WebSG Custom (Formerly Optical)
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How It Works

Overview

WebSG Custom (formerly Optical) is an enterprise-grade content management platform built on top of the open-source Directus engine. Engineered specifically for the Singapore Public Sector, WebSG Custom separates the content management studio (backend) from the public presentation layer (frontend), enabling secure, decoupled web publishing that adheres strictly to Singapore Government Compliance Standards.

Architecture Principle: Decoupled Content Operations
In a traditional CMS, backend data storage and frontend visual rendering are tightly coupled. WebSG Custom implements a Headless Architecture: content is structured and stored within a secured Directus instance and delivered dynamically to front-end applications via REST and GraphQL APIs.

Roles and Responsibilities (R&R) Matrix

To ensure operational clarity and alignment, platform maintenance, application development, and business ownership are structured across WebSG Custom, the Agency and the Agency's Developer Team (In-house or Vendor). 

 

Stakeholder Primary Scope Key Deliverables & Responsibilities
WebSG Custom

(Platform Owner)

 

 Core WebSG Custom infrastructure management, platform-level security, engine updates, and baseline compliance maintenance.
  • Directus engine provisioning and management of standard REST/GraphQL APIs.
  • Maintenance of the underlying database infrastructure (ensuring database uptime and availability for each tenant CMS, excluding content or data schema management).
  • Built-in TechPass SSO integration and enforcement of baseline IM8 compliance controls.
  • Platform infrastructure security patching, automated vulnerability scanning, and malware file processing.
  • Execution and remediation of platform-level Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) for the core platform environment.
  • Provisioning and maintenance of core platform-level features and platform-level extensions.
  • Core backend availability monitoring, autoscaling infrastructure, and content delivery caching.
  • Management of system audit logs, version histories, and core governance capabilities.
Government Agency

(Business Owner)

Content creation, editorial governance, user role assignments within WebSG Custom, and business acceptance.
  • Content provision and population.
  • Publishing workflows & editorial approvals.
  • User access management & privileges.
  • Website frontend security governance (e.g. Risk Acceptance).
Appointed Vendor

(Development Partner)

Front-end web application design, API integration with WebSG Custom, custom rendering logic, and application-level security.
  • Content modeling & field configuration.
  • UI/UX design and development of the public web application codebase (e.g., Next.js).
  • Integration and mapping of WebSG Custom API endpoints (REST/GraphQL) to display content on the site.
  • Implementation of dynamic content rendering logic and interactive features.
  • Development of frontend user login authentication and session management.
  • Integration with third-party platforms, external functions, and microservices.
  • Development of custom platform extensions tailored to agency requirements.
  • Execution and remediation of application-level VAPT (Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing) for the frontend web application, including custom extensions.
  • Frontend performance optimization, page speed tuning, accessibility compliance, and CDN caching.

Frontend Hosting Architecture Options

While the WebSG Custom CMS backend is fully hosted and managed by GovTech, agencies have two operational models for hosting the public-facing front-end application:

 

Architectural Metric Option A: GovTech-Hosted via Airbase Option B: Agency-Hosted (GCC / AWS)
Overview GovTech hosts the front-end web application on its managed platform infrastructure (Airbase). The agency provisions and maintains its own cloud infrastructure (e.g., GCC 2.0 AWS account) for the frontend.
Best Suited For Standard public-facing informational websites requiring streamlined deployment and low operational maintenance. Complex applications requiring custom VPC integrations, internal network connectivity, or specialized infrastructure.
Infrastructure Effort Low: Managed CDN, caching, and infrastructure scaling handled out of the box. High: Requires dedicated cloud engineers to manage web servers, CDN, and network security.

  

Decision Framework for Hosting Models

  1. Does the application need direct connectivity to internal government network assets (e.g., GEN / Internal Databases)?

    Recommendation: If internal connectivity is required, select Agency-Hosted (GCC / AWS). If the site is strictly public-facing, select GovTech-Hosted via Airbase.

  2. Does the agency have dedicated cloud engineering bandwidth to manage ongoing AWS/GCC server infrastructure?

    Recommendation: If internal cloud engineering bandwidth is limited, GovTech-Hosted via Airbase minimizes administrative and maintenance overhead.

  3. Does the application require custom WAF/DDoS configurations or bespoke CDN routing rules?

    Recommendation: Select Agency-Hosted (GCC / AWS) for granular control over network traffic policies.

Last updated 08 Sep 2026

A Headless Content Management System that supports Custom Web Capabilities.

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