// Setting up the development environment, deploying Edge Drivers to hubs, and sharing drivers with other users via channels and invites
Running luacheck for Lua linting and following code style conventions in Edge Driver development
Running and writing integration tests for SmartThings Edge Drivers using the Python test harness and Lua integration test framework
Understanding the SmartThings Edge Driver Lua libraries - driver lifecycle, message dispatchers, default handlers, and protocol message objects
Understanding and defining SmartThings capabilities, device profiles, preferences, and embedded device configurations for Edge Drivers
| name | dev-workflow |
| description | Setting up the development environment, deploying Edge Drivers to hubs, and sharing drivers with other users via channels and invites |
This skill covers environment setup, driver deployment to hubs, and sharing drivers with other users through channels and invite links.
Edge Drivers are Lua-based. Install the Lua 5.3 runtime for local development and linting:
# Ubuntu / Debian
sudo apt install lua5.3
# macOS
brew install lua@5.3
# Windows
# Download the Lua 5.3 binary from https://luabinaries.sourceforge.net/download.html
# Or install via scoop:
scoop install lua
# Or via chocolatey:
choco install lua53
The lua_libs/ directory contains the SmartThings Lua libraries that are
available on the hub at runtime. These correspond to the assets attached to the
latest release on GitHub:
https://github.com/SmartThingsCommunity/SmartThingsEdgeDrivers/releases/latest
Download the lua_libs archive from the release assets and extract it into the repository root if it is missing or needs updating.
Set LUA_PATH so that require resolves both your driver modules and the
SmartThings library modules in lua_libs/:
export LUA_PATH="./?.lua;./?/init.lua;$(pwd)/lua_libs/?.lua;$(pwd)/lua_libs/?/init.lua;;"
Run it from the repository root so $(pwd) resolves correctly.
The CLI is required for packaging, deploying, and managing drivers and channels on the platform.
# Via npm (requires Node.js >= 24.8.0)
npm install -g @smartthings/cli
# macOS via Homebrew
brew install smartthingscommunity/smartthings/smartthings
# Linux / Windows
# Download the binary or installer from:
# https://github.com/SmartThingsCommunity/smartthings-cli/releases
Verify the installation:
smartthings --version
The CLI uses browser-based OAuth login by default. Run smartthings devices to trigger
the login flow.
Some test and tooling scripts require Python dependencies:
pip install -r tools/requirements.txt
Luacheck provides static analysis for Lua source files. It requires LuaRocks (the Lua package manager).
Install LuaRocks first:
# Ubuntu / Debian
sudo apt install luarocks
# macOS
brew install luarocks
# Windows
# Download the installer from https://luarocks.org/releases/
# Or via chocolatey:
choco install luarocks
Then install Luacheck:
# Via LuaRocks (all platforms)
luarocks install luacheck
# macOS alternative (installs both luarocks and luacheck)
brew install luacheck
Run it against a driver directory:
luacheck --config .github/workflows/.luacheckrc drivers/SmartThings/zigbee-switch/
Deploying a driver to a physical hub requires three things:
smartthings edge:channels:create
You will be prompted for a name and description. Note the returned channel ID.
smartthings edge:channels:enroll <hub-id>
Select the channel when prompted, or pass --channel <channel-id>.
Find your hub ID with:
smartthings devices --type HUB
The edge:drivers:package command can build, upload, assign to a channel, and
install in one step:
smartthings edge:drivers:package <path-to-driver-dir> \
--hub=<hub-uuid> \
--channel=<channel-id>
For example:
smartthings edge:drivers:package drivers/SmartThings/zwave-switch \
--hub=aaaaaaaa-bbbb-cccc-dddd-eeeeeeeeeeee \
--channel=11111111-2222-3333-4444-555555555555
# List drivers installed on a hub
smartthings edge:drivers:installed --hub=<hub-uuid>
# Stream logs from a driver on the hub
smartthings edge:drivers:logcat <driver-id> --hub=<hub-uuid>
# Uninstall a driver from a hub
smartthings edge:drivers:uninstall <driver-id> --hub=<hub-uuid>
# Remove unused drivers from a hub
smartthings edge:drivers:prune --hub=<hub-uuid>
# Switch a device to a different driver
smartthings edge:drivers:switch <device-id>
Invite links let other users install your driver from your channel without giving them ownership of the driver or channel.
smartthings edge:channels:invites:create
You will be prompted to select a channel and a driver. The command returns an invite URL of the form:
https://bestow-regional.api.smartthings.com/invite/<invite-id>
Share this URL with users. They open it in a browser or the SmartThings mobile app to accept the invitation.
# List existing invites
smartthings edge:channels:invites
# Delete an invite
smartthings edge:channels:invites:delete <invite-id>
# Assign a specific driver version to a channel
smartthings edge:channels:assign <driver-id> <version>
# List drivers assigned to a channel
smartthings edge:channels:drivers <channel-id>
# Remove a driver from a channel
smartthings edge:channels:unassign <driver-id>
| Task | Command |
|---|---|
| Create channel | smartthings edge:channels:create |
| Enroll hub | smartthings edge:channels:enroll <hub-id> |
| Package & deploy | smartthings edge:drivers:package <dir> --hub=<id> --channel=<id> |
| Stream logs | smartthings edge:drivers:logcat <driver-id> --hub=<id> |
| Create invite | smartthings edge:channels:invites:create |
| List installed drivers | smartthings edge:drivers:installed --hub=<id> |