According to Washburn, D. defined in "Helping CIOs Understand Smart City", "Smart city is using smart computer technologies. to create a key infrastructure and service of a city - including city administration, education, health care, community security, construction, transportation and other utilities in a way smart, smooth and effective”. This definition of Washburn gives us an approach to the specific structure of a Smart City when emphasizing two important ideas: "using smart computer technologies" and "creating a key infrastructure." In addition, according to TS. Hoang Huu Phe, Chairman of Vinaconex R&D Joint Stock Company, can be classified into two types of cities: intelligent city and smart city.

Intelligent city is understood as a city that emphasizes the function of scientific research and innovation of knowledge / technology, with the ability to innovate as a key resource. To achieve this goal, the IT technology system serving all areas of the city must have a significant shift in quality, with global web services being centrally located.

A smart city is the place to use advanced IT technology to turn technical infrastructure, social infrastructure, administrative management, services and quality of life into smart, comprehensive, and effective connectivity. An important feature of "a smart city" is the maximum exploitation / use of electronic information on all urban activities through various sensor systems.

The core element of a wise city / smart city is the ability to optimize the use of resources based on advanced information technology platform to serve urban residents. If the smart city relies heavily on internet services, the city is smartly characterized by effectively processing the information provided by the sensor system.

Meanwhile, writer Ta Duy Anh said that there are many views and definitions of smart urban and seems to have no end, but there is one thing in common - that is associated with technology. According to him, smart city uses technology to minimize human capacity but is able to provide immediate, accurate, fair public services, best meet the legitimate needs daily of people in a more economical, convenient, transparent, fast and interesting way. Therefore, smart urban areas help improve people's lives through the application of more and more technology in real life.