TinyWebDB: Edge Layer for UPOD

Author: Tao Zhou
Contributors: Tao Zhou
Tags: edge computing, data filtering, UPOD, IoT
Stable tag: 1.0
Requires PHP: 5.6
License: GPL3.0
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.html

Description

TinyWebDB serves as an Edge Layer to process and filter IoT and dynamic data before forwarding only meaningful and refined information to UPOD, an efficient data management platform built on WordPress. This approach significantly reduces UPOD's computational burden while maintaining effective data sharing and management.

Designed with simplicity and extensibility in mind, TinyWebDB provides:

• A lightweight, text-file-based database for storing and retrieving key-value pairs.
• Data filtering and processing at the edge level to identify and forward relevant data.
• Seamless integration with UPOD through WordPress REST API, ensuring efficient data transfer.
• Compatibility with MIT App Inventor, allowing IoT devices or apps to interact directly with the edge layer.

Features

1. Edge Data Filtering:

   • Filters raw data and determines which information is significant for UPOD, ensuring efficient use of storage and computing resources.

2. Integration with UPOD:

   • Automatically synchronizes refined data with UPOD via WordPress REST API.
   • Manual synchronization option for instant control.

3. Key-Value Storage:

   • Store and retrieve IoT or application data using key-value pairs, compatible with App Inventor's TinyWebDB component.

4. Lightweight and Simple:

   • Uses text files for storage, making it easy to deploy and manage on small-scale or edge devices.

5. Dynamic Web Interface:

   • A user-friendly interface to view, filter, and manage data locally.

Architecture

TinyWebDB functions as an edge computing layer in the following workflow:

1. IoT Devices: Send raw data to TinyWebDB for storage or immediate processing.
2. Edge Processing: TinyWebDB filters and processes the data to determine its relevance.
3. UPOD Integration: Meaningful data is forwarded to UPOD (WordPress) via the REST API for long-term storage and further analysis.

Installation

Edge Layer Setup

1. Download the Project:

   • Clone or download the repository from GitHub.

2. Upload Files to Server:

   • Extract the downloaded files and upload them to a directory on your web server (e.g., /var/www/html/tinywebdb/).

3. Configure .htaccess:

   • Ensure the .htaccess file is correctly configured for routing API endpoints:

     RewriteEngine On
     RewriteRule ^getvalue$ index.php
     RewriteRule ^storeavalue$ index.php

4. Set File Permissions:

   • Ensure the directory is writable by the PHP process for storing key-value pairs and logging.

5. Test the Service:

   • Open main.html in your browser to test storing and retrieving data.

UPOD Integration

1. Configure WordPress API:

   • Edit the tags.php file and update the following constants with your WordPress API details:

     define('WP_API_URL', 'https://example.com/wp-json/wp/v2/posts');
     define('WP_USERNAME', 'example_user');
     define('WP_PASSWORD', 'example_password');

2. Enable Automatic Synchronization:

   • TinyWebDB will automatically filter and forward significant data to UPOD.

3. Manual Synchronization:

   • Use the "Sync to UPOD" button in the tags.php interface to upload all current data to UPOD.

Usage

As a Standalone Service

1. Key-Value Storage:

   • Use the /storeavalue endpoint to store key-value pairs.
   • Use the /getvalue endpoint to retrieve stored values.

2. Testing Interface:

   • Open main.html in your browser to test storing and retrieving data manually.

As an Edge Layer

1. Data Filtering:

   • TinyWebDB filters incoming data based on predefined criteria in tags.php or other processing logic you define.
   • Example: Only data that matches specific conditions (e.g., temperature above a threshold) is forwarded to UPOD.

2. UPOD Synchronization:

   • Automatic: Data changes are detected, filtered, and sent to UPOD in real-time.
   • Manual: Click the "Sync to UPOD" button in tags.php to upload all current data.

Example Integration with App Inventor

1. Use the TinyWebDB component in App Inventor.
2. Set the ServiceURL of the component to your TinyWebDB server URL (e.g., http://example.com/tinywebdb/).
3. Use StoreValue and GetValue blocks to interact with the service.

Future Enhancements

• Implement advanced filtering logic using machine learning models.
• Add support for alternative database backends like SQLite for enhanced scalability.
• Expand API endpoints to support batch operations.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Submit pull requests via the GitHub repository.

License

This project is licensed under the GPL 3.0.