In a statement of eWeLink in a discussion about eWeLink’s support for Home Assistant (which just got released as beta and received quite a bit of criticism) people saw eWeLink employee Lily Caiwen mentioning an open API. To most more advanced users an “open API” means an API that is free to use and well documented. It turns out that this wasn’t what eWeLink meant in their statement.
Below you can read back the most important messages about the open API of eWeLink coming from the semi-publicTelegram group “eWeLink & Home Assistant”. People can join this group at this invitation link as long as the invitation link remain valid: https://t.me/joinchat/RkXAHh47kmI2Y2Nl
TL;DR
- eWeLink claimed to have an open API, but people couldn’t find documentation anywhere and the API isn’t reacheable
- Current APi is targeted at Enterprise users and because of heavy load on the eWeLink servers caused by such users the API is paid.
- The API has been made available for free to some open source projects and small makers.
- API documentation available at https://coolkit-technologies.github.io/eWeLink-API/ but currently targeted at Enterprise users.
- eWeLink is working on an additional API for small makers with a subset of commands. This API will be probably free to use for small makers. Expected to arrive in June 2021.
- When you want to receive free APPIDs and APP Secrets when the API for small makers is ready you can contact eWeLink employee Lily Caiwen to get those. You can reach Lily Caiwen by email at .
The discussion
This is the part of eWeLink’s statement people noticed:
(…)
Vendor lock-in is never our intention. On the contrary, we offer an open API to allow makers to create their own smart home projects. Projects like SonoffLAN work because our API is always open. We don’t intend to prevent access to third-party integrations.
(…)
Source: eWeLink employee Lily Caiwen at the semi-public Telegram group for beta testers of the eWeLink Home Asssistant support, May 12th, 2021, 15:25 GMT+1
We asked about this as quite come advanced users are seeking for an open API to use for their customized automation project:
@lilycai You talk about eWeLink having an open API. Where can people find documentation about that? Quite some people request API documentation to implement eWeLink in their smarthome project.
Source: User Joennuh at the semi-public Telegram group for beta testers of the eWeLink Home Asssistant support, May 12th, 2021, 16:18 GMT+1
Then there was some confusion about the availability of API documentation and the absence of free access to the API. The next statement of eWeLink didn’t clarify the possibility on how to use their API:
Hi guys.
We know there are many brilliant ideas you guys have, we hope to support and grow up with you. The developer of SEQUEmati (https://sequematic.com/) contacted us before and we helped him to build his own project with eWeLink.
As for API Docs, you can find it here: https://coolkit-technologies.github.io/apiDocs
Initially, these APIs are for enterprise clients to integrate their systems with our platform. The pricing is for enterprise partners only.
For independent developers, we know the price is not affordable. To support independent developers to build their own projects, we’re working hard on an exclusive open API for makers, it would be totally free. We plan to get it done in June. If you’re interested, you can contact us to get free APPIDs and APP Secrets by then.
Source: eWeLink employee Lily Caiwen at the semi-public Telegram group for beta testers of the eWeLink Home Asssistant support, May 13th, 2021, 13:38 GMT+1
The last paragraph confused people even more and Home Assistant co-founder Franck Nijhof replied:
So, first you respond publicly about having an open API, and now you respond in here with:
“we know the price is not affordable. ” To support independent developers to build their own projects, we’re working hard on an exclusive open API for makers, it would be totally free. We plan to get it done in June. If you’re interested, you can contact us to get free APPIDs and APP Secrets by then.
So… there isn’t an open API?
good to know
Source: User Franck Nijhof at the semi-public Telegram group for beta testers of the eWeLink Home Asssistant support, May 13th, 2021, 14:24 GMT+1
As you can see in bold eWeLink expects the API for makers will be available somewherein June 2021.
eWeLink employee Lily Caiwen replied:
I just want to say our system is open. And developers made their projects for free. It‘s just the API docs itself is not the right document.
Developers already using free APPIDs to call our APIs. What we talking about is to prepare a proper API Docs for developers.
Source: eWeLink employee Lily Caiwen at the semi-public Telegram group for beta testers of the eWeLink Home Asssistant support, May 13th, 2021, 14:31 GMT+1
Owner of the eWeLink community website Joennuh tried to sum up what Lily Caiwen was trying to say to verify he did understand her correctly:
Your answers are a bit confusing @lilycai . You talked about pricing for enterprise partners but also free access to the API. But then the APi documentation isn’t there.
Party based on assumptions I guess the current sistuation is as follows:
- There is an open API.
- Enterprise users needs to pay a fee because they will generate a heavy load on your servers.
- Small makers (who won’t generate to much load on your servers) can get access for free.
- There is an issue with the documentation which renders the documentation not usable for small makers. Especially this issue is still unclear to me.
Am I correct?
Source: User Joennuh at the semi-public Telegram group for beta testers of the eWeLink Home Asssistant support, May 13th, 2021, 14:40 GMT+1
Lily Caiwen confirmed this:
Yes. We give the same document to small makers but they don’t need to pay a fee to get APPID to call the APIs.
Source: eWeLink employee Lily Caiwen at the semi-public Telegram group for beta testers of the eWeLink Home Asssistant support, May 13th, 2021, 14:41 GMT+1
To verify the pricing thing for Enterprise users Joennuh asked:
And the enterprise users will need to pay due a huge amount of API calls they will generate?
Source: User Joennuh at the semi-public Telegram group for beta testers of the eWeLink Home Asssistant support, May 13th, 2021, 14:42 GMT+1
Lily Caiwen confirmed:
Yep
Source: eWeLink employee Lily Caiwen at the semi-public Telegram group for beta testers of the eWeLink Home Asssistant support, May 13th, 2021, 14:42 GMT+1
And to be sure whether the small makers will get the same API or not Joennuh asked:
And for makers eWeLink will create a seperate API? Or actually the same?
I’m refering toTo support independent developers to build their own projects, we’re working hard on an exclusive open API for makers,
Source: User Joennuh at the semi-public Telegram group for beta testers of the eWeLink Home Asssistant support, May 13th, 2021, 14:47 GMT+1
Lily Caiwen confirmed this again:
It’s more like a subset of all APIs, basic APIs covered.
Source: eWeLink employee at the semi-public Telegram group for beta testers of the eWeLink Home Asssistant support, May 13th, 2021, 15:04 GMT+1
When you want to receive free APPIDs and APP Secrets when the API for small makers is ready you can contact Lily Caiwen to get those. You can reach Lily Caiwen by email at .
