As the first position paper on research software (RS) in Canada, this report surveys and summarizes RS generally as an emerging field and as an area of professionalization, nationally and internationally, and documents strengths, challenges, and opportunities within the current RS ecosystem, as they pertain to the Digital Research Alliance of Canada (the Alliance). The purpose of this paper is to frame an understanding of the RS landscape and establish a general framework for conversation within Canada. This report complements The Current State of Research Data Management (RDM) in Canada and The Current State of Advanced Research Computing (ARC) in Canada reports. This report is intended to allow the Alliance to understand and build on the current state and facilitate a strategy that advances RS in coordination with other digital research infrastructure (DRI) elements to support research excellence in Canada. Findings and observations in this document, alongside the RDM and ARC Current State Assessment publications, are meant to provide background information to the Alliance analysts and management, the Alliance Board, and the Alliance Researcher Council, to support the development of the Alliance’s New Service Delivery Model (NSDM), Strategic Planning, and Funding Model Delivery.

Funded by the Government of Canada