Description & classification
Objective
To ensure software findability and comprehensibility, provide descriptive metadata (software's name, purpose, functionalities, programming language, domain, etc.). These metadata facilitate accurate representation of the software and enable users to easily discover and understand its capabilities.
Recommendations
RSMD-4.1
Essential ☆☆☆
Add software name and description of the software's functionality and purpose, using a README file in the root directory of the source code or other intrinsic metadata file (e.g codemeta.json with the properties name and description) and on the metadata record (extrinsic metadata).
- Name
- Description
Note: Divergences should be avoided as much as possible.
RSMD-4.2
Important ☆☆
Add descriptive metadata for classification purposes embedded in the code (intrinsic metadata) or/and on metadata record (extrinsic metadata). This includes, but is not limited to: domain, programming language, date created, date of first publication, keywords, related links, etc.
Note: There are existing infrastructures that can read a codemeta.json file or other metadata file as input to create the software record automatically (see Appendix G in deliverable).
RSMD-4.3
Important ☆☆
Cite related resources (e.g journal articles) describing the software with a persistent identifier or stable URL in README file or in other intrinsic metadata files (e.g codemeta.json with the property referencePublication).
RSMD-4.4
Important ☆☆
Add descriptive metadata of the software in a machine readable format, for example codemeta.json or a package manager metadata file. To avoid duplication of information refer to RSMD-1.5.
RSMD-4.5
Useful ☆
Add descriptive information in README file or other intrinsic metadata file as proposed in community standards (e.g Software Release Practice HOWTO and Make a README):
- Website
- Link to the documentation
- Contact & support
- List of functionalities
- Development status, e.g. Active, inactive, suspended. See repostatus.org