Scientific Software Engineering in a Nutshell

Abstract

Writing complex computer programs to study scientific problems requires careful planning and an in-depth knowledge of programming languages and tools. In this chapter the importance of using the right tool for the right problem is emphasized. Common tools to organize computer programs, as well as to debug and improve them are discussed, followed by simple data reduction strategies and visualization tools. Furthermore, some useful scientific libraries such as boost, GSL, LEDA and numerical recipes are outlined.