MQTT on Mobile Platforms: Best Libraries for Android & iOS

Introduction

MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) is a lightweight messaging protocol designed for the Internet of Things (IoT). It enables efficient communication between devices, making it perfect for mobile applications on Android and iOS.

In this article, we’ll explore the best MQTT libraries available for both Android and iOS platforms, helping developers choose the right solution for their projects.

🔹 Best MQTT Libraries for Android

1. Eclipse Paho Android Service

• GitHub: Eclipse Paho MQTT Android
• Features: ✅ Supports MQTT 3.1 and 3.1.1
  ✅ Automatic reconnect
  ✅ WebSocket and TCP support
  ✅ SSL/TLS security
  ✅ Offline buffering
• Use Case: A widely adopted open-source MQTT library for general IoT Android applications.

2. HiveMQ MQTT Client

• GitHub: HiveMQ MQTT Client
• Features: ✅ Supports both MQTT 3.1.1 and MQTT 5
  ✅ Asynchronous and synchronous APIs
  ✅ SSL/TLS encryption
  ✅ WebSocket support
  ✅ Reactive Streams support
• Use Case: Ideal for modern applications requiring advanced MQTT 5 features and scalability.

3. Moquette

• GitHub: Moquette
• Features: ✅ Lightweight MQTT broker and client
  ✅ Supports embedded and standalone modes
  ✅ WebSocket support
• Use Case: Suitable for Android applications needing a local MQTT broker.

4. MQTT-Client-Android by Cedalo

• GitHub: Cedalo MQTT Client
• Features: ✅ MQTT 5 support
  ✅ WebSocket and TCP support
  ✅ High performance with minimal overhead
• Use Case: Great for industrial IoT applications on Android.

🔹 Best MQTT Libraries for iOS

1. CocoaMQTT

• GitHub: CocoaMQTT
• Features: ✅ Supports MQTT v3.1.1
  ✅ Written in Swift 5
  ✅ SSL/TLS encryption
  ✅ Auto-reconnect
• Use Case: Most popular MQTT library for Swift-based iOS applications.

2. MQTT-Client-Framework (MQTT-Client-ObjC)

• GitHub: MQTT-Client-Framework
• Features: ✅ Supports both Objective-C and Swift
  ✅ Implements MQTT 3.1.1 and MQTT 5
  ✅ SSL/TLS support
• Use Case: Ideal for legacy Objective-C applications requiring MQTT integration.

3. SwiftMQTT

• GitHub: SwiftMQTT
• Features: ✅ Fully written in Swift
  ✅ Provides a simple API for MQTT integration
  ✅ SSL/TLS support
• Use Case: Perfect for lightweight MQTT integration in modern Swift applications.

Alternative Approach: Running MQTT Broker on Mobile

For those who prefer running an MQTT broker directly on an Android device, Termux (a Linux environment app for Android) can be used. You can install an MQTT broker like Mosquitto inside Termux and manage MQTT messages locally.

• Installation Guide:

pkg update && pkg upgrade
pkg install mosquitto
mosquitto -v

This method is useful for offline testing and local MQTT communication.

Conclusion

The choice of an MQTT library depends on your project requirements:

• For Android: Eclipse Paho and HiveMQ are the best options.
• For iOS: CocoaMQTT is the most widely used.
• For MQTT brokers on mobile: Moquette and Termux-Mosquitto are viable solutions.

With the right MQTT library, you can develop efficient IoT and real-time communication applications on mobile platforms. 🚀