Protocols
This section describes the different protocols that you can use to connect your Devices and Apps to the Platform.
You can connect your devices using any of the 2 protocols compatible with thethings.iO (HTTP, MQTT). Each of them has its pros and cons.
Choosing the protocol for your things
HTTP
HTTP is over TCP and there are lots of libraries implementing it. If there isn't a language for your platform, it is very easy to implement as it is just writing characters on the TCP socket. However, it is the protocol that introduces more overhead.
MQTT
MQTT is over TCP and is best suited for long term subscriptions. MQTT is also lighter than HTTP, but it's not possible to reproduce all the features supported by the other protocols (like reads) with it.
| Protocol | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| HTTP | - Lots of libraries | - Energy consuming |
| MQTT | - Best for pub/sub - IoT friendly | - Reads not supported |
Updated over 1 year ago