At the heart of scientific and technological innovation lies the spirit of collaboration. This principle was evident during Workshop #13 ACS, a meeting that brought together ALMA and CTAO developers, engineers, and software specialists to advance the ALMA Common Software (ACS) framework.

Held at the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) facility, the workshop provided a platform for both fundamental learning and advanced discussions, emphasizing the importance of distributed systems in observatory operations.

A comprehensive program for all levels

The workshop was divided into two main tracks to suit participants with different levels of experience:

• Basic Track: Focused on new developers, this track offered hands-on sessions to introduce attendees to the ACS ecosystem. Participants learned how to build and deploy their first components, configure databases, and navigate distributed system architectures.
• Advanced Track: Experienced developers participated in technical discussions on software delivery processes, automation, and the future evolution of ACS. This track also addressed continuous integration and new feature requirements to enhance the framework.

“We designed this workshop not only to train new developers but also to explore how ACS can evolve to meet the challenges of modern distributed systems,” shared Jonathan Antognini, our ALMA Department of Computing (ADC) Integration and Testing Lead who served as an instructor for the basic track and a speaker in the advanced sessions.

Collaboration in action: ALMA + CTAO

The workshop was particularly enriched by the active involvement of CTAO team members. Their insights highlighted shared challenges and opportunities for collaboration. “This workshop showed us the power of community. Working alongside CTAO allowed us to compare approaches and explore solutions that could benefit both observatories,” said Tomás Staig, our ADC Software Development Lead. Discussions in the advanced track included integration strategies, testing methodologies, and automation tools—a reflection of the growing interdependence between observatories working with distributed systems.

Knowledge exchange and mutual growth

For ALMA, the workshop provided a platform to showcase its robust automation pipelines, testing environments, and problem-solving strategies. This not only highlighted the team’s expertise but also offered opportunities to refine existing tools based on external feedback.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of this workshop was seeing how other observatories, like CTAO, tackle similar challenges,” remarked Jonathan Antognini. “Their feedback and alternative approaches have already sparked ideas for improving our own systems.”

Shaping the future of observatory software

The workshop concluded with a shared commitment to future collaboration. Discussions focused on opening ACS development further to external contributions, a critical step for fostering a vibrant, shared community around the framework. “ACS is a bridge that connects observatories like ALMA and CTAO,” noted Tomás Staig. “Workshops like this help us strengthen that bridge, ensuring it supports the weight of our collective ambitions.”

As ALMA and CTAO continue to build on this collaboration, the #13 ACS Workshop stands as a milestone, showcasing how shared knowledge and innovation can pave the way for more efficient and resilient observatory software systems.