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PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify the pathway that leads to cities to proceeding towards urban sustainability.Design/methodology/approachThis study intends to propose a theoretical analysis on the city as sustainable community that drives urban development adopting a smart vision for urban growth.FindingsCities as sustainable urban communities develop smartness as a vision for change understanding and developing the potential offered by information technology reinforcing the community by shaping collaborative governance.Research limitations/implicationsCities using information technology as a source for urban sustainability develop smartness to evolve as smart communities following a managerial and organizational view towards sustainability as a source for continuous innovation and change within urban ecosystem.Originality/valueCities identify a sustainability-oriented and community-driven pathway as a vision for continuous change that helps to improve urban competitiveness, innovation and democracy ensuring high quality of life by strengthening the potential offered by technology-enabled and human-centred smartness.