Apache PLC4X, Industrial Protocol Drivers, and the JDBC of Industrial Automation

An airhacks.fm conversation with Christofer Dutz ( @christofer-dutz ) about: discussion about Apache PLC4X as the JDBC of industrial automation, the API and SPI architecture with Java service loader for driver discovery, Modbus protocol for HVAC systems and heating devices, PLC4X core API operations including discovery and browsing and reading and writing and subscribing and publishing, multi-language support with PLC4J for Java and PLC4Go for Go and PLC4Py for python and C#, code generation from protocol definitions using language-specific templates, XML-based cross-language unit tests, OPC UA as the Esperanto of industrial protocols versus PLC4X speaking native device protocols, OPC UA overhead causing PLC strain and network congestion, comparison of OPC UA to CORBA and grpc , CORBA IIOP protocol on devices, bidirectional communication for reading sensor data and writing control flags, subscription-based event-driven data collection to reduce PLC polling load, founding ToddySoft to provide commercially supported open source industrial products, the gap between open source libraries and industrial consumption, ToddySoft Connect as bubble-wrapped PLC4X drivers for platforms like Inductive Automation Ignition , eliminating edge gateway boxes on shop floors, native protocol communication reducing network load on 100 Mbit industrial networks, unified namespace concept as JMS for industrial automation, Apache IoTDB as time series database with push queries and callback features, Apache TsFile storage format for writing time series data directly on PLCs, shifting from polling to pushing in industrial data collection, ToddySoft File as C libraries compiled for PLCs, ToddySoft DB as embedded stripped-down IoTDB for edge devices, ToddySoft Edge as the combined platform resembling an application server for industrial automation, Industry 4.0 definition and evolution from manual labor through steam power through PLC automation to connected production, compressed air as a service business model, early failure detection in multi-step production lines, OSGi runtime driver loading, Eclipse Tycho build system difficulties, Kafka Connect PLC connectors, SPS fair in Nuremberg as one of the largest industrial automation fairs, signal theory and Nyquist sampling rate in PLC polling Christofer Dutz on twitter: @christofer-dutz

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Apache PLC4X, Industrial Protocol Drivers, and the JDBC of Industrial Automation is an episode from airhacks.fm podcast with adam bien by Adam Bien.

This episode is 00:56:50 long.

This episode was published on Apr 22, 2026.

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