A Community-Based Crosswalk Analysis of Research Software Metadata Schemas

Abstract

High-quality research software metadata is crucial to achieve Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable research software (FAIR4RS). Currently, software metadata is created using a wide range of schemas and vocabularies that differ in structure and scope. This heterogeneity limits interoperability and reuse, leading to inconsistencies across systems. Existing initiatives such as Schema.org and CodeMeta provide an important foundation for research software metadata, but they do not fully capture the diversity of metadata concepts used across the broader ecosystem. In this work, we present a systematic crosswalk analysis of 21 metadata resources including research software metadata schemas, vocabularies, and ontologies, using a reference set of properties from CodeMeta and Schema.org. From this analysis, we identify overlaps and inconsistencies across existing metadata approaches, and assess the extent to which CodeMeta properties are represented across the analyzed schemas. Our analysis identifies distinct areas of gaps within CodeMeta, revealing that dimensions such as research context, operational behavior, modern software infrastructure, and accessibility and ethical considerations are currently missing or underrepresented. Also, our findings provide a consolidated, community-informed view of the current research software metadata landscape, highlighting areas of convergence and divergence among the analyzed resources. This work contributes to ongoing efforts toward implementing the FAIR4RS principles and thus improving the interoperability and reuse of research software.