Software Quality

Due to the computational nature of our research, software development (writing code and scripts) is a primary component of everyday work at RFF. Best practices in scientific coding are designed to:

• ensure accuracy and minimize errors,
• enhance code readability and flexibility,
• improve reproducibility, and
• improve efficiency in computation.

The other components of this guidance (Data Management and Version Control) are all part of practices for high-quality software. This section focuses specifically on the code-writing process, providing general principles to promote robust coding practices while recognizing that best practices vary by discipline and by software/language.