Recommended Reading for a beginner in IOT (an IT)? eBook?

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Hi All

I am a mechanical engineer by education with basic IT skills. I am new to Hubitat, is there any recommended reading for basic networking/coding/html/Internet of Things etc., that would be a great primer to reach my long term goal of becoming an expert in Hubitat?

Thanks

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I would recommend two things:

  • The Hubitat documentation, Hubitat Elevation Documentation - Hubitat Documentation. Some parts are perhaps not as complete as they could be, but if you're totally new to home automation and particularly Zigbee and Z-Wave, there is some good information there on those protocols and how to maximize your luck with them. There is also documentation for most built-in/stock apps (basically automation templates) and lots of other things.
  • Keep reading the forum! There are lots of knowledgeable community members here. I'm quite thankful for many of the regulars, from whom I've learned a lot. Staff are also pretty active here and routinely share helpful insights. (And along these lines, don't be afraid to ask if you have questions.)

The main networks on Hubitat are your Zigbee and Z-Wave networks, assuming you use one or both of those protocols (I'd say the primary reason most people use it, though it also works with a variety of LAN and some cloud devices). The above will help with that. From a "traditional" networking perspective, the device is quite simple--it supports DHCP (only, so reserve an address on your router if you want to) and has an admin interface and accessible over a local HTTP or self-signed HTTPS connection. Some apps make local and cloud HTTP(S) interfaces available.

You also don't need to do any "coding" to use Hubitat. Their intent is for most/all common tasks to be built in to the platform as what they call apps, which are basically automation templates you can fill in with specific devices and values to make things happen how you want. When those fail, there's Rule Machine, which itself is an app but one that helps you create custom automations of your own with no real coding (just a GUI, though it does require you to think a bit like a programmer). Lots of people find it tempting to start there; my recommendation is: don't. :slight_smile: (But when you want to start using it, read the docs.)

There is little reason to know HTML for Hubitat. You don't need it to use any stock apps, and most custom apps I'm aware of don't require it, either. If stock apps and RM don't cut it for you, you also have the option to create custom apps (or drivers for devices). Even then you don't really need to know HTML (though since your apps ultimately get rendered to HTML there are some things you can do if you do). This is done in Groovy in a poorly-documented sandbox that is similar to the also-poorly-but-better-documented sandbox of SmartThings (whose "classic" developer docs I'd start with). I would also not recommend starting here. :slight_smile:

This sounds like a lot more than two recommendations, haha. Oops? I just wanted to address a few of the remaining items on your list.

Hope this helps!

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To add to @bertabcd1234's suggestions, SmartThings and Hubitat use the same programming language for apps and drivers. It's called Groovy. And while I am no programmer, I have found the SmartThings Classic Developer documentation to be helpful when I have tried to edit or port existing apps and drivers to Hubitat.

https://docs.smartthings.com/en/latest/getting-started/groovy-basics.html

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