Guideline 17(interner Link) requires researchers to safeguard and retain any published research results. In order to allow the process that led to the results to be verified, the requirement covers not just the underlying objects but also the research software itself. If the research software has not already been published in the form in which it was used, it must be archived. The scope of the content to be safeguarded and retained may vary depending on the nature and function of the research software. The following should generally be included:

• name of the research software
• description of the functions of the research software
• archiving of the source code
• versioning
• documentation (e.g. manual or handbook)
• technical requirements (technical dependencies, environment, etc.)
• licence
• authorship

In order to ensure safeguarding and retention, the recommendation is to use publicly accessible repositories or software archives. These should ideally be managed by the research community and allow the assignment of persistent identifiers (PID, e.g. DOI). Practical guides and best practices for archiving research software are offered e. g. by various NFDI consortia.

See also

Submitting Your Research · DS&AI Best Practices(externer Link)

How to save and reference research software – Software Heritage(externer Link)

Software Sustainability Institute(externer Link)