The concept behind open source has been around for many years, ages ago the campaign toward open source software solutions at the end of the 1980s, before computers and much earlier before today's IoT Platforms.
Different aspects drive open source popularity.
Customers demand a large variety of technology devices. They do not want to use limited devices from any specific dealer (i.e., a Particular smartwatch paired with the particular dealer’s smartphone).
Dealers of IoT devices want to boost technology ecosystems to integrate devices without much effort.
Application developers want wide-ranging device support without writing dealer-specific code.
Open-source solutions enable scalability, flexibility, and velocity of innovation.
According to Statista, the number of IoT devices globally is anticipated to almost triple from 9.7b in 2020 to more than 29b IoT devices by the end of 2030.
One of the ways organisations can mitigate IoT expenses is by using open-source Internet of Things (IoT) platforms and tools.
The base code of open-source software is easily available, so the developers can see the code or make changes as needed based on particular requirements and use cases. Open source means you can access/view the code for free. Moreover, you can get paid professional support if you are in serious trouble.
Open-source Internet of Things (IoT) platforms covers an extensive range. Network connectivity protocols like OpenThread enable IoT devices to link to UI and other devices within an IoT network. SDK offers tools and documentation for developers who want to join IoT devices and UIs through SDK.
You will also discover many other open-source IoT tools and platforms. Finding the best one for your organisation comes with its challenges.
Here we have mentioned some of the best open-source IoT tools that are a good starting point.
So, let’s explore it.
Open-source IoT Platforms Worth Considering
|1. Zetta
Zetta is an open-source IoT platform developed using Node.js to build IoT servers that run on computers and the Cloud placed at different locations.
Zetta incorporates REST APIs, WebSockets and flow-centric reactive programming. It is perfect to put together different devices into data-intensive, real-time apps.
Run everywhere
API everything
Code with Joy
Stream big data
Dream big apps
|2. Arduino
Arduino is one of the best open-source IoT tools that contains hardware and software. It helps to develop your code in the Cloud and create Smart IoT projects.
Additionally, its software contains an IDE that generates codes in the Arduino language. Moreover, it offers Smart and robust solutions to track and deal with real-life needs. It is also a user-centric and easy-to-understand IoT Platform that executes operations and maintains interactions among different components.
The ever-growing Arduino community includes hobbyists, students, designers and engineers from the global level.
|3. Node-RED
Node-RED is a programming platform to connect different hardware devices, APIs and online services in modern ways.
It offers a browser-based editor. It eases the process of flow connection using an extensive range of nodes in the palette deployed to its runtime with a click.
JS functions can be generated within the editor through a text editor. A built-in library enables saving helpful functions, templates or flows for re-use.
|4. Kinoma
Kinoma is a software engineering group that offers an open-source, cross-platform ECMAScript stack. It helps to build software for IoT products and different embedded devices.
Kinoma Create - JS-powered IoT construction Kit that offers JS developers accessibility to demo and prototype internet-connected devices.
Kinoma Connect - It is an application for Android and iOS built to stream media and podcasts from a smart device/tablet to DLNA-equipped devices like Blu-ray players and Smart TVs.
Kinoma JS - KinomaJS is a solution stack. It features an ECMAScript 6 virtual machine, an abstraction layer offering platform/OS independence, a development framework, and different feasibilities, functions and extensions.
Kinoma Play - It is a combination of a media player, browser and app platform.
|5. Device Hive
Device hive makes IoT easy by offering open-source IoT data platforms with a wide range of integration options.
It has different deployment options that fit each enterprise or start-up. The platform offers high scalability and availability that helps to scale out quickly to deal with increased production volume.
You can connect any device through REST API, WebSockets or MQTT. Additionally, it is easy to incorporate the Device Hive platform with any other device Clouds or platforms through supported protocols and applying plugin service features.
You can also rapidly create analytics based on your needs, leveraging the best big data solutions. The platform is shared under Apache 2.0 licence that is free to use and modify.
|6. Beagle Board
It is a complete system to develop AI and ML solutions with the convenience and expandability of the platform and the peripherals to get started instantly to learn and develop apps.
With locally hosted, open-source toolchains and growing environments, a web browser, network connection, and power source are needed to begin the development of performance-optimised embedded apps.
Industry-leading expansion opportunities are available using familiar headers, with tons of open-source hardware examples and ready-to-use embedded expansion options available off-the-shelf.
|7. Open Remote
Open Remote open-source IoT platform helps you to resolve the challenges of devices and data sources integrations with our easy-to-use asset and data management solution.
As a 100% open-source Internet of Things (IoT) platform, it enables you to deal with devices, data visualisation, and build tailored apps. Open Remote platform provides OEMs, integrators, device manufacturers, and government authorities the services to design, develop, and control their IoT apps.
You can configure the dashboard, create logic with When-Then, flows, JS or Groovy, auto-provision devices, and develop tailored applications.
In a Nutshell
Without the open-source Internet of Things (IoT) platforms to boost innovation and availability, the IoT can not grow and reach the leading place it holds today in the industry.
Thus, it is significant that open-source IoT platforms are not only the best starting point for your business, but a base as in some scenarios open-source technologies may exceed their ownership counterparts.
Moreover, as your company grows, you can always leverage commercial technologies as open source means that you are not restricted to any particular merchant.