Spadet

Spadet is a fictional open-source software framework designed for real-time data processing and automation on edge devices. It aims to provide a lightweight, modular runtime that can run on single-board computers as well as embedded systems. The framework emphasizes a plugin-based architecture, cross-language interoperability, and a simple deployment model to support rapid prototyping and small-scale deployments.

Development and governance: Created by a community-driven collective in the early 2020s, Spadet is maintained by volunteer contributors and released under an open-source license. Development emphasizes backward compatibility within major minor versions and transparent proposal processes. There is no centralized company behind Spadet; decisions are made through community discussions and consensus.

Architecture and features: The core runtime provides an event loop and messaging bus. Plugins extend functionality for data acquisition, processing, and output. It supports JSON and MessagePack data formats, lightweight containers, and secure communication via TLS. The API is designed to be accessible to scripting languages such as Python and JavaScript, while core performance-critical paths are implemented in Rust.

Applications: Spadet has been used for home automation, environmental sensing networks, and educational robotics. Projects generally involve sensor data collection, local processing, and rule-based control, with optional cloud synchronization when connectivity is available. The framework is valued for its small memory footprint and straightforward deployment model.

Reception and status: As a niche, community-driven project, Spadet has a modest but active user base. Critics note limited commercial support and varying maturity across plugins, while proponents highlight its portability and extensibility. The project remains experimental and mostly used in hobbyist and academic contexts.