Next Byte-sized RSE Session
Please see the on the UNIVERSE-HPC website for upcoming session information.
Byte-sized RSE
Byte-sized RSE is a series of events providing key research software skills in just 1 hour!
Run by the project, the byte-sized RSE series began in October 2022.
Each session has a companion podcast episode in the podcast series.
Byte-sized RSE session information has been moved to the UNIVERSE-HPC project website. This page is being retained as a legacy resource, please see the for up-to-date session information.
For any questions related to the series, or if you'd like to run a session on a topic that we've not yet covered, you can get in touch with Jeremy Cohen or .
Previous Byte-sized RSE Events - Season 1 (2022-2023)
Details of more recent byte-sized RSE sessions are available on the on the UNIVERSE-HPC website.
Previous Byte-sized RSE Events - Season 2 (2023-2024)
Session 2: Python web apps with Django
Byte-sized RSE season 2, session 2 provided a basic introduction to web application development using Python's Django framework.
It covered some general background on web framework and application structures and then looked at where Django fits in and its architecture.
After looking at the structure of Django and the different parts of a Django application, the interactive part of the session provided participants with the opportunity to build a simple Django web application from scratch.
A companion podcast is now available as part of the series.
Date: Tuesday 5th December 2023, 13:00-14:30 GMT
Slides:
Podcast:
Session 1: Software Task Estimation
Byte-sized RSE season 2, session 1 looked at that awkward question that many software developers are familiar with being asked: "How long will it take?"!
It's also the question most, if not every, software engineer dreads! Often, it feels like asking: "how long is a piece of string?"
The session looked at some common techniques and practices we can use to help us to give reasonable estimates and avoid common pitfalls.
A companion podcast is now available as part of the series.
Date: Tuesday 7th November 2023, 13:00-14:00 GMT
Slides:
Podcast:
Previous Byte-sized RSE Events - Season 1 (2022-2023)
Byte-sized RSE 8: README files
Byte-sized RSE session 8 looked at README files. Not a default and often ignored file in the top-level folder of your project but a hugely important place for a range of information that can make or break the success of your project - either inspiring potential users to adopt your software or contribute to your project, or, putting them off entirely and sending them running in the direction of a competing tool or codebase!
A companion podcast is now available as part of the series.
Date: Tuesday 6th June 2023, 13:00-14:00 BST (UTC+1)
Slides:
Podcast:
Byte-sized RSE 7: Intermediate/Advanced Git
Byte-sized RSE session 7 looked at intermediate and advanced use of Git version control. This included looking at the feature branch workflow model and features such as rebasing and cherry-picking.
A companion podcast is now available as part of the series.
Date: Wednesday 10th May 2023, 13:00-14:30 BST
Slides:
Podcast:
Session 6: Integrated Development Environments (IDEs)
Byte-sized RSE session 6 looked at how Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) can help you to be more efficient in writing, managing and debugging your code.
A companion podcast is now available as part of the series.
Date: Tuesday 28th March 2023, 13:00-14:30 BST
Slides:
Podcast:
Previous Byte-sized RSE Events
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Session 5: Code Style and Linting
Byte-sized RSE session 5 looked at the importance of code style in supporting readability and maintainability of your code. We also looked at tools for checking your code for potential errors (linters) and checking for conformance with styling specifications.
A companion podcast is now available as part of the series.
Date: Tuesday 28th February 2023, 13:00-14:30 GMT
Slides:
Podcast:
Session 4: Continuous Integration
Byte-sized RSE session 4 looked at Continuous Integration providing some background on the topic and then focusing on the use of GitHub Actions to set up a pipeline to automatically run tests and related processes on your codebase in response to specific actions such as merging new code.
A companion podcast is now available as part of the series.
Date: Tuesday 17th January 2023, 13:00-14:00 GMT
Slides:
Podcast:
Session 3: Testing your Python code
Byte-sized RSE session 3 looked at testing your Python code. The session started with a general introduction to software testing applicable across many languages followed by an interactive tutorial based on testing of Python code.
A companion podcast is now available as part of the series.
Date: Tuesday 13th December 2022, 13:00-14:00 GMT
Slides:
Podcast:
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Session 2: Collaboration and Code Review via GitHub
Byte-sized RSE session 2 looked at collaboration and code review via GitHub.
A companion podcast is now available as part of the series.
Date: Tuesday 15th November 2022, 14:00-15:00 GMT
Slides:
Podcast:
Session 1: Software Licensing
Byte-sized RSE session 1 looked at open source software licensing.
A companion podcast is now available as part of the series.
Date: Tuesday 18th October 2022, 13:00-14:00 BST
Slides:
Podcast: