What is major difference when we want to build IoT solution if we use middleware or libraries or custom development?
Let's imagine that there are so many street lights, camera for illegal parking or some sensors and we should build some solution to integrate. What I found is that they are using different protocol(tcp, serial) and data type(binary, xml, text). Colleague recommend some way like middleware or libraries but I doubt if it is efficient for maintenance or not.
Middleware is strong tool for IoT solution which provides connection between different layers. It is easy to use, but there might be multiple adjustments needed for matching middleware requirements.
You can use library as a joint. If you have suitable library, you can easily connect using minimum extra programming. You might have to use multiple libraries, and additional libraries could be needed when new, unsupported components are added.
Custom development is a traditional way. It is time-consuming job, but If you code everthing, you don't need any other help.
I heard declarative backend software like Interactor might be another solution. You can construct connections and make your own logic with smaller resources.