Introducing Haxall
Published on 18 Aug 2021 by Emma Eynon
So... what is it?
In a nutshell, Haxall is a free open source technology platform for anyone to use.
It is a complete working reference implementation of the Project Haystack standard, that does so much more besides.
Written in the super efficient (although slightly mysterious) Fantom programming language, it contains a range of technologies which are highly optimised for use by data systems of all kinds.
So, whether you are interested in Building Automation Services (BAS) or pure data analytical platforms, Haxall will have something for you.
What is it then?
Haxall is a web platform comprising of these technologies:
Axon | A scripting language used for manipulating Project Haystack data. |
Folio | An extremely efficient database at the heart of the Haxall platform. |
Project Haystack | The data tagging standard that Haxall is built around. |
Daemon | A complete runtime for web and REST APIs. |
Connectors | Ready-made connectors and framework APIs for reading and historising data. |
Fantom | The general purpose programming language Haxall is written in. |
This all of this... for FREE?
Yes! Well... kind of! These technologies are provided as open source and so you should always check their respective licence agreements which specify the exact requirements of how they may be used (freely).
Haxall is built around Project Haystack tagging, and so any system in the world of IoT (Internet of Things) which uses Haystack, can integrate with Haxall.
For any creative developers out there, Haxall provides a fantastic opportunity to use highly optimised elements within innovative new data systems. In essence, it promotes innovation and interoperability across the Project Haystack community.
Let's talk about the Fantom in the room
Haxall is written in Fantom, and yes, we love the language here at Fantom Factory! However, we also acknowledge Fantom is fairly unknown in the programming world.
But don't let this put you off using Haxall. If a Haxall application is envisaged as more of a "black box" device that reads, writes, and talks Project Haystack, then that really opens up a new world of connectivity!
We're busy working on ideas on how we can help the community get through this Fantom wrapper and access the juicy goodness inside!
Download Haxall
Haxall is still undergoing active development with fresh code being committed everyday. As such, Haxall currently has to be built from source - which is never the fun option! :(
Fear not, for until the first official Haxall release is published, you're welcome to use our own pre-compiled snapshot to take a look around.
As per the Haxall instructions, enter the following details to initialise and run Haxall with a designated project directory, then point your browser at http://localhost:8080/ to log into the Axon Shell tool.
hx init <proj-dir> hx run <proj-dir>
We may update the snapshot version from time to time - but prod us if you need, the cutting-edge build, say from last night or this morning!
Axon and Folio training
If you need training on how to use Axon and Folio effectively, we're about to release a new version (v2.3) of our Axon Programmer course - designed especially for Haxall!
Available from our eLearning platform!
Let us help!
As Fantom experts, we'd be happy to help if you need us.
Send us a message and we can arrange a quick call to see how we can advise or contribute to your software project.
We could create that custom connector of your dreams, and using our full stack development experience, we could pipe data from Haxall into any system!