Code Curation Checklist

• Are source code files named appropriately, with an extension that matches the programming language?

• Are hardware and software dependencies adequately documented?

  • The hardware, operating system, and package versions used to run the code should be documented.

• Does the documentation describe how to use the code?

  • The README should give an example of how to use the code, including expected outputs or behaviors.

• Are files, variables, and functions named appropriately?

• Are file paths in the source code portable? Would running the code on another computer or operating system cause the paths to “break”?

  • Relative file paths are preferred to absolute file paths. Ideally, paths are constructed using software tools that account for differences between operating system path delimiters.

• Are files referenced in the source code included in the submission?

  • If not, the documentation should include instructions on obtaining the missing files.

• Is there a README and is it appropriately descriptive. Contents may include:

  • Description: the code’s purpose and behavior, including any usage examples.

  • Contributors: name, institutional affiliations, and contact

  • Technical Requirements: notes on hardware and software dependencies

  • Known Limitation & Bugs

  • License

  • Preferred Citation

  • Additional Acknowledgements

• Does the code include a license and is it appropriate?

  • The code should be licensed with an open source software license, preferably a permissive one (Apache, BSD-3, MIT).

• Are files in the submission organized in a consistent and logical manner?

  • The directory structure should help to differentiate, for example, source code files and data files.