How do you describe software in record metadata?

The discoverability, attribution, and reusability of open research software are often hindered by its inadequate representation in research manuscripts. Frequently mentioned only implicitly or buried within supplementary materials, software fails to achieve recognition as a distinct, citable output. Addressing this challenge requires systematic identification and assignment of persistent identifiers (PIDs) to software, ensuring compliance with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles. Despite its significance, most open research software remains underrepresented in metadata, with limited explicit links between software and the research papers introducing or using them.

The SoFAIR project (2024–2025) seeks to enhance the identification and representation of software assets in research. By leveraging the global network of open repositories, the project aims to look into the current state of metadata standards and proposes adaptations to include software descriptions.

The presentation will explore current metadata formats and propose actionable solutions for improving the discoverability and reusability of open research software, aligning with best practices for metadata interoperability.