Add library files documentation

docs/source/backends/method_info.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+Properties and execution requirements
+=====================================
+
+In order for HTTomo to execute a method it requires certain information about the method, such
+as its pattern, and (if it's a GPU method) the amount of GPU memory required per-slice.
+
+Some of this information is simple (such as the pattern of a method), and other information may
+be more complex and thus could require a function to describe it (such as the GPU memory usage
+of a GPU method).
+
+The simple information describes properties of a method (its pattern, whether it's a CPU or GPU
+method, etc), and the complex information describes requirements for executing the method (how
+much GPU memory is needed per-slice, how much padding is needed per-slice, etc).
+
+In :code:`httomo-backends`, the properties of methods are stored in YAML files (which are often
+referred to as "library files"), and the execution requirements are stored in python functions
+(which are often referred to as "supporting functions").
+
+Library files
+-------------
+
+Each supported backend has modules which contain methods, and the library files are organised
+similarly:
+
+- each backend has a library file
+- a library file has a section for each of the modules within the associated backend
+- for a given method, the simple information for that method is stored in the library file for
+  the backend the method is in
+
+For example, :code:`httomolibgpu` has a method :code:`normalize`. The simple information for
+this :code:`normalize` method is stored in the libary file for :code:`httomolibgpu`.
+
+Backend library files
+---------------------
+
+Below is a list of library files for the currently supported backends.
+
+.. dropdown:: TomoPy
+
+    .. literalinclude:: ../../../httomo_backends/methods_database/packages/backends/tomopy/tomopy.yaml
+
+.. dropdown:: Httomolibgpu
+
+    .. literalinclude:: ../../../httomo_backends/methods_database/packages/backends/httomolibgpu/httomolibgpu.yaml
+
+.. dropdown:: Httomolib
+
+    .. literalinclude:: ../../../httomo_backends/methods_database/packages/backends/httomolib/httomolib.yaml

docs/source/index.rst

@@ -14,4 +14,10 @@
     :caption: Utilities
     :maxdepth: 2
 
-    utilities/yaml_generator
+    utilities/yaml_generator
+
+.. toctree::
+    :caption: Method Information
+    :maxdepth: 2
+
+    backends/method_info