Free/libre and open source development methods apply to the world of software (as well as to that of hardware equipment) methodologies and principles that are at the heart of the approach that the Committee for Open Science intends to promote and support: availability of results to the greatest number, facilitation of their reproducibility, capitalization of the work carried out and possibility of improving without redoing. They are therefore essential to scientific progress.

The “Software and source codes” college deals with the processes allowing the provision to the scientific community, ideally under free/libre licenses, of the source codes and/or software produced within the framework of research activities. It is interested in the processes of creation of this software, but also in their distribution, their sustainability, their valorization and the recognition of the work carried out by all those who contribute to these activities. It drives, carries out or manages operational projects that contribute to the projects identified in the software axis of the Second French Plan for Open Science.

Its work is organized around five topics:

• Topic 1: Identifying and highlighting HER (higher education and research) software production
• Topic 2: Technical and social tools and best practices
• Topic 3: Valorization and sustainability
• Topic 4: Liaison and animation at national, European, and international levels
• Topic 5: Recognition and careers

The college gathers representatives of the categories of actors involved in research software: scientists from different disciplines, research and development engineers, valorization actors, legal experts, etc. Outside experts as well as representatives of other CoSO colleges may be invited to participate in the work of the college.