Extensions Overview

Optical extensions are the primary way to introduce custom functionality to the Optical Content Studio. They enable you to extend the platform’s capabilities while maintaining compatibility and security through our centrally managed extension ecosystem.

What Are Extensions?

Extensions are modular pieces of code that add new features to Optical, such as:

• Interface Extensions: Custom input components for the admin interface
• Display Extensions: Custom ways to present data in the admin interface
• Layout Extensions: Custom page layouts for content management
• Panel Extensions: Custom dashboard widgets and insights
• Hook Extensions: Server-side logic that runs during API operations
• Endpoint Extensions: Custom API endpoints for specialized functionality

Optical Extension Library

Extensions are centrally managed through the Optical Extension Library, which provides:

• Curated Collection: Centrally maintained extensions that meet strict security and quality standards
• Government-Approved: All extensions are vetted and approved by the Optical team for government use
• Streamlined Installation: Easy deployment through the Content Studio administration interface
• Remote Deployment: Centralized deployment capabilities to push extensions to specific tenants as needed
• Version Control: Centralized version management and security updates
• Community Contributions: Extensions developed by agencies and community members, reviewed by our team

How the Central Library Works

1. Submission & Review: Extensions undergo comprehensive security and compliance review
2. Testing & Validation: Each extension is tested across multiple Optical environments
3. Central Approval: The Optical team approves extensions for government use cases
4. Centralized Distribution: Approved extensions are made available through the library
5. Remote Deployment: Extensions can be deployed remotely to specific tenants based on requirements
6. Ongoing Maintenance: Regular updates and security patches are managed centrally

Benefits of Central Management

• Enhanced Security: All extensions undergo rigorous security screening
• Compliance Assurance: Extensions meet Singapore government IT policies
• Quality Control: Consistent quality standards across all available extensions
• Simplified Management: Single source of truth for extension distribution
• Remote Deployment Control: Ability to deploy extensions to specific tenants without requiring manual installation
• Version Consistency: Coordinated updates across all deployments

Remote Deployment Capabilities

The Optical Extension Library supports remote deployment functionality, enabling efficient extension management across multiple tenants:

Targeted Deployment

• Deploy specific extensions to individual tenants based on their requirements
• Selective rollout for testing new extensions with specific agencies
• Customize extension availability per tenant without affecting others

Centralized Management

• Deploy extensions remotely without requiring tenant administrator intervention
• Coordinate deployments across multiple environments (staging, production)
• Maintain deployment logs and audit trails for compliance

Use Cases

• Emergency Security Updates: Rapidly deploy critical security patches across all affected tenants
• Feature Rollouts: Gradual deployment of new extensions to specific agencies for testing
• Compliance Requirements: Deploy mandatory extensions to ensure government policy adherence
• Agency-Specific Extensions: Deploy specialized extensions only to tenants that require them

Extension Types

Official Extensions

• Optical Publishing: Snapshot and publish collection data
• Optical Concatenated Field: Compute field values from other fields
• Directus Labs Extensions: Curated extensions from the Directus community

Community Extensions

Extensions developed by agencies and vendors, reviewed and approved by the Optical team for inclusion in the central library.

Developing Extensions

Ready to build your own extensions? See our Developing Extensions guide for:

• Extension development setup
• Best practices and guidelines
• Testing and submission process
• Community contribution guidelines

Security & Compliance

All extensions in the Optical Extension Library undergo:

• Security Review: Comprehensive code analysis for vulnerabilities and compliance
• Performance Testing: Impact assessment on system performance and scalability
• Compatibility Testing: Verification with current and upcoming Optical versions
• Documentation Review: Ensuring comprehensive documentation and support materials
• Government Compliance: Alignment with Singapore government IT policies and security requirements

Need Help?

• Check our development guide
• Browse available extensions
• Contact us for extension requests or support