Temboo is a fully fledged online IoT platform that links your IoT projects to numerous other online platforms for instant notifications, data logging, and control purposes. You can use Temboo with many open-source hardware IoT platforms. In this chapter, we will be looking at using Temboo with the Arduino platform, and the ESP8266. Note that Temboo is not free, but you can make several requests to the service with their free plan.
There are many functions of the Temboo platform that come in handy in IoT projects. Some of them include the following:
- Code generation: The platform allows you to select the device and sensors you want to use and automatically generates code that you can use to achieve your desired task
- Sensor data monitoring: You are able to monitor your sensors using graphical means and keep track of your IoT systems
- Cloud controls: The platform provides an interface that you can use to control your actuators with just one click
Temboo has a comprehensive library that simplifies IoT programs. Using the library, you can run any process with just a few lines of code. In addition to providing an Arduino-compatible library, Temboo generates code on the website, so you only have to copy and paste it on the IDE you are using. This makes it easy for you to use Choreos.
Choreos are the smart processes provided by Temboo. When you run a sketch that has Choreos, it calls the Temboo platform, where the more complicated code that makes up the Choreo is executed. This is called code virtualization. It takes the processing load off the microcontroller, which has less processing power, and offloads it to powerful Temboo servers. There are thousands of Choreos for numerous functions, such as working databases, performing code utility functions, and for API interactions, among many other things. Some of the online platforms whose Choreos are available include the following:
- Amazon
- GitHub
- Dropbox
- Paypal
- Ebay
There are several advantages of using Temboo in your IoT projects. First of all, it relieves the microcontroller of the major processing activities. Therefore, you can increase the functionality of your IoT project, since there are more resources to work with. Temboo also reduces the amount of microcontroller code you have to write to interact with an online resource. You can now accomplish so much with just a few lines of code.
Since Temboo works with different IoT hardware platforms, it is easy for you to migrate your code to other boards if need be. This way you are able to create versatile IoT projects that you can improve on over time, using better and more powerful hardware.
To use Temboo, you need to create a Temboo account. You are required to provide your credentials, as shown in the following form:
Once you have an account, you can start using Temboo in your IoT projects and discover the endless possibilities it offers.