or ecFlow definition file are generated automatically at the end. The introduction of CROW will greatly increase the efficiency of collaboration, documentation and R2O transition, and benefit users and developers from both EMC and the community.