In this module we have explored what open software is, how to implement it in your research and how it can be used.
Key Takeaways
- Open Software can be defined differently depending on context. Open source does not equal free or Free, nor does closed source equal paid.
- Open Software, using open formats, can help to facilitate long term access to your research for reproducibility, replicability, and reuse.
- Well articulated code, directly connected to your prose, is fundamental to making your research understandable.
- Version control can capture major decisions made in the transition or evolution of a project and a description of why this change was made, enhancing your transparency. Version control can also be a powerful tool for collaboration through branching and merging.
- Containerization is a method to bundle materials that you have used for your research, so that other researchers can easily reproduce your research.
- There is no right answer when it comes to making a decision on which open software solution to choose, just the one that works for you, your comfort level with the technology and the needs of your research.
