What is an IoT Developer Responsible For?

If you have ever used or seen appliances and devices being turned on and off through remotes, voice commands, or mobile apps, then you have seen IoT in action! From Amazon’s Alexa, the voice-controlled assistant for home automation, to Google Nest’s smart thermostats, cameras, and doorbells, to Philips Hue’s smart lighting system, IoT devices are everywhere and have long moved from being luxury to essential items.  IoT devices are used in human bodies, homes, retail environments, offices, standardized production environments, custom production environments, vehicles, cities, and outdoor settings and are based on the concept of digitizing the physical world.

According to Statista, the total number of IoT devices worldwide is forecast to almost double from 15.9 billion in 2023 to more than 32.1 billion IoT devices in 2030. 

History of the Internet of Things (IoT)

Kevin Ashton was the first to use and coin the term "Internet of Things”. He used it to describe the connectivity between the Internet and the physical world through sensors, where  RFID-based identification systems and the Internet were used to link objects and gather data without human intervention. 

It was John Romkey, who can be credited as being the first “IoT developer”, who achieved the feat of connecting the toaster to the internet, allowing one to remotely turn it on and off! But what does an IoT developer do and what’s involved in the whole process of making devices communicate and connect?  In this blog, our team of expert IoT developers brings their expertise to explain all that an IoT developer is responsible for.

Key Roles and Responsibilities of an IoT Developer

Today an IoT developer is responsible for end-to-end IoT integration, including hardware design, software development, network connectivity, data management, security implementation, and cloud integration. Their key responsibilities include:​

Hardware Design and Integration: In an IoT system developing and integrating hardware components such as sensors, actuators, and microcontrollers is the key to collecting and transmitting data. An IoT developer is responsible for making it happen and does so by selecting appropriate hardware platforms that have compatibility with the overall IoT system.​

Software Development: An IoT developer is responsible for ensuring that the devices function as intended. They do so by writing firmware and software applications, developing code for embedded systems, and creating applications that process and analyze data collected from IoT devices.​

Network and Connectivity Management: When you have connected systems connected over the internet then they are subject to risks and threats. An IoT developer works to ensure reliable data transmission between the various connected devices and central systems by implementing communication protocols through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and cellular networks.

Data Management and Analytics: The whole idea behind IoT is to collect, store, and then analyze data generated by IoT devices and get useful and actionable insights. Here the IoT developer works on databases, cloud platforms, and data processing tools to manage large volumes of data.​

Security Implementation: Data integrity is a priority for connected systems and the IoT developers ensure the security of IoT systems by implementing measures to protect data integrity and prevent unauthorized access. Here the IoT developer's job involves encrypting data, securing communication channels, and updating the software so that all the vulnerabilities are addressed.​ In some cases, they need to implement CCTV API integration and SDKs to improve security solutions and facilitate real-time video analytics.

Collaboration and Project Management: Besides ensuring the above-mentioned development processes, IoT developers have to maintain close relationships with cross-functional teams, including hardware engineers, software developers, software developers, and data scientists. This ensures the design and deployment of effective full-spectrum IoT solutions. ​

What Does an IoT Developer Do?

The role of an IoT developer includes the design and development of both software and hardware. The IoT developer does the job of:

• Designing and programming microcontrollers, sensors, and actuators for communication and data collection.

• Creating scalable and secure IoT system architectures.

• Firmware development where low-level code is written for IoT devices to manage hardware interactions.

• Implementing communication protocol.

• Data processing and analytics solutions development.

• Connecting IoT devices to cloud platforms, creating web and mobile applications that interact with IoT devices, etc.

• The IoT developers need knowledge of programming and development which involves writing code using Python to facilitate device functionality and communication.

• Additionally, an IoT developer needs to have proficiency in Python-based IoT development and software integration. An IoT developer is also responsible for developing solutions that integrate software with hardware platforms like Raspberry Pi, Arduino, and Nvidia Jetson to build functional IoT systems.

• An IoT developer also needs to have database skills with proficiency in database design, management, and querying. They are also responsible for diagnosing and fixing complex hardware and software issues.

• Additionally, IoT developers need to develop real-time image analysis and web-based IoT interfaces utilizing OpenCV, Django, Flask, and other Python libraries to develop solutions for real-time image analysis and web-based IoT interfaces.

• Since smooth integration is a prerequisite for achieving optimal performance, the IoT developer needs to effectively deploy and manage IoT applications in the case of networked industrial environments.

Also Read: - What Usually a Java Backend Developer usually Do

Wrapping Up

Organizations must see the opportunity that lies in IoT, with figures showing IoT to have an economic impact of up to $12.6 trillion. Organizations that are looking at improving efficiency, and creating lasting value in their IoT environment need to implement measures to make the best use of their IoT investments by employing IoT developers who are skilled in edge computing, AI-driven analytics, and secure cloud integration. 

At TheDevolutions, our IoT developers excel at enabling connectivity, real-time data processing, and robust cybersecurity measures, ensuring a scalable and intelligent IoT ecosystem that drives efficiency and long-term value.

We have a team of skilled professionals specializing in industrial automation, edge computing, CCTV API integration, and PLC-based solutions, who ensure secure, scalable, and high-performance IoT applications. Hire our expert IoT developer on a subscription basis to accelerate your IoT projects with smooth hardware-software integration, real-time data analytics, and AI-driven automation.