Project Summary

• Date: January 5, 2023
• Description: An IoT web controller that bridges a Node.js Express backend with an Arduino board via serial communication (Johnny-Five/Firmata), exposing REST endpoints to control an LED on digital pin 8, with a skeleton Next.js + Material UI frontend for browser-based control.

Motivation

A project that was mandatory in engineering school (4th year). The goal was to connect the physical world (Arduino + sensors) with the web (Node.js, React). Demonstrates full-stack IoT capabilities.

Links

Github repo: https://github.com/benlhachemi/arduino-nodejs.git

Tech Stack

• Backend: Node.js, Express 4.18, Johnny-Five 2.1, Nodemon
• Frontend: Next.js 13, React 18, Material UI 5, Axios, Emotion
• Hardware: Arduino (StandardFirmata firmware over USB/COM6), LED on digital pin 8

Key Features

• REST API to turn an LED on/off (GET /allumer-led, GET /eteindre-led)
• Server waits for Arduino hardware readiness before accepting requests
• Next.js frontend with MUI button (stub - ready for API integration)
• Hot-reload backend via Nodemon

What I Learned

• IoT basics: controlling hardware from JavaScript via Johnny-Five/Firmata
• Serial communication between Node.js and Arduino over USB
• REST API design mapping HTTP endpoints to hardware actions
• Full-stack integration: hardware - Node.js API - React frontend
• Setting up Material UI with Next.js
• Handling asynchronous hardware readiness before starting a server
• Structuring a monorepo with backend + client applications