One crucial element when it comes to creating an Internet of Things System is of course, IoT software. It is the main heart of the system that allows data collection and analytics, device integration within the IoT network, and more.
Oftentimes people jump to the conclusion that paid, proprietary software is mandatory to create the best systems possible, but open source software can do just as good, and sometimes an even better job than the paid counterpart. In fact, one of the major entities that keeps driving the IoT wave forward is the open source community. They collaborate on a regular basis, experiment with little boundaries, and end up with numerous creative applications that everyone can benefit from.
One of the more popular open-source IoT software options available is DeviceHive. It facilitates machine to machine communication and synergy and has been evolving constantly since 2012. The API, which is cloud-based, can work and be controlled remotely regardless of the configuration of the existing network. This allows it to be useful in different applications that involve smart home controls and automation, security and remote sensors, and more. If you’re stuck, the DeviceHive community will ensure you have a group of people to fall back to for help.
For specifically automating the home, Home Assistant is one of the most popular open-source choices. This open-source platform that operates using a Python-based system of coding allows for desktop and mobile device controls and is one of the easiest software to set up. But don’t let the simplicity fool you. Home Assistant is widely considered to be one of the best when it comes to security and privacy. With a regular development cycle of as short as every two weeks, and the ability to support around 250 devices, Home Assistant is a smart choice for those looking to develop a home automation system. One drawback is the lack of a cloud component, but the developers don’t see it as a bad thing since the home system built on it can still function even when the internet connection goes down. Oh, and private data is isolated from possible prying fingers.
If cloud capability is a priority however, there are still open-source options available. For instance, SiteWhere, which is made with the main purpose of helping companies improve the time-to-market capabilities of their business when it comes to new services or products. It is cloud capable and can be deployed on nearly all cloud platforms out there, and has been tested thoroughly so its reliability is solid. If you want your own private cloud, SiteWhere is capable of doing this as well, so you can store valuable data without the risk of relying on a third party service. And SiteWhere scales as needed from a single desktop machine to a large cluster system.
If you prefer a Node.js based server platform then Zetta is a good choice. It can convert devices into those that can communicate via APIs using Siren hypermedia and reactive programming. It’s also quite optimized to handle big data-intensive apps, and has visualization tools to make observing and reacting to systems much easier and quicker.
Lastly, if you want to connect your IoT system to the actual internet, then Particle, formerly known as Spark, is the best open-source choice. Particle is streamlined, which makes IoT projects so much simpler, and comes with encrypted protocols which secures and protects devices.
So when it comes to IoT software, paid is not always the go-to choice. If your business wants an IoT project done without breaking the bank, open-source software options are definitely feasible and should be considered.
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