Software Management

You may not realize it now, but you are a software developer. Our group develops scientific software to create, orchestrate, analyze, and manage environmental research data.

Version Control

Version control is a practice of tracking and managing the creation, modification, and continued use of code. It involves documenting uniquely when, how, and by whom a piece of code has been added, changed, or deleted. Although it might sound complicated and tedious, there are powerful tools and platforms that help Expected to use the group GitHub page

Best Practices for Version Control

• Dedicate time to learning how to use version control software and platforms. Git and GitHub are the ones we use in the LEAF group.
• Incorporate version control practices into both your research and coursework. Make them habits!
• Seek out opportunities to expand your skillset. Participate in larger open source projects that require managing branches and releases or using continuous integration and unit tests.
• Take advantage of workshops, short courses, and/or hackathons where you can learn about advanced topics.

Documentation

All GitHub repositories should have README files. All repositories should be adequately documented.