Over the last few decades, modern numerical methods have reached a level of complexity where state-of-the-art algorithms rarely can be implemented from scratch in the typical lifetime of a research project or the duration of a graduate education. Indeed, implementation of a new method and comprehensive testing may exceed the time available to most projects for anything but simple model problems. As a consequence, the resulting codes are frequently not or not sufficiently documented and rarely follow best practices in software engineering. Thus, it is rarely possible for researchers subsequently working on a similar problem to benefit from the previous effort.
This situation risks isolating researchers on mathematical algorithms from applied scientists, since the former are no longer able to demonstrate new and powerful developments for problems the latter care about. The only solution to overcome this schism is to promote reusing code. The Archive of Numerical Software addresses the current lack of venues to publish descriptions of well-documented and well-tested implementations of modern numerical methods, based on available software libraries. It highlights the creative achievement behind good implementations. It encourages the use of high level tools and reuse of existing code in building new applications. All articles published in the Archive of Numerical Software are accompanied by a complete set of programs including instructions how to compile and run them, such that their results can be verified by readers. The programs and scripts are provided under an OSI (Open Source initiative) approved Open Source license in order to encourage their reuse as a basis for developments by others.
The Archive of Numerical Software focuses on programs built on a number of widely used Open Source libraries that are known to follow high implementation standards, tested software design and extensive documentation. Please refer to Focus & Scope for details on those libraries.
Before preparing your article and program, please review the submission guidelines for more information.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.