Percolation Package - From script sharing to package publication

In this paper we trace the development of an R-package starting with the adaptation of code from a different field, via scripts shared between colleagues, to a published package that is being successfully used by researchers world-wide. Our aim is to encourage researchers to prepare their custom analysis code in a way that is useful and easily reusable for others.

The paper starts with a short background as to the scientific aims of the software package before relating the collaboration journey and the detailed processes involved. We then move to a review of code sharing in archaeology and the lessons we have learned in publishing code for others to use and share.