Terminology

HydroMT and this documentation use a specific terminology to describe specific objects or processes.

Term	Explanation
Command Line Interface (CLI)	high-level interface to HydroMT build, update, clip, check and export methods.
Configuration (HydroMT)	(.yaml) file describing the complete pipeline with all methods and their arguments to build or update a model.
Data catalog	A set of data sources available for HydroMT. It is build up from yaml files containing one or more data sources with information about how to read and optionally preprocess the data and contains meta-data about the data source.
Data source	Input data to be processed by HydroMT. Data sources are listed in yaml files.
Model	A set of files describing the schematization, forcing, states, simulation configuration and results for any supported model kernel and model classes. The final set of files is dependent on the model type (grid, vector or mesh model for examples) or the model plugin.
Model class	A model instance can be instantiated from different model schematization concepts. Generalized model classes currently supported within HydroMT are Grid Model (distributed models), vector Model (semi-distributed), Mesh Model (unstructured) and in the future Network Model (relational model). Specific model classes for specific softwares have been implemented as plugins, see Model plugin.
Model attributes	Direct properties of a model, such as the model root. They can be called when using HydroMT from python.
Model component	A model is described by HydroMT with the following components: maps, geoms (vector data), forcing, results, states, config, grid (for a grid model), vector (for a vector model), mesh (for a mesh model).
Model plugin	(Plugin) Package that links the HydroMT Model class to a specific model software so that HydroMT can build and update models and analyze its simulation results. For example HydroMT-Wflow, HydroMT-SFINCS etc. Plugins are installed separately from HydroMT and are not part of the HydroMT core package. Plugins are the most common way of using HydroMT to build and update specific models.
Model kernel	The model software to execute a model simulation. This is not part of any HydroMT plugin.
Region	Argument of the build and clip CLI methods that specifies the region of interest where the model should be prepared / which spatial subregion should be clipped.