How to NOT contribute to nf-core: Best practices for using nf-core tooling in closed-source contexts

Even when developing code that can’t be contributed to open-source, it pays great dividends for Nextflow developers to build their pipelines compatible with nf-core tooling. As a result, many organizations maintain repositories containing a mix of open-source and proprietary code. To support this common scenario, this talk will explore the practicalities of using nf-core pipelines and tooling in hybrid-source environments. It will include an overview of strategies for adding custom code and configurations, from the lightweight (and still-open) option of creating an institutional pipeline configuration to the heavier lift (and fully closed) option of maintaining private pipeline forks and private module libraries. Additionally, the talk will discuss the benefits of empowering bioinformatics teams with open-source contribution policies and guidelines that allow them to contribute code in the environment (in nf-core or not) that best balances the short and long-term needs of a commercial organization participating in a broader scientific community.