What did you build???

I built an MQTT client that you can interact with! On them internets! As well as a web interface that uses WebSockets to message and MQTT broker.

This is a spin-off to my Remote Switch Project,  I deployed an ESP8266-12E as an MQTT client. By using this webpage as another MQTT client, you can send messages directly to this ESP8266 from anywhere in the world!

What does it do?

It behaves as a simple ChatBot. You can send it a few specific messages and it will send back messages depending on the received message. You can also confirm this website and ESP8266 runs over MQTT by connecting directly to the given MQTT broker.

What challenges did you face?

Sending MQTT packets via WebSockets with SSL proved to be a bit more tricky to configure than I thought. Trial and error as well as lots of googling saved the day. The previous Remote Switch Project provided a code base, though it did require extensive reworking to handle incoming messages. This project was coded with a bit of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and an understanding of SSL, as well as C++ to program the ESP8266.

Why did you make it?

This project was a portfolio showcase of my coding abilities as well as my passion for taking things I’ve thought up from idea to actuality. I like learning about things. The challenge is part of the fun!