Gobot is a framework for robotics, drones, and Internet of Things applications written in Go.
Gobot addresses the challenge of coordinating multiple heterogeneous hardware devices in a single application. It provides abstractions for communicating with platforms like Arduino, Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone, Intel Edison, and Sphero robots through protocols including GPIO, I2C, Bluetooth, and MQTT. The framework offers three usage patterns: "Classic" Gobot uses the full framework with built-in abstractions; "Metal" Gobot lets developers use only the underlying packages for direct hardware control with idiomatic Go code; and "Manager" Gobot enables coordination of robot swarms and includes an API server for remote control.
Gobot suits projects where Go is already the chosen language and multiple device types must work together. It works well for physical computing prototypes, IoT deployments, and robotics applications where cross-compilation to embedded platforms is needed. The framework handles the complexity of managing different hardware communication protocols, reducing boilerplate when building multi-device systems. Developers should be aware that they will need to cross-compile binaries for their target platform and that platform-specific documentation exists in subfolders for configuration details.
The project maintains active engagement with its community through documentation and examples. Development shows consistent attention to supporting new hardware platforms and protocols. The framework remains actively maintained with ongoing refinement of its core abstractions and expansion of device support.
