Open Home Automation Bus or openHAB is an open source home automation project started in 2010. It is a Java-based project supporting various home automation technologies and devices. It requires a Java virtual machine and can be deployed on servers running various operating systems. Its website claims that it can run on any operating system such as Linux, macOS, Windows, Raspberry Pi, PINE64, Docker, Synology, and others.
All the controlling actions for automation are triggered by rules, voice commands, or controls on the openHAB user interface. A binding in openHAB is an additional package used to connect or interact with other devices. It is like a plugin that provides support for different smart devices. For example, bindings include Bluetooth, ZigBee, Nest thermostat, etc.
To build an automation project on openHAB, first open their website. You need to click on Get Started or Demo option, as shown in Fig. 1. (If you are new to openHAB, you may first check the demo. There is also online documentation for beginners to get started.) Then you need to choose the operating system you would want to start with. It is strongly recommended to read the software installation guide given on their website. You may also get help from active users from the online community website.
