# apache/plc4x

PLC4X The Industrial IoT adapter

Repository: https://github.com/apache/plc4x
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/plc4x
Homepage: https://plc4x.apache.org/
Language: Java
License: Apache-2.0
License Family: permissive
Topics: iot, python, java, cpp, c, go, net, ab, ads, ethernetip, firmata, knx, modbus, opcua, s7, siemens, bacnet, can
Last push: 2026-08-26T16:29:13+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 80/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 99, release rhythm 45, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 3178, "days_push": 7, "days_rel": 369, "gap_med": 8.0, "n_releases_24m": 3}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 1721, forks 498 (observed 2026-08-28T04:05:26.852529+00:00)

## What it is
Apache PLC4X is a set of multi-language libraries (Java, Go, Python, C/C++, .NET) providing a unified API for communicating with industrial programmable logic controllers (PLCs) over protocols like S7, Modbus, OPC-UA, BACnet, KNX, EtherNet/IP, and ADS. It enables connecting to shopfloor assets without retrofitting them, with integrations into Kafka, Camel, NiFi, and other data pipelines.

## Use cases
- read data from a Siemens S7 PLC from Java
- connect to Modbus TCP devices without buying licensed drivers
- stream PLC tag data into Apache Kafka
- poll OPC-UA servers for industrial sensor values
- passively sniff PLC traffic in read-only mode
- integrate BACnet building automation with a data pipeline
- talk to Allen-Bradley controllers via EtherNet/IP

## When to choose
- you need a free, open-source, unified API across many industrial protocols
- you want to connect legacy PLCs without modifying or licensing vendor software
- you need high-resolution machine data for analytics or AI workloads
- you work in Java, Go, Python, C/C++, or .NET and need PLC connectivity

## When to avoid
- you need a turnkey GUI SCADA/HMI application rather than a library
- your protocol is unsupported by the available drivers
- you require vendor-certified validated software for safety-critical compliance

## Facets
- artifact type: library
- maturity: stable
- function: sdk, database-driver, middleware
- domain: iot, developer-tools
- platform: jvm, go, python, cpp, c, cross-platform
- tags: plc, industrial-iot, opcua, modbus, s7, bacnet, knx, ethernetip, ads, firmata, can, scada, shopfloor, automation, industrial

## Member repositories
- apache/plc4x (main) score 80

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:05:26.852529+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T03:34:01.376149+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/apache/plc4x (fetched 2026-08-28T04:05:26.852529+00:00, sha 36e3b524cec7)
  - homepage: https://plc4x.apache.org/ (fetched 2026-08-29T11:09:40.245377+00:00, sha 791ce5296874)
  - site_page: https://plc4x.apache.org/plc4x/latest/users/getting-started/index.html (fetched 2026-08-29T11:09:40.255554+00:00, sha 708377f3bdc7)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.