Release of SFCGAL 2.0

SFCGAL 2.0 is now available. This update of our open source library for advanced 2D and 3D geometry manipulation and analysis brings several new features and improvements.

Key new features

1. CGAL compatibility
   • Support for CGAL versions 5.6 and 6.0
2. New 3D functionalities
   • 3D buffer for points and lines;
   

   3D Round Buffer

   

   3D Flat Buffer

    

   • Polygon skeleton-based partitioning for polygon decomposition. The “Straight Skeleton” algorithm has existed for several versions, it can now return a MultiPolygon.

   

3. Improvements in geometric operations
   • New methods for translating, rotating, and scaling geometries in 2D and 3D. To illustrate this, what better than showing an example of the 3D construction of the PostGIS logo visualized in QGIS 3D!

   

4. New export options
   • Ability to export geometries to VTK and OBJ formats
5. Ease of deployment
   • Docker images available for Debian and Windows

Integration with the geospatial ecosystem

PostGIS

The integration of SFCGAL 2.0 into the next version of PostGIS is currently under development and the new features should be available in version 3.6.0. This work paves the way for more advanced 2D and 3D processing directly in the reference spatial database!

PySFCGAL

PySFCGAL, the Python version of SFCGAL, continues its development, approaching the functionalities of similar tools like Shapely. New documentation is available on the dedicated website. Its installation become easier with new wheel packages which integrate all the dependencies to use it.

QSFCGAL

The development of QSFCGAL is progressing. This project aims to provide a QGIS user interface for SFCGAL functionalities.

Development and support

SFCGAL has evolved to become an independent open source project, governed by a dedicated Project Steering Committee (PSC). This transition marks an important step in the project’s maturity and its openness to a wider community of developers.

Independent governance

1. 1. • A PSC has been established to ensure project management, and oversee the development and future directions of SFCGAL.
      • The project now welcomes contributors from diverse backgrounds, strengthening its status as a community open source project.

Oslandia’s ongoing role

1. 1. • Oslandia remains an active and committed contributor to the project, and is delighted to carry out this work in an even more open manner!
      • Open source is at the heart of Oslandia’s values, and the company continues to actively support the development of SFCGAL.

A project open to all

1. 1. • SFCGAL leaves Oslandia’s fold to position itself as an open source project accessible to the entire community.
      • We strongly encourage external contributions, whether it’s code, documentation, or feedback.

How to contribute

1. 1. • Developers interested in the project can consult our contribution guide on the project’s GitLab repository.
      • We also welcome bug reports, feature suggestions, and discussions on our different channels.
      • We encourage those who use and benefit from SFCGAL to consider financially supporting the project to ensure its sustainability and evolution.

For more information about the project or to start contributing, visit the official SFCGAL website or contact the SFCGAL team by email.