VERA connects preparation, computation, and analysis

A platform for connected research

VERA is a free desktop workflow platform for computational chemistry and bioinformatics, available as source under the MIT license. Its repository describes a visual workflow system connecting research operations. The current name is VERA; earlier videos may show the Bioshift name. The source repository is the primary place to inspect the implementation and current project information. [1]

Start from a research question

Choose one small workflow before assembling a broad pipeline. Specify its inputs, processing steps, and the results that need review. Keep source structures and prepared inputs distinguishable. Define which operations require a human decision, such as selecting molecular states or deciding whether a calculated result supports the intended interpretation.

Save the workflow definition with the configuration and output record. Inspect how a completed result can be traced back to the inputs used. For a new operation or extension, keep the data contract clear so the rest of the workflow can understand what it receives. The usefulness of a visual graph depends on this operational meaning.

Read the code alongside the interface

Use the repository to check how a feature is implemented and which assumptions it makes. Review dependencies and the project documentation when preparing an installation or extension. A free open source platform allows the workflow to be inspected and developed further, but a workflow still needs a suitable scientific method and validation plan. The platform should help preserve those decisions and results, rather than hiding them behind an attractive diagram.