cziter15
🚀 Introduction
ksIotFrameworkLib is an Arduino-based C++ framework designed for ESP32 and ESP8266 microcontrollers.
The library handles the typical IoT boilerplate for you - from initial Wi-Fi provisioning via a captive portal to MQTT connectivity with a robust reconnection mechanism. It also includes a built-in LAN-accessible web portal for device configuration, over-the-air firmware updates, live status monitoring, and terminal access.
The terminal, a special feature of the web portal, lets you view real-time application logs and define your own commands.
By handling these repetitive foundations, ksIotFrameworkLib lets you concentrate on the unique logic of your smart sensors, controllers, or DIY automations - without needing to reinvent connectivity or configuration layers every time.
💡 Potential use cases
🏠 Smart home solutions - services, monitoring, alarming
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📊 Telemetry systems - sending sensor data, device statuses
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🎛️ Remote control applications - switching devices, executing commands
The library is not limited to these examples - it’s designed to support a wide range of IoT projects.
For instance, one of my personal implementations involves remotely controlling a heating boiler, fully integrated with Home Assistant via MQTT. I have devices running continuously for months without interruptions, demonstrating the library’s stability and reliability in real-world deployments.
🧭 Motivation
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Create a solid starting point for developing applications targeting Espressif microcontrollers
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Streamline the process of adapting and reusing code across multiple devices
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Apply the DRY principle (Don't Repeat Yourself) to DIY IoT projects by consolidating common functionality into a simple, reusable library
🛠️ How it started?
I first got into programming back in elementary school, but PCBs fascinated me even earlier. It started when my cousin showed me a small microphone board from a CB radio - and I couldn’t stop thinking about how such things were made. I always dreamed of creating my own.
The first real project happened years later when I modified my dad’s car radio so it powered on with the ignition. That little hack was the spark that led me to discover Arduino - and the urge to build something truly mine.
My first breadboard project was a pump controller for an old heating furnace. It turned on the pump automatically when the temperature was right. Looking back, I’m still surprised it worked! But that’s when I got hooked on real-time telemetry.
That was around 2017, using the ESP8266. As I built more devices, I noticed I was constantly duplicating code. So in 2020, I decided to create a lightweight framework that would unify my projects - and that’s how ksIotFrameworkLib was born.
Today, several of my devices use it daily, sending thousands of MQTT messages to control everything from Zigbee-based home automation to my parents’ heating boiler over CAN bus, connected through a cellular network.
The framework keeps evolving, driven by real-world use and the desire to make each next device easier to build than the last.
