New Foundation for GHGA Software Development
- 05 Oct 2026
- Ulrike Träger
The latest GHGA Data Portal release brings an important improvement behind the scenes. We are changing how the different software components that make up the data portal are organised and developed. While this update will not fundamentally change how users interact with GHGA services, it will make our software easier to develop, test, maintain, and improve over time.
What’s changing
The GHGA Data Portal consists of many smaller software components, known as microservices, that work together to provide different functions. Until now, these components have been maintained in separate code repositories. This allows individual services to be developed independently, but it can also make it more difficult to keep track of how they depend on and interact with one another.
With the new release, we are bringing these components together in a shared code repository. This monorepo gives developers a clear overview of the connections between different parts of the software and allows them to deploy the components together.
Sustainable development
The new structure makes development and testing easier: developers can now run and test a full version of the data portal on their local machines, helping them identify potential issues earlier in the development process.
It also improves the way new releases are prepared. Instead of testing individual components separately, developers can test a release as an integrated whole and make sure that all relevant services work together as intended.
Improving security
Bringing the software components into a more centralised and transparent structure makes it easier to monitor and manage software dependencies. This provides better visibility into the components used across GHGA and can help identify potential security risks earlier. It also makes updates much simpler: an update that previously required changes and releases across many repositories can now be handled in one place and delivered in a single release.
A more consistent approach to managing dependencies can also help strengthen protection against software supply chain attacks. These attacks target vulnerabilities in the software, tools, or external components used during development. While no development structure can eliminate these risks entirely, improved oversight and dependency management can help identify vulnerabilities and support a faster response when security issues are identified.
Supporting AI-assisted development
As AI become increasingly common in software development, GHGA is also integrating AI-assisted tools into its development processes to support developers in their daily work.
Having the software in one repository gives these tools more context. By understanding the relationships between different components, AI-assisted tools can more effectively support developers, for example, by helping to identify errors and investigating potential causes of technical issues. These tools do not have access to personal data, credentials, or other production secrets.
A stronger foundation for future development
This release is an important step towards making GHGA’s software development processes more integrated, efficient, and transparent.
By bringing the different components together, the new structure makes it easier to develop, test, and maintain GHGA software as a whole. The migration also gave us the opportunity to rebuild major parts of our deployment logic, significantly improving the security of our software supply chain. Together, these changes provide a stronger foundation for the continued and sustainable development of the GHGA Data Portal.