smartCity
The independent digital platform for Municipalities and Public Administrations
On-premise deployment, full control, zero vendor lock-in. One unified infrastructure connecting services, citizens, and territory.
20 years of experience, one clear direction
smartCity is the result of a continuous development journey, built in the field together with Public Administrations and guided by a consistent technological vision over time.
flexyCard
The railway ticketing platform for the Municipalities of Stabio and Chiasso is born — stable for 17 years with minimal maintenance.
smartCity
Evolution of flexyCard: from a single service to an integrated digital platform for municipal management.
Today
9 active modules, zero downtime, and academic recognition. A solid technology, tested in the field and constantly evolving.
From ticketing to digital governance of a territory: the natural evolution of technology for public administration.
From R&D Lab to Reference Platform
Born as a research project, smartCity is now a consolidated platform: 9 active modules, zero downtime since 2020, and an evolutionary model that merges innovation with long-term stability.
Deployment
Measurable Results
ecoCentro
Automated management of ecoCards for citizen access to the ecological center: manual work reduced from hours to minutes, with operational errors virtually eliminated thanks to full automation of access and reporting.
smartArch: m.a.x. Museum
From a fragmented system based on paper files, Excel, and Word to a centralized digital archive: integration of machine learning modules for historical document recognition and generative support for cataloging artworks. Academic recognition: Master’s thesis at the University of Italian Switzerland (September 2025).
Magellano – City WiFi
Another example of the smartCity revolution: the municipal WiFi network is now entirely managed by the municipality. Devices are administered internally, and smartCity authenticates registered smartChiasso users via smartID, ensuring controlled access and centralized management. All external SaaS dependencies have been eliminated.
When Culture Recognizes Innovation
The cataloging module for artworks and artists at the m.a.x. Museum was the subject of Alessandro Garmaise’s Master’s thesis at the University of Italian Switzerland – Academy of Architecture, discussed on September 25, 2025.
" Culture knows how to recognize quality when technology becomes a shared heritage. "
Technical Note
Deployed on dedicated servers provided by digitalCode, fully configured: operating system, security hardening, load balancing, and application. On-premise infrastructure hosted at the client’s site, with full data control and the possibility of audits at any time.
Modules ready for activation
Each module is designed to operate autonomously and integrate seamlessly with the other components of the platform. API-first architecture ensures full interoperability and easy integration with existing systems.
smartID
Unique digital identity for citizens and municipal operators. A secure, centralized authentication system granting access to all digital services.
ecoCenter
Automated management of access control and environmental reporting via ecoCard. Full traceability of waste deliveries and a dramatic reduction in manual work.
Swimming Pool and Ice Rink
Integrated management of schedules, events, and online ticketing, with real-time statistics on sales and revenue.
smartArch: Museum
Digital cataloguing of artworks and artists. Recognized by the Università della Svizzera Italiana for its innovation in museum management.
Accounting and Payments
Automated reporting for the finance department, digital payment integration, and full transaction traceability.
PDDO / Ideas Forum / Projects
Digital Works Plan: four-level project management, from proposal to completion. Promotes citizen participation and administrative transparency.
Magellano WiFi
Centralized management of the city WiFi network with RADIUS authentication for smartID users. Infrastructure fully controlled by the municipality, free from external dependencies.
smartInfo (proprietary CDN)
Real-time distribution of content and push notifications through an internal CDN network for maximum performance and complete control.
Release Notes
Automated documentation of platform updates, including version history and detailed changelog for each module.
Each module can be fully customized according to the administration’s needs. The API-first architecture guarantees native integration with existing systems and infrastructures.
Software DevelopmentOwned platform, guaranteed control
smartCity is a proprietary platform developed by digitalCode — not a custom project for individual clients. This model ensures long-term continuity, regular updates, and full control by the public administration.
Owned by digitalCode, no vendor lock-in
A shared development model that lowers costs, simplifies maintenance, and ensures evolutionary continuity for every administration adopting it:
- Cost optimization:no development from scratch: the platform is already tested and ready for integration.
- Continuous evolution:every improvement is released to all deployments, ensuring constant updates and functional consistency.
- No lock-in:the platform remains the administration’s property under license, with full autonomy in management and choice of provider.
Zero-trust deployment model
Total data control, security by design, complete infrastructure autonomy.
- On-premise servers at the client’s site
- Data always in-house, full audit available
- digitalCode handles maintenance while you retain full infrastructure control
- Alternative: deploy on digitalCloud for clients preferring cloud with guaranteed data residency
Modular architecture
Each component of the platform operates autonomously while remaining interoperable. Activation can occur progressively, building over time a coherent and scalable digital ecosystem.
Deployment Architecture
Presentation layer
Application layer
Data layer
Integrations
Built to last, designed to integrate
Modular API-first architecture, zero-trust security by design, and full interoperability with existing systems (on-prem and cloud). Native scalability and observability.
Architecture principles
Modular architecture
Each component is designed to operate autonomously and integrate with other modules, enabling progressive implementation and maximum flexibility.
API-first
Native integration with existing information systems such as accounting, HR, and protocol management. Standardized, interoperable communication.
Security by design
RADIUS authentication, encrypted data at rest, complete audit logs, and a zero-trust architecture implemented from the very beginning.
Scalability and resilience
From managing a single service to an entire city platform, with horizontal growth capacity and uninterrupted operations.
Technology stack
Backend
Node.js and Python for business logic, data processing, and workflow management in scalable environments.
Database and persistence
SQL/NoSQL architecture based on requirements: PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and Redis for caching and performance.
Frontend
Responsive, mobile-first web interfaces designed to ensure accessibility and usability for both citizens and operators.
Proprietary CDN infrastructure
Real-time content and notification delivery through an internal CDN network, ensuring full control and top performance.
Deployment options
On-premise
Servers installed within the administration. Full data control, regulatory compliance, and the ability to audit at any time.
digitalCloud
digitalCode’s proprietary infrastructure, with data regions in Switzerland or the European Union. Data residency guarantee, high performance, and optimized costs.
Hybrid
On-premise core with cloud-based auxiliary services: balance between data sovereignty and operational scalability.
Deployment Scenarios
Three deployment modes for maximum flexibility
- • smartAdmin
- • smartApp Backend
- • smartWeb
- • Data Layer
- • API Gateway
- • smartID Auth
- • Active modules
- • CDN smartInfo
- 100% on-site data control
- Full audit by the client
- No dependency on cloud providers
- Full regulatory compliance
- Total infrastructure control
- • smartAdmin
- • smartApp Backend
- • smartWeb
- • Data Layer
- • API Gateway
- • smartID Auth
- • All modules available
- Guaranteed CH/EU data residency
- Optimized performance
- Reduced operational costs
- 99.996% uptime
- 9 regions / 12 data centers
- • smartAdmin
- • Core modules
- • Sensitive data
- • Auth
- • Database
- • API core
- • smartApp
- • smartWeb
- • CDN
- • Backup
- • Analytics
- • Media
- • Cache
- Configurable setup based on priorities and budget
- Critical data remains on-premise
- Cloud-based auxiliary services
- Dynamic scalability
- Disaster recovery and load balancing
- Gradual, controlled migration
Would you like to explore the technical details or discuss integration with your systems?
A complete and integrated ecosystem
smartCity is not a single piece of software, but an ecosystem connecting operators, citizens, and administration through three core applications synchronized in real time.
The three cores of smartCity
smartAdmin
A complete dashboard for municipal operators. User management, module and service configuration, real-time reporting, and activity monitoring. Centralized control over the entire platform.
- User and permission management with granular control
- Service and module configuration
- Real-time reporting across all activities
- Live monitoring with automatic alerts
- cityTerminal: internal app for operators
smartApp
Native iOS / Android app for citizens. Access to services, real-time push notifications, integrated payments, and QR codes for automated access (ecoCenter, swimming pool, events). Direct sync with smartID.
- Mobile access to all municipal services
- Push notifications for events and deadlines
- Integrated payments (cards, wallet, Bitcoin)
- QR codes for automated access and check-in
smartWeb
Responsive public portal with updated information, online bookings, and personal area for citizens. Integrated with smartID for single authentication and powered by the proprietary smartInfo CDN for top performance.
- Always up-to-date information
- Online booking for municipal services
- Personal area with history and documents
- smartInfo proprietary CDN for optimal performance
Integrations with the digitalCode ecosystem
Akiko
Fully in-house AI chatbot for automated citizen helpdesk. Answers only based on provided content — zero hallucinations.
digitalCloud
Proprietary cloud infrastructure with data residency in Switzerland / EU. High performance and optimized costs compared to commercial clouds.
Analitica
Privacy-first analytics, our internal alternative to Google Analytics. GDPR-compliant by design, with full data control.
Development model
Every component is developed in digitalCode’s R&D lab and tested in live installations before release. All technologies are designed and built internally to ensure quality, control, and total independence from external vendors.
Benefits for the administration
- Planned evolution:clear technological direction with continuous, documented development
- Ongoing research and development:innovation integrated into the platform’s lifecycle, designed and maintained in-house by digitalCode
- Guaranteed expandability:new modules and integrations natively developed in line with the existing architecture
A platform in constant evolution
smartCity keeps growing: every module is updated according to operational feedback and the evolution of available technologies.
Currently in development
AI integration for automated helpdesk
Privacy-first analytics
Advanced document management
Integrated ticketing system
A controlled evolution process
We don’t communicate release dates, but the direction of development. Each new feature is tested on active installations before its official release.
This approach ensures that every module is already validated in production and fully operational before being adopted by other municipalities.
Innovation means making operational what was only possible before.
Developed, refined, tested and released for all
Every new feature is validated on a mission-critical environment active since 2020 before release. No experiments in production: only proven technology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Technical answers for IT managers, data center teams, and institutional coordinators.
Do you have further technical questions or wish to discuss a specific use case?
Contact the technical team
Bring smartCity to your Municipality
We analyze digital processes and define together which modules to activate
The first meeting focuses on technical and organizational analysis. We assess the existing infrastructure, identify needs, and propose an operational plan aligned with the administration’s priorities.