Simon Friz enhanced the SDA-SE/sda-dropwizard-commons repository by upgrading the default MongoDB version used in unit tests from 4.4 to 6.0 within the sda-commons-server-mongo-testing module. He introduced new Java-based test classes to validate compatibility with MongoDB 6.0 and 7.0, broadening the test matrix and enabling early detection of version-specific issues. Focusing on backend development and testing, Simon’s work improved cross-version reliability and reduced production upgrade risks. By expanding automated test coverage and managing MongoDB version transitions, he supported smoother release cycles and future-proofed the project’s database integration without addressing user-facing bugs during this period.