[MSFT_Edging]

My frustrations with local automations needing the cloud has sent me on a multi-year long learning experience.

Basically, I want smart home things, I have some blind spots in my software and engineering skills, therefore I'll DIY my smarthome features from the ground up.

I wrote a server in python, integrated some ESP32s with temp/humidity sensors. I then integrated them into Vindrikting units. I learned super basic front end stuff to give a page with graphs. I wrote a telegram bot to request the data from anywhere. Then I re-wrote the server in Go(because I wanted to learn go) to where its mostly functional but I lost steam and still rely on the python server.

Then I found some Kasa smart power strips that are individually addressable so I set up a isolated IoT network with a Pi zero w, and started writing a Kasa protocol library in Rust(because I want more rust experience) then used that library on an ESP32 using the embedded rust toolkits(because my ESPs with C code randomly crash and i want more protection against my grug-brain tendencies) to create remote controls for these kasa devices.

This approach is far from efficient but it's less a solution to home automation and more a vehicle to guide various learning projects with fun tech. Since its all on my local network and just for me I can decide what I need and don't need. Basically I'm making a really delicate system bespoke for me but as I learn more, each component gets easier and less delicate and I'm getting pretty good at architecting these things. Only downside is its really hard to return to older aspects when new ideas are circulating(ie I really need to finish the go/vue server and begin more integration stuff with the dedicated IoT network).