Connecting the astronomical testbed community -- the CAOTIC project: Optimized teaching methods for software version control concepts

Abstract: Laboratory testbeds are an integral part of conducting research and developing technology for high-contrast imaging and extreme adaptive optics. There are a number of laboratory groups around the world that use and develop resources that are imminently required for their operations, such as software and hardware controls. The CAOTIC (Community of Adaptive OpTics and hIgh Contrast testbeds) project is aimed to be a platform for this community to connect, share information, and exchange resources in order to conduct more efficient research in astronomical instrumentation, while also encouraging best practices and strengthening cross-team connections. In these proceedings, we present the goals of the CAOTIC project, our new website, and we focus in particular on a new approach to teaching version control to scientists, which is a cornerstone of successful collaborations in astronomical instrumentation.