This document provides a comprehensive reference for the Azure IoT SDKs and tools, designed to help you build robust and scalable Internet of Things solutions on Microsoft Azure.

Overview

Azure IoT provides a suite of tools and Software Development Kits (SDKs) to connect, monitor, and manage your IoT devices. These resources enable seamless integration of your devices with the Azure cloud platform, facilitating data ingestion, device management, and the implementation of intelligent IoT solutions.

Azure IoT SDKs

The Azure IoT SDKs are available for various programming languages, allowing you to develop applications that run on your IoT devices and interact with Azure IoT services. Key features include:

  • Secure device connectivity using industry-standard protocols like MQTT, AMQP, and HTTPS.
  • Telemetry data transmission to Azure IoT Hub.
  • Device twin management for state synchronization and remote control.
  • Direct method invocation for real-time command execution.
  • File upload capabilities for device-to-cloud data transfer.

Supported Platforms and Languages

  • C SDK: For embedded systems and resource-constrained devices.
  • Python SDK: Flexible and widely used for rapid development.
  • Java SDK: Robust for enterprise-grade applications.
  • Node.js SDK: Ideal for JavaScript-based IoT projects.
  • .NET SDK: For developers within the Microsoft ecosystem.
  • C++ SDK: High-performance option for demanding scenarios.

Getting Started with Device SDKs

Explore quickstart guides and sample code to connect your first device to Azure IoT Hub. Learn about device provisioning and authentication methods.

Connect Your Device

Azure IoT Tools

Complementing the SDKs, a variety of tools are available to streamline your IoT development workflow:

  • Azure CLI (IoT Extension): Powerful command-line interface for managing IoT Hub, devices, and other Azure IoT resources.
  • Azure IoT Explorer: A graphical tool for inspecting device telemetry, invoking direct methods, and managing device twins.
  • VS Code Extensions: Integrate IoT development directly into your Visual Studio Code environment.

Azure CLI for IoT

The Azure CLI with the IoT extension simplifies many common tasks. Here are some examples:

# Register a new device
az iot hub device-identity create --device-id MyIoTDevice --hub-name MyIoTHub

# Send a direct method to a device
az iot hub invoke-device-method --device-id MyIoTDevice --hub-name MyIoTHub --method-name RestartDevice --method-payload '{}'

# Monitor device telemetry
az iot hub monitor-events --hub-name MyIoTHub --device-id MyIoTDevice

Azure IoT Explorer Download

Download the latest version of Azure IoT Explorer to easily interact with your IoT devices and manage your IoT Hub.

Download IoT Explorer

Key Concepts

  • Azure IoT Hub: A managed service that enables secure bidirectional communication between your IoT devices and your cloud solution.
  • Device Twin: A JSON document representing the state of an IoT device.
  • Direct Methods: Used for immediate, synchronous operations on a device.
  • Device Provisioning Service (DPS): Enables zero-touch, just-in-time provisioning of devices to Azure IoT Hub.

Further Resources