# Newsletter Updates

## NumFOCUS

### May, 2022

- 2.12.0a1
A new pre-release version of Zarr is available for testing by the community.
This version provides the infrastructure for reading and writing the upcoming
V3 spec of the Zarr format.
> [name=jakirkham] Should we explain how users opt-in to using V3? Or link to that?
> [name=Sanket] The blog post explains this.

The pre-release can be installed via:
`pip install --pre zarr`

See https://zarr.readthedocs.io/en/master/release.html for more information.

- ZEP & ZIC

The Zarr project has formed an "Implementation Council" composed
of projects which have implemented the Zarr specification.
> [name=jakirkham] Should we add a sentence on how this works? For example, "ZIC reviews changes proposed to the Zarr spec and evaluates feasibility of implementation" or similar. Also we mention ZEP in the title, but don't currently have an explanation of what it is. Should we add this?

- A new article on Viv (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41592-022-01482-7)
is available in Nature Methods. This platform provides a serverless
viewing platform for Zarr data. See the open-access benchmark linked
in https://twitter.com/trevmanz/status/1524764249872117761

- finalization of logo (https://github.com/zarr-developers/zarr-logo)?

> [name=jakirkham] Should we mention GSOC?
> [name=Sanket] Did this in June update.

### June, 2022

- New GSoC contributors!
- ZEP Website - https://zarr.dev/zeps
- Call for Contributors for Zarr R?

### July-August, 2022

- First ZEP, [ZEP0001](https://github.com/zarr-developers/zarr-specs/pull/149), is open for review. 🎉 We're looking to build consensus from the Zarr Community. If you use Zarr in any way, please have a look and leave your thoughts.
- Read our latest blog post: [Zarr EOSS4 Roadmap](https://zarr.dev/blog/eoss4-roadmap/)! Feedback and suggestions are welcome.
- We're also looking to showcase #ZarrData on our website: https://zarr.dev/. If you have something interesting, please let us know.

### November-December, 2022

- Outreachy Interns
- Zarr V3 is available in Xarray - https://github.com/pydata/xarray/pull/6475
- Check out [Beautiful Zarr](https://github.com/zarr-developers/beautiful-zarr) for interesting use-cases, visualisations and code-snippets!
- PyData Global participation
- ZEP1 and V3 and letter to the council

### February 2023

- Zarr Python 2.14.0
- Outreachy progress
- Sharding?
- ZEP1 finalising by the end of February

### August 2023

- Zarr-Python [2.16.0](https://github.com/zarr-developers/zarr-python/releases/tag/v2.16.0) and [2.16.1](https://github.com/zarr-developers/zarr-python/releases/tag/v2.16.1) are out!
- Zarr-Python developers have kicked off two working groups, i.e. refactoring and benchmarking, to update the package to the latest V3 specification. If you'd like to join the groups and contribute, please join the discussion [here](https://github.com/zarr-developers/zarr-python/discussions/1480) and [here](https://github.com/zarr-developers/zarr-python/discussions/1479)
- ZEP0002 - Sharding is up for review. Check [here](https://github.com/zarr-developers/zarr-specs/issues/254)
- Josh Moore will present a poster on Zarr @ [Conference on Research Data Infrastructure](https://www.nfdi.de/cordi-2023-call-for-posters/). If you're interested in using Zarr for Research Data Management, and in Germany, please drop by
- [Pizzarr](https://keller-mark.github.io/pizzarr/), a Zarr implementation in R by Mark Keller, is a new addition to [Zarr Implementations](https://zarr.dev/implementations/)
- Geo-Zarr OGC Charter is open for comments; please check [here](https://www.ogc.org/requests/ogc-to-form-geozarr-standards-working-group-public-comment-sought-on-draft-charter/)

### December 2023

- Looking for contributors for Zarr-Python V3.0
-

## CZI