How Common Ground and Haven are supporting software developers in municipal innovation

Common Ground is an initiative of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) to modernise the digital infrastructure of Dutch municipalities. The aim is to make municipal IT systems more efficient, flexible, secure and collaborative. This brings unique challenges as well as opportunities for software developers building applications for this sector.

In an earlier blog, we explained how Common Ground and Haven are accelerating the digital transformation of municipalities. These principles are known for their benefits for municipalities, but also offer significant added value for software developers building applications for this sector. By focusing on standardisation, interoperability and scalable technologies, these initiatives make developing, integrating and managing applications easier and more efficient. Software developers benefit from streamlined processes, innovative capabilities and lower development costs while contributing to modern and future-proof municipal solutions.

• Standardisation makes integration easier: With standardised data models and uniform APIs, Common Ground provides a solid foundation for application development. Developers do not have to create customised solutions each time to access municipal data. This saves time, reduces complexity and makes integration with existing systems much easier.
• Scalability and reusability: Common Ground encourages building modular and scalable applications. This means that an application developed for one municipality can be easily adapted and reused by other municipalities. Developers benefit from lower development costs and greater potential reach for their solutions.
• Quick start with Haven: Haven seamlessly aligns with the principles of Common Ground and provides a turnkey development environment. With modern cloud-native technologies such as Kubernetes, developers can quickly get started and build robust, secure applications. Haven's built-in infrastructure and tools significantly reduce time-to-market.
• More time for innovation: The technical simplicity and standardisation offered by Common Ground and Haven allow developers to focus on what they do best: building innovative and user-centric functionalities. Peripheral issues such as security, infrastructure and data integration are largely taken care of within these frameworks.
• Active support and community: Haven provides access to an active developer community, extensive documentation and technical support. This enables developers to work efficiently and benefit from collective knowledge.

In short, Common Ground and Haven support software developers in building future-proof, scalable and efficient solutions for municipalities. With standardisation, accessible infrastructure and room for innovation, these initiatives make it easier than ever to make a difference in the public sector. Software developers who want to contribute to this digital transformation will find powerful allies in Common Ground and Haven.