list available backends and basic descriptors

xarray/backends/api.py

@@ -80,6 +80,28 @@
 }
 
 
+def avail_engines() -> List:
+    """
+    Return a list of available engines with metadata.
+
+    For any registered backend that is available, get the backend name,
+    short text description, and link to the backend's documentation.
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    List of lists
+    """
+    engines = plugins.list_engines()
+
+    eng_list = []
+    for eng in engines:
+        eng_list.append(
+            [eng, engines[eng].backend_description, engines[eng].backend_docs]
+        )
+
+    return eng_list
+
+
 def _get_default_engine_remote_uri() -> Literal["netcdf4", "pydap"]:
     engine: Literal["netcdf4", "pydap"]
     try:

xarray/backends/common.py

@@ -374,6 +374,20 @@ class BackendEntrypoint:
     open_dataset_parameters: tuple | None = None
     """list of ``open_dataset`` method parameters"""
 
+    @property
+    def backend_description(description: str | None):
+        """
+        Brief text description of backend
+        """
+        return ""
+
+    @property
+    def backend_docs(docs: str | os.PathLike):
+        """
+        URL to backend's documentation
+        """
+        return ""
+
     def open_dataset(
         self,
         filename_or_obj: str | os.PathLike,