Predefined Software Environment Runtimes As A Measure For Reproducibility

Abstract

As part of Mathematical Research Data Initiative (MaRDI), we have developed a way to preserve a software package into an easy to deploy and use sandbox environment we call a "runtime", via a program we developed called MaPS : MaRDI Packaging System. The program relies on Linux user namespaces to isolate a library environment from the host system, making the sandboxed software reproducible on other systems, with minimal effort. Moreover an overlay filesystem makes local edits persistent. This project will aid reproducibility efforts of research papers: both mathematical and from other disciplines. As a proof of concept, we provide runtimes for the OSCAR Computer Algebra System, polymake software for research in polyhedral geometry, and VIBRANT Virus Identification By iteRative ANnoTation. The software is in a prerelease state: the interface for creating, deploying, and executing runtimes is final, and an interface for easily publishing runtimes is under active development. We thus propose publishing predefined, distributable software environment runtimes along with research papers in an effort to make research with software based results reproducible.