Time: the Cost of Reproducibility

This editorial analyses the challenges and time costs associated with ensuring reproducibility of the Journal of Digital History’s articles. We examine the journal’s complex workflow, which includes technical and design reviews, peer review, and infrastructure development. Using data from 16 published articles, we identify key bottlenecks in the publication process, particularly in technical review stages and peer reviewer recruitment. The analysis reveals that while reproducibility remains a core value of the journal, it comes with significant temporal costs, creating tension between publishing rigorous, reproducible research and meeting authors’ needs for timely publication. We discuss the solutions we have implemented during the last year, including team expansion and platform changes, as well as new features designed to enhance reader engagement with reproducible content. In conclusion, we highlight the ongoing challenge of balancing academic rigor, reproducibility requirements, and publication timeliness in digital history scholarship.