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WES Platform - Business Process Overview

Table of Contents​

  1. What WES Does
  2. The Core Problem WES Solves
  3. How WES Works - The Big Picture
  4. User Journey - From Design to Production
  5. Content Import Process
  6. Build and Deployment Pipeline
  7. Multi-Cloud Hosting
  8. Translation and Localization
  9. Team Collaboration
  10. Version Control and Change Management
  11. Real-Time Monitoring
  12. Cache Management
  13. Security and Access Control

What WES Does​

WES is a website deployment and management platform that acts as a bridge between design tools (like Webflow) and production hosting infrastructure. Think of it as a sophisticated publishing system that takes websites created in design tools and automatically deploys them to various hosting providers while managing all the technical complexities behind the scenes.

Core Value Proposition​

WES solves the "last mile" problem of web development - taking a beautiful website design and making it live on the internet with professional hosting, performance optimization, and ongoing management capabilities.

Key Benefits:

  • Design Tool Integration: Import websites directly from Webflow and other platforms
  • Multi-Cloud Publishing: Deploy to AWS, Azure, GitHub Pages, or any SFTP server from one interface
  • Automated Optimization: Automatic image compression, code minification, and performance enhancements
  • Translation Management: Streamlined workflow for creating multilingual websites
  • Team Collaboration: Multiple users can work on projects with role-based permissions
  • Change Detection: Automatic monitoring of source websites for updates
  • Version Control: Track all changes without requiring technical Git knowledge

The Core Problem WES Solves​

The Traditional Web Development Gap​

In traditional web development, there's a significant gap between design and deployment:

  1. Designers create beautiful websites in tools like Webflow, Figma, or Adobe XD
  2. Developers must manually recreate these designs in code
  3. DevOps teams handle complex deployment, hosting, and optimization
  4. Content managers struggle with technical deployment processes
  5. Translators work with disconnected tools and manual file transfers

WES Solution​

WES eliminates these disconnected steps by creating an automated pipeline that:

  • Directly imports from design tools (no manual recreation needed)
  • Handles all hosting and deployment automatically
  • Provides a non-technical interface for content management
  • Integrates translation services directly into the workflow
  • Optimizes everything for performance automatically

How WES Works - The Big Picture​

The WES Architecture​

WES operates as a cloud-based service with several key components:

Frontend Interface: A web-based dashboard where users manage projects, configure settings, and monitor deployments

Import Engine: Automatically downloads and processes content from source websites (Webflow, custom URLs)

Build System: Processes and optimizes website files for production deployment

Deployment Engine: Publishes websites to various hosting providers simultaneously

Monitoring System: Real-time tracking of builds, deployments, and website changes

Translation Hub: Integration with professional translation services

The Flow​

  1. Connect: Users connect their Webflow site or any website URL to WES
  2. Import: WES automatically downloads all pages, images, CSS, and JavaScript files
  3. Process: The platform optimizes images, minifies code, and prepares files for deployment
  4. Stage: Creates a staging version for testing and review
  5. Deploy: Publishes to chosen hosting provider(s) with one click
  6. Monitor: Continuously watches for changes and provides deployment analytics
  7. Maintain: Ongoing cache management, updates, and team collaboration

User Journey - From Design to Production​

Step 1: Project Creation​

A user starts by creating a new project in WES. This establishes a workspace where all website management activities will take place. They provide basic information like project name and choose team members who should have access.

Step 2: Source Connection​

The user connects their data source - typically a Webflow site, but could be any website URL. For Webflow sites, this involves OAuth authentication to securely access the site content. For other URLs, WES can crawl and import publicly accessible content.

Step 3: Initial Import​

WES automatically discovers all pages on the connected site by reading the sitemap or crawling from the homepage. It downloads every asset - HTML files, CSS stylesheets, JavaScript files, images, fonts, and other resources. This creates a complete snapshot of the website.

Step 4: Review and Configuration​

Users review the imported content through WES's file browser. They can configure build settings, hosting preferences, and any custom scripts or modifications needed. This is also when translation settings are configured if multilingual sites are needed.

Step 5: Staging Build​

The first deployment creates a staging version on WES's servers. This allows users to test the website and ensure everything imported correctly. The staging URL can be shared with team members or clients for review.

Step 6: Production Deployment​

Once satisfied with staging, users can deploy to their chosen hosting provider(s). This might be AWS S3 for a corporate site, GitHub Pages for a developer portfolio, or multiple hosting providers for redundancy.

Step 7: Ongoing Management​

After initial deployment, users can trigger new imports when the source site changes, manage translations, monitor performance, and collaborate with team members on ongoing updates.

Content Import Process​

Automatic Discovery​

WES begins by analyzing the source website to understand its structure. For Webflow sites, it uses the API to get a complete list of pages and assets. For other sites, it reads the XML sitemap or crawls from the homepage to discover all linked pages.

Asset Collection​

Once all pages are identified, WES downloads every associated resource:

  • HTML Pages: Complete page content including all markup and embedded content
  • CSS Files: All stylesheets including external and inline styles
  • JavaScript: Custom scripts, third-party libraries, and embedded code
  • Images: Photos, graphics, icons, and background images in all formats
  • Other Assets: Fonts, documents, videos, and any other linked resources

Content Processing​

As files are downloaded, WES processes them to prepare for deployment:

  • Link Resolution: Updates all internal links to work in the new hosting environment
  • Path Normalization: Ensures consistent file paths across different hosting providers
  • Dependency Mapping: Identifies relationships between files (which CSS files are used by which pages)
  • Change Detection: Compares new content with previous versions to identify what has changed

Quality Assurance​

Before completing the import, WES validates that all critical resources were successfully downloaded and that the site structure is intact. Missing assets or broken dependencies are flagged for user attention.

Build and Deployment Pipeline​

Pre-Build Preparation​

Before creating a deployable version, WES performs several preparation steps:

  • Asset Validation: Confirms all required files are present and accessible
  • Configuration Check: Verifies hosting settings and deployment credentials
  • Dependency Resolution: Ensures all CSS imports and JavaScript dependencies are properly linked

Build Process​

The build system transforms the imported content into production-ready files:

Image Optimization: Automatically compresses images to reduce file sizes while maintaining quality. Creates multiple sizes for responsive design where needed.

Code Minification: Removes whitespace, comments, and unnecessary characters from CSS and JavaScript files to reduce loading times.

File Bundling: Combines multiple CSS or JavaScript files when beneficial for performance.

Cache Optimization: Sets appropriate cache headers and creates cache-friendly file names.

Cross-Platform Compatibility: Ensures files work correctly across different browsers and devices.

Staging Deployment​

The first deployment creates a staging version hosted on WES servers:

  • Provides a temporary URL for testing and review
  • Allows team members to preview changes before production
  • Serves as a backup version for rollback if needed
  • Enables testing of hosting-specific features

Production Deployment​

When users are satisfied with staging, production deployment begins:

  • Files are uploaded to the chosen hosting provider(s)
  • DNS settings are configured if using custom domains
  • CDN caches are populated for global content delivery
  • SSL certificates are configured for secure access
  • Monitoring is activated to track site performance

Multi-Cloud Hosting​

Hosting Provider Options​

WES supports deployment to multiple hosting platforms, each optimized for different use cases:

Amazon Web Services (AWS S3)

  • Best for: High-traffic corporate websites, enterprise applications
  • Benefits: Unlimited scalability, global CDN integration, enterprise security
  • Configuration: Requires AWS credentials, bucket settings, and optional CloudFront setup

Microsoft Azure Blob Storage

  • Best for: Organizations already using Microsoft infrastructure
  • Benefits: Integration with Azure services, enterprise compliance, global distribution
  • Configuration: Azure account credentials, storage container setup, CDN configuration

GitHub Pages

  • Best for: Developer portfolios, open-source projects, documentation sites
  • Benefits: Free hosting, automatic deployment from Git, built-in version control
  • Configuration: GitHub repository connection, custom domain setup

SFTP Deployment

  • Best for: Traditional web hosting, shared hosting providers, legacy systems
  • Benefits: Works with any hosting provider, simple file-based deployment
  • Configuration: Server credentials, directory paths, file permissions

Multi-Hosting Strategy​

Users can deploy the same website to multiple hosting providers simultaneously:

  • Primary + Backup: Deploy to main hosting provider with automatic backup to secondary
  • Geographic Distribution: Use different providers for different geographic regions
  • Environment Separation: Staging on one provider, production on another
  • A/B Testing: Deploy different versions to different hosting providers

Automated Failover​

WES can monitor hosting providers and automatically switch traffic if a provider experiences issues, ensuring maximum uptime for critical websites.

Translation and Localization​

Translation Workflow Overview​

WES streamlines the complex process of creating multilingual websites by integrating directly with professional translation services.

Lokalise Integration​

Lokalise is a professional translation platform that WES integrates with for high-quality translations:

Content Upload: WES automatically identifies translatable content (text within HTML pages) and uploads it to Lokalise in a format translators can work with.

Professional Translation: Human translators work on the content through Lokalise's interface, with support for translation memory, terminology management, and quality assurance.

Content Retrieval: Once translations are complete, WES downloads the translated content and integrates it back into the website files.

Multi-Language Builds: Creates separate versions of the website for each language, with appropriate language codes and URL structures.

Weglot Integration​

Weglot provides automatic translation with a JavaScript overlay approach:

Automatic Detection: Weglot automatically detects and translates content on web pages using machine translation.

Real-Time Translation: Visitors see translated content immediately without separate page versions.

Translation Editing: Content managers can review and edit machine translations through Weglot's interface.

SEO Optimization: Creates language-specific URLs and handles technical SEO requirements for multilingual sites.

Localization Features​

Beyond translation, WES handles other localization requirements:

  • Date and Number Formats: Adjusts formatting for different regions
  • Currency Display: Shows appropriate currency symbols and formatting
  • Image Localization: Swaps region-specific images when needed
  • URL Structure: Creates appropriate URL patterns for different languages
  • Meta Data Translation: Translates page titles, descriptions, and other SEO elements

Team Collaboration​

User Roles and Permissions​

WES supports multiple users working on the same project with different levels of access:

Project Owner: Full control over project settings, team management, and billing Admin: Can manage content, trigger deployments, and invite team members
Editor: Can import content, review changes, but cannot deploy to production Viewer: Read-only access to project status and staging versions

Collaborative Workflows​

Teams can work together efficiently through WES's collaboration features:

Parallel Work: Multiple team members can work on different aspects simultaneously Review Process: Staging deployments allow team review before production Change Notifications: Team members receive alerts about imports, deployments, and issues Activity Tracking: Complete audit trail of who made what changes when

Team Communication​

WES facilitates communication through:

  • Real-time Notifications: Instant alerts about build progress and completion
  • Project Comments: Team members can leave notes and feedback on specific deployments
  • Status Updates: Automatic notifications about project milestones and issues
  • Shared Access: All team members can access the same project dashboard and files

Version Control and Change Management​

Automatic Version Tracking​

WES automatically creates versions every time content is imported or changed:

  • Complete Snapshots: Every import creates a complete backup of all website files
  • Change Detection: Identifies exactly what changed between versions
  • Version Comparison: Visual comparison of different versions to see differences
  • Rollback Capability: Can restore any previous version with one click

Change Detection System​

WES continuously monitors source websites for changes:

  • Webhook Integration: Webflow sites can push notifications when content changes
  • Scheduled Monitoring: Regular checks for changes on sites without webhook support
  • Smart Alerts: Only notifies users when meaningful changes are detected
  • Granular Tracking: Identifies changes at the individual file level

Deployment History​

Every deployment is tracked with complete information:

  • Deployment Timestamps: When each version was deployed where
  • User Attribution: Who triggered each deployment
  • Success/Failure Status: Complete logs of deployment outcomes
  • Performance Metrics: How each deployment affected site performance

Rollback and Recovery​

If issues arise, WES provides multiple recovery options:

  • Version Rollback: Restore to any previous version of content
  • Hosting Rollback: Revert to previous deployment on hosting provider
  • Selective Restore: Restore individual files without affecting entire site
  • Emergency Procedures: Rapid rollback processes for critical issues

Real-Time Monitoring​

Build Progress Tracking​

WES provides live updates during lengthy build and deployment processes:

  • Progress Indicators: Real-time percentage completion for all operations
  • Step-by-Step Status: Shows current operation (importing, optimizing, uploading)
  • Time Estimates: Predicted completion times based on historical data
  • Error Alerts: Immediate notification if any step fails

Deployment Monitoring​

During deployment to hosting providers:

  • Upload Progress: Shows file-by-file upload progress for large deployments
  • Validation Status: Confirms files are correctly deployed and accessible
  • Performance Testing: Basic performance checks after deployment completes
  • DNS Propagation: Monitors custom domain setup and DNS changes

Ongoing Site Monitoring​

After deployment, WES continues monitoring:

  • Uptime Tracking: Regular checks to ensure the website is accessible
  • Performance Metrics: Basic speed and availability monitoring
  • Change Alerts: Notifications when source content is updated
  • Usage Analytics: Basic traffic and performance insights

Team Notifications​

Multiple team members stay informed through:

  • Real-time Dashboards: Live status displays in the WES interface
  • Email Alerts: Important status changes sent via email
  • Slack Integration: Notifications posted to team Slack channels
  • Mobile Notifications: Push notifications for critical events

Cache Management​

CDN Cache Control​

WES manages content delivery network caches to ensure optimal performance:

  • Automatic Purging: Clears outdated content from CDN caches after deployments
  • Selective Invalidation: Only clears caches for changed files, not entire sites
  • Cache Warming: Pre-populates CDN caches with new content for faster initial loads
  • Global Distribution: Ensures content is cached at edge locations worldwide

Browser Cache Optimization​

WES optimizes how visitor browsers cache website content:

  • Cache Headers: Sets appropriate expiration times for different file types
  • Version Fingerprinting: Adds unique identifiers to files so browsers get updates immediately
  • Conditional Loading: Browsers only download files that have actually changed
  • Compression Settings: Configures GZIP compression for faster downloads

Performance Impact​

Proper cache management dramatically improves website performance:

  • Faster Load Times: Visitors get content from nearby cache servers
  • Reduced Bandwidth: Less data transfer needed for repeat visits
  • Server Protection: Reduces load on hosting servers during traffic spikes
  • Global Consistency: Same fast experience for visitors worldwide

Security and Access Control​

Authentication and Authorization​

WES implements multiple layers of security for user access:

  • Secure Login: Industry-standard authentication with password requirements
  • JWT Tokens: Secure session management with automatic expiration
  • Role-Based Access: Different permission levels for different team members
  • API Security: All communication between components is encrypted and authenticated

Hosting Security​

WES ensures deployed websites are secure:

  • HTTPS Enforcement: Automatic SSL certificate provisioning for secure connections
  • Security Headers: Configures appropriate security headers for deployed sites
  • Access Controls: Manages who can access staging vs. production versions
  • Credential Management: Securely stores hosting provider credentials

Data Protection​

WES protects sensitive information throughout the platform:

  • Encrypted Storage: All user data and website content encrypted at rest
  • Secure Transmission: All data transfers use TLS encryption
  • Access Logging: Complete audit trails of who accessed what content when
  • Privacy Controls: Users control who can access their projects and content

Compliance and Standards​

WES follows industry best practices:

  • GDPR Compliance: Appropriate data handling for European users
  • SOC 2: Security standards for service organizations
  • Regular Updates: Security patches and updates applied automatically
  • Backup Systems: Multiple redundant backups to prevent data loss

Summary​

WES transforms the complex process of website deployment from a technical challenge requiring multiple specialists into a streamlined workflow that designers and content managers can handle independently. By automating the technical complexities while providing professional-grade features like multi-cloud hosting, translation management, and team collaboration, WES enables organizations to focus on creating great content rather than managing technical infrastructure.

The platform's strength lies in its integration capabilities - connecting design tools, hosting providers, translation services, and team workflows into a single, cohesive system that scales from individual projects to enterprise deployments.