IoT Protocols: MQTT, CoAP, and Beyond IoT devices often run on small batteries and limited memory. The right protocol helps data move reliably while keeping power use low. Two popular choices are MQTT and CoAP, each with its own strengths.
MQTT in practice MQTT uses a central broker to publish and subscribe to topics. Devices don’t need to know each other, which simplifies design. It supports QoS levels 0, 1, and 2, letting you trade speed for reliability. Retained messages and the last will message help new listeners learn the current state after a reconnect. It usually runs over TCP, often with TLS for security, and is common in home and industrial setups. CoAP in practice CoAP is designed for constrained devices and runs over UDP, keeping headers small. It follows a REST-like model; clients can GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE resources. Features like Observe let clients get treated as a streaming source of updates. DTLS provides security on UDP, and gateways can bridge CoAP to the wider Internet. Beyond the basics Lightweight M2M (LwM2M) builds on CoAP to manage devices at scale with a simple profile. AMQP is a robust brokered protocol option for some enterprise stacks. HTTP/2 or WebSockets offer familiar web patterns when latency and reliability are priorities. 6LoWPAN helps fit IP networking into tiny radios, expanding where these protocols can run. Choosing between MQTT and CoAP depends on goals: pub-sub telemetry versus REST-like control, need for a broker, and network constraints. A common pattern is MQTT for sensor data to a hub, and CoAP for direct control of resources through a gateway. Always plan for security: TLS with MQTT and DTLS with CoAP, keep messages small, and design for offline periods.
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