Scenchef

Scenchef is a tool designed to help developers manage and share reproducible computational environments. It aims to simplify the process of creating, deploying, and sharing scientific software and workflows, ensuring that experiments and analyses can be reliably replicated across different machines and by different users. The core concept behind scenchef is the definition of a "scene," which encapsulates all the necessary software dependencies, configurations, and data required for a specific computational task.

Users define these scenes using a declarative language, specifying the operating system, programming languages, libraries, and any other software components needed. Scenchef then translates these definitions into concrete, executable environments. This can involve creating virtual machines, containers, or other virtualization technologies, depending on the user's requirements and infrastructure. The goal is to abstract away the complexities of environment setup, allowing researchers to focus on their scientific work rather than on IT administration.

A key feature of scenchef is its emphasis on reproducibility. By precisely defining and packaging an environment, scenchef helps eliminate the "it works on my machine" problem. This is particularly valuable in scientific research where the ability to verify and reproduce results is fundamental. Furthermore, scenchef facilitates collaboration by enabling teams to share these defined environments, ensuring everyone is working with the same set of tools and configurations. The tool supports various platforms and can be integrated into existing development workflows.