EMQX

EMQX is a self-hosted MQTT platform designed for IoT data infrastructure. It functions as a message broker that connects devices, processes data in real time, and routes information to backend systems. The software is deployed as a server and can be run as a single node via Docker or as a cluster on Kubernetes to manage large volumes of connected hardware.

The platform supports a variety of communication protocols to facilitate machine-to-machine messaging. It is used in environments such as industrial IoT, smart cities, and connected vehicle systems where high concurrency and low latency are required for data transmission. By acting as a central hub, it enables the movement of telemetry and command data between sensors and enterprise applications.

Key features

• Support for MQTT v5.0, v3.1.1, v3.1, MQTT-SN, CoAP, and LwM2M
• Masterless clustering for high availability and fault tolerance
• SQL-based Rule Engine for data transformation and filtering
• Integration with over 50 cloud services and databases including Kafka and PostgreSQL
• Durable message queuing with configurable TTL and size limits
• Visual Flow Designer for orchestrating data pipelines without code
• Schema Registry for data validation and consistency
• Authentication via JWT, X.509 certificates, LDAP, and SQL
• Monitoring integration with Prometheus, Grafana, and OpenTelemetry

Built with Erlang, the architecture focuses on scalability and can handle millions of concurrent connections with sub-millisecond latency. It includes a web-based dashboard for cluster overview and management, alongside a rich HTTP API for automation and third-party integration. The system integrates native AI processing capabilities for IoT data streams, allowing for AI-driven decision making at the edge or in the cloud. It also features a plugin architecture and hooks for customizing behavior at various points in the message lifecycle.

EMQX is positioned as a high-performance messaging middleware for large-scale connected device ecosystems.