HiveKit is the HiveOT development kit for building lightweight IoT applications that integrates with the Web of Things. HiveKit is based on specifications from the W3C Web of Things (WoT).
Applications are build by linking 'cells' that each provides a needed capability. Interactive cells define their capabilities using a W3C Thing Description (TD) document. Cells can be linked in a chain, star, or bus formation. Each cell handles request messages directed at their cell-ID and forward requests for other Things. Cells emit notifications for events and property updates which are send to the linked upstream cell.
HiveKit is in alpha development (August 2026).
Most cells are implemented in Golang. Javascript and Python integration is planned. Transport cells are an easy way to link between Javascript, Python and Golang cells.
Cells with a checkmark are functional but breaking changes can still be expected for those marked as alpha or beta.
Core service cells and client companion:
| status | cells | description | stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✔️ | authn | Authentication service | alpha |
| ✔️ | authz | Role based authorization | alpha |
| ✔️ | bucketstore | Key-value data storage | alpha |
| ✔️ | certs | Certificate management | alpha |
| ✔️ | consumer | Consumer and ConsumedThing | alpha |
| ✔️ | digitwin | Digital twins of Things | alpha |
| ✔️ | directory | Thing directory server & client | alpha |
| ✔️ | thing | Exposed Thing base | alpha |
| ✔️ | factory | Cell factory | alpha |
| ✔️ | history | Message history recorder | alpha |
| ✔️ | logging | Basic messaging logging | alpha |
| ✔️ | reconnect | Restore dropped client connections | alpha |
| ✔️ | router | Message routing to remote devices | alpha |
| ✔️ | vcache | Value cache | alpha |
| ⬛ | jsscript | Javascript based automation | todo |
| ⬛ | launcher | Launch stand-alone cells | todo |
| ⬛ | rules | Rule based automation | todo |
Transport cells come with a server and a client cell.
| status | cell | description | stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✔️ | transport/discovery | WoT mDNS device discovery | alpha |
| ✔️ | transport/grpc | HiveOT gRPC fast message streaming | alpha |
| ✔️ | transport/httpbasic | WoT HTTP basic messaging protocol | alpha |
| ✔️ | transport/tlsclient | HTTP client for sub-protocols | alpha |
| ✔️ | transport/tlsserver | HTTP server for sub-protocols | alpha |
| ✔️ | transport/ssesc | HiveOT HTTP/SSE-SC messaging protocol | alpha |
| ✔️ | transport/wss | WoT Websocket messaging protocol | alpha |
| ⬛ | transport/mqtt | WoT MQTT client/server messaging protocol | n/a |
| ⬛ | transport/lorawan | LoRaWan protocol binding | todo |
| ⬛ | transport/canbus | Canbus protocol binding | todo |
Integration Binding Cells: (this will mobe to the HiveOT Hub)
| status | cell | description | stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⬛ | ipnet | IP Network monitor | todo |
| ⬛ | isy99x | ISY 99 gateway binding | todo |
| ⬛ | owserver | 1-wire owserver gateway binding | todo |
| ⬛ | zwavejs | ZWave binding using zwave-js | todo |
| ⬛ | weather | Weather service bindings | todo |
| ⬛ | ... | and many more... | todo |
Security is big concern with today's IoT devices. The Internet of Things contains billions of devices that when not properly secured can be hacked too easily. Unfortunately the reality is that the security of many of these devices leaves a lot to be desired. Many devices are vulnerable to attacks and are never upgraded with security patches. This problem is only going to get worse as more IoT devices are coming to market. A botnet of a billion IoT devices can bring parts of the Internet to its knees and cripple essential services. The cost to businesses and consumers reaches hundreds of millions of dollars yearly.
Exposing IoT devices to the internet for direct use by consumers is therefore simply a very very bad idea from a security point of view, and does not meet the needs of todays reality. And yet, for some reason every year more and more IoT devices hit the market that run their own server and are exposed to the internet.
While HiveKit lets you build individual IoT devices that run their own server (please don't), it should be clear by now that this is, well ..., a very very bad idea.
HiveOT aims to aid in improving security of the IoT ecosystem by:
- Not run a server on IoT devices. Instead IoT devices connect to a secured gateway or hub. These devices have the RC (reverse connection) capability which is readily supported by all HiveKit transport cells. Just swap a server cell for its client counterpart.
- Offer an easy way to build a gateway or hub that supports RC capable devices. This is equivalent to building a server that forwards request to connected clients using the router cell.
- Support an easy way to expand the application functionality with custom cells without having to be a security expert.
- Support the W3C WoT standard for interacting with IoT devices including authentication, authorization, directory, history and other capabilities.
- Define a development commitment (see below) when using HiveOT software.
HiveOT is based on the W3C WoT TD 1.1 specification for interaction between IoT devices and consumers. It aims to be compatible with this standard.
Integration with 3rd party IoT protocols is supported through the use of protocol binding cells. These cells translate between the 3rd party IoT protocols and RRN (request/response/notification) messages. The RRN messages can be linked to a WoT protocol for interaction with WoT compatible clients using properties, events and actions.
This project is aimed at software developers for building secure IoT solutions. When adopting HiveKit, developers agree to:
- Support the security mandate that individual IoT devices should remain isolated from the internet. See above for the motivation and rational of this critical aspect.
- Support the use of RC (reverse connection) enabled devices that connect to a secured gateway or hub. When possible, promote this with the WoT working group when you agree to this approach.
- Agree to regularly provide security fixes with firmware updates if needed.
This probably needs a modified MIT license but that is beyond the scope of this project.
This project uses golang 1.25 or newer.
The easiest way to get started is to look at one of the examples:
- example1: build a stand-alone IoT device
- example2: build a commandline interface (CLI)
- example3: build a text UI
- example4: build an IoT gateway
- example5: build a secure RC (reverse connection) IoT device
Each of these examples use one of the factory recipes for constructing the example. See the factory for details.