Programming the Internet of Things: An Introduction to Building Integrated, Device-to-Cloud IoT Solutions

A Device-to-Cloud Blueprint for Real IoT Work

IoT systems are rarely just one thing. They are sensors, embedded code, gateways, network protocols, cloud services, and the data models that let all of those pieces understand one another. Programming the Internet of Things follows that entire chain, using a constrained device application and a gateway device application as the backbone of a single, evolving project. Andy King writes for developers who want to understand how the parts fit together by building them, not just reading about them.

Published by O’Reilly in 2021, this first edition moves from setup and design through edge sensing, protocol integration, security, performance, and cloud connectivity. The sample system grows chapter by chapter, with programming exercises that ask you to extend the applications rather than simply run demo code.

Inside the Build: From Sensors to Cloud ☁️

The book’s four parts create a logical progression:

• Getting started: define the system, break down the problem, set up development and testing environments, and establish a workflow.
• Connecting to the physical world: simulate and emulate sensors and actuators, represent sensor and actuator data, and integrate device data management.
• Connecting to other things: add MQTT and CoAP communication, including Python and Java client implementations, server functionality, and security considerations.
• Connecting to the cloud: integrate cloud services, explore AWS IoT Core and Ubidots connectivity, and examine practical use cases such as home environment monitoring and garden or pond monitoring.

Protocols, Code, and the Space Between ⚙️

MQTT and CoAP receive substantial practical attention. You will see how brokers, clients, publish/subscribe patterns, request methods, datagrams, and resource handlers work in the context of the two sample applications. Because the code is developed in both Python and Java, the book also highlights how protocol choices and application structure interact across different parts of an IoT system.

Security is not left as an afterthought. Later chapters address TLS support for MQTT, DTLS possibilities for CoAP, business logic, and performance testing. The emphasis stays on implementation: what to add, where it belongs, and how to verify that it works.

Who This Book Is For

This is a strong fit for software developers, engineers, and technical students who already have some programming experience and want a structured introduction to IoT architecture. It will be especially useful for readers who learn by building a system end to end, rather than studying isolated protocols or cloud services. Beginners may find the pace demanding, but the incremental exercises provide a path forward.

If you have ever wondered how a sensor reading becomes a cloud event—and what has to happen in between—this book makes that journey concrete. It is a practical, code-driven guide to the engineering decisions behind connected devices.