Terradue is actively contributing to an update of the OGC Best Practice for Earth Observation Application Packages. This work builds on the original OGC 20-089 document and incorporates feedback from platform operators, integrators, and developers involved in the deployment of EO services across distributed cloud infrastructures.
The updated version — now designated as V1.1 — was presented at the 131st OGC Member Meeting in Rome in March 2025, and reflects the evolving needs of the EO application ecosystem for cloud-native, portable, and reproducible services.
About the EO Application Package
The EO Application Package defines a standard approach to package EO processing workflows using containers and the Common Workflow Language (CWL). These workflows can be deployed and executed within platforms that support the OGC API Processes specification.
The Best Practice provides guidance for three key roles:
- Developers: How to containerize their software, declare inputs/outputs, and describe the workflow with CWL.
- Integrators: How to package the application for operational deployment.
- Platform Operators: How to execute packaged workflows on Kubernetes or HPC environments.
The model supports directed acyclic graphs (DAGs), fan-in/fan-out orchestration, and uses STAC (SpatioTemporal Asset Catalog) to describe EO data inputs and outputs.
What’s New in Version 1.1?
The updated Best Practice (V1.1) introduces refinements across all three perspectives:
- Developers can now:
- Publish Docker containers with built-in staging logic
- Integrate with local STAC catalogs or datacubes
- Improve reproducibility and data traceability
- Integrators are encouraged to:
- Add OGC parameter typing to CWL descriptions
- Enhance supply chain security
- Better document command-line interfaces
- Platform Operators gain improved support for:
- Kubernetes execution (e.g. via Calrissian)
- HPC execution (e.g. via TOIL)
- Systematic processing pipelines and hybrid execution environments.
These updates reflect lessons learned from real-world deployments in platforms such as:
- Geohazards TEP
- Urban TEP
- Copernicus LAC Platform
- International Charter Mapper
- IRIDE Marketplace
- MAAP (ESA-NASA)
- ILIAD and EDITO digital twins.
Open Collaboration and Next Steps
The Best Practice is being updated in an open, collaborative process through the OGC Earth Observation Exploitation Platform (EOEP) Domain Working Group. Contributions are welcome, and the working document is available on the OGC GitLab.
Terradue encourages platform operators, software developers, and data providers to review and contribute to the ongoing refinement of this community standard.