Device Plugins

The Devices module lies at the core of the FastyBird Smart Panel system. It handles how physical or virtual devices are represented, grouped into channels, and exposed to the panel for status monitoring and control.

Plugins within the Devices module are responsible for extending this functionality to support different integration methods and ecosystems.

What Device Plugins Do

A device plugin is typically responsible for:

• Discovering and registering devices from an external platform (e.g., Home Assistant, third-party API)
• Defining device channels and their properties, such as sensors, switches, dimmers, etc.
• Keeping device states in sync with external systems (via polling, webhooks, or socket communication)
• Handling commands sent from the panel and relaying them to the real device

Types of Device Plugins

FastyBird currently supports multiple plugin types for device integration:

• Home Assistant Plugin: Automatically imports devices and entities from a connected Home Assistant instance.
• Third-Party Plugin: Enables integrators to define devices manually and communicate via custom API endpoints.

More plugin types — including native protocols like Zigbee, Z-Wave, and MQTT — are planned.

Plugin Responsibilities

Each plugin is expected to implement:

• A device discovery/registration process
• Mapping external device structures into FastyBird’s device → channel → property hierarchy
• Periodic or real-time synchronization of property values
• Optional handling of property commands

Plugin Flexibility

Device plugins can be as simple or complex as needed. They can expose:

• Single devices with a few properties
• Whole ecosystems of sensors, actuators, and control surfaces

This flexibility makes it easy to build both lightweight integrations and large-scale smart home bridges — all managed through the same unified interface.