What are Edge Apps?
What is an Edge App?
Section titled “What is an Edge App?”An Edge App is a small program that runs on a Controller at the edge of your network — not in the CoCoCo cloud. Its job is to reach the machines and protocols the cloud can’t talk to directly: a local MQTT broker, an OPC-UA server on a PLC, or a Modbus device on the shopfloor. It translates between those and CoCoCo, and can buffer data when the internet link is down.
How it differs from other “apps”
Section titled “How it differs from other “apps””| Runs where | Built with | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edge App | On a Controller (edge) | bridge.* runtime (no ctx, no UI) | Bridge local machines/protocols (MQTT, OPC-UA, Modbus) |
| Integration | In the cloud | ctx.integration.* | Connect external systems/APIs server-side |
| Custom App | In the browser | Vue + JS (+ optional Lua) | A user interface on the platform |
The bridge runtime
Section titled “The bridge runtime”Edge App handlers don’t use ctx. They use the bridge.* API:
bridge.mqtt.publish(broker, topic, payload, opts?)— publish to a connected brokerbridge.opcua.write(server, nodeId, value)/bridge.opcua.call(server, methodNodeId, args)bridge.state.get/set/delete(key)— bundle-scoped persistent key-value (strings)bridge.config,bridge.graphql,bridge.publish,bridge.log
Versions and installation
Section titled “Versions and installation”An Edge App is versioned: you build a Draft, then Publish it. A published app is installed onto one or more Controllers, each with its own variables and secrets. Installing pushes the configuration to the Controller, which then runs the app.
When to use one
Section titled “When to use one”- A machine speaks OPC-UA or Modbus (which aren’t direct CoCoCo device protocols)
- Devices sit on an isolated local network behind a Controller
- You need protocol translation or local buffering at the edge
To build one, see How to Build and Install an Edge App. Edge Apps run on Controllers — see How to Add a Controller.