Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, has released a snap package mechanism allowing users to run Ubuntu apps under the openHAB 2.0 open-source smart home platform.
Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, has released a snap package mechanism allowing users to run Ubuntu apps under the openHAB 2.0 open-source smart home platform.
The snap package enables easier deployment and secure updates of Ubuntu apps on openHAB 2.0. For example, users will be able to download and install apps from the Ubuntu Appstore LINK in a single one-click action. It will be easier for developers to build, test and distribute smart home devices using the snap package.
openHAB, the Java-based and Linux-compatible open source platform, aims to become the mainstream open source for smart home or IoT frameworks. For many smart home hub frameworks running on Linux, like Samsung’s SmartThings and Wink, the openHAB can be an alternative.
Any hardware device can possibly become a smart home hub, thanks to openHAB’s fully open source licensing and software-only deployment. Developers can use a desktop computer, a Raspberry Pi or other embedded devices to run openHAB and further control, automate and complement smart home networks.
OpenHAB 2.0, based on open source framework Eclipse SmartHome, was released in late January with some improvements from the previous version. One is easier integration with other platforms using Eclipse SmartHome such as Deutsche Telecom’s QIVICOM smart home platform. It also offers easier setup and configuration for non-tech-savvy users and provides better support for low-end embedded hardware such as Raspberry Pi 3 and Pine A64 board.
Developers can also bind devices with IFTTT, Apple HomeKit and Amazon Echo integration.
The snap package was already released and openHAB 2.0 is free to download. However, the open source platform requires Java Runtime to be installed.