Why develop for HS4 if HS3 is compatible?

[ruant]

Brand new to the plugin scene for Homeseer, but I have ideas for some plugins (at least I want them for my self and my setup😂)

But I'm wondering, why would I develop a pure HS4 plugin if HS3 plugins are compatible and will work in HS4?
Then I would rather do a HS3 plugin, and then automatically support both HS3 and HS4, instead of just HS4 which I guess for the moment VERY few people use.
What benefits are there doing a plain HS4 plugin, over getting HS3 and HS4 if doing the plugin for HS3?

Are there any timelines when HS3 will be killed off? Won't be able to update plugins?
Will HS4 loose HS3 plugin compatibility in the future?


-RuAnt

[Eman]

Brand new to the plugin scene for Homeseer, but I have ideas for some plugins (at least I want them for my self and my setup😂)

But I'm wondering, why would I develop a pure HS4 plugin if HS3 plugins are compatible and will work in HS4?
Then I would rather do a HS3 plugin, and then automatically support both HS3 and HS4, instead of just HS4 which I guess for the moment VERY few people use.
What benefits are there doing a plain HS4 plugin, over getting HS3 and HS4 if doing the plugin for HS3?

Are there any timelines when HS3 will be killed off? Won't be able to update plugins?
Will HS4 loose HS3 plugin compatibility in the future?


-RuAnt

Can this help? : https://forums.homeseer.com/forum/de...ng-hs3-plugins

Eman.

[ruant]

Didn't give any real insight to anything no.

[Tillsy]

Why develop for HS4 if HS3 is compatible?

Imagine if Christopher Columbus had come back from the New World and no one returned in his footsteps.

[mik3]

Didn't give any real insight to anything no.

put this question out to the Hs team.

[ruant]

Why develop for HS4 if HS3 is compatible?

Imagine if Christopher Columbus had come back from the New World and no one returned in his footsteps.

What?... I don't get the reference.

[ruant]

put this question out to the Hs team.

I just sent them an ticket now.
Let's see what they respond.

[Eman]

Didn't give any real insight to anything no.

So you don't like reading I guess

Eman

[mrhappy]

Brand new to the plugin scene for Homeseer, but I have ideas for some plugins (at least I want them for my self and my setup😂)

But I'm wondering, why would I develop a pure HS4 plugin if HS3 plugins are compatible and will work in HS4?
Then I would rather do a HS3 plugin, and then automatically support both HS3 and HS4, instead of just HS4 which I guess for the moment VERY few people use.
What benefits are there doing a plain HS4 plugin, over getting HS3 and HS4 if doing the plugin for HS3?

Are there any timelines when HS3 will be killed off? Won't be able to update plugins?
Will HS4 loose HS3 plugin compatibility in the future?


-RuAnt

I think quite a few people (including me) have asked the same question - HS2 to HS3 was an easy decision as there was no backwards compatibility. HS3 to HS4 that line has been blurred and I'm not sure if HST (considering the 'what is holding you back' thread for plugin authors) are surprised with the amount of people who have adopted the stance of not updating their plugins because most backwards compatibility does still exist.

If you develop a HS4-only plugin then you are going to be safer for the future, I think that is clear. If you develop a HS3 plugin and are careful with your code (perhaps by keeping in mind the new SDK and probably by abstracting a lot into a common library) then you may be able to achieve an easier HS3 to HS4-only transition upgrade. If you are like me and a little less organised by just butchering a HS3 sample plugin then you will suffer as it will be a bigger battle as it will be a bigger change.

The main issue appears to be UI based, the newer UI uses nicer (which is subjective) web pages than the older jQuery stuff. Both UI's work in HS4 however one clearly looks a little less professional than the native one, for me for the effort required to upgrade for a slightly nicer UI does not warrant it. Considering most of my UI pages are generally for inputting settings then I'd like to think people could put up with it.

There are no timelines or statements that HS3 functionality will die but I would expect it at some point, I don't think considering the slightly slow uptake on HS4-native plugins that it would be in the imminent future but who knows.

[Michael McSharry]

The same question comes up for the OS. Windows XP works, so why move to later versions? Eventually XP no longer worked if you needed TLS to access internet sites. While not today, but in some point in time there will be something that you want that cannot be achieved with HS3 API. I do not see a need to make a mad rush to adopt HS4 in total, especially at the beginning when everything is in flux, but one should recognize that the HS3 capability will become insufficient in the future.

I see learning HS3 API a big waste of time for somebody starting out today to develop a plugin. It is a dead end product that has not had any maintenance or other updates for almost a year.

[rmasonjr]

You do get a bigger/better icon for promoting your plugin for hs4. You also get your plugin promoted at the top of the updater list where the approved hs4 plugins live. Hs3 plugins get listed under 'legacy'.

That said, the learning curve for converting my plugins was not worth the effort.

[ruant]

Finally got a reply from Homeseer:

New HS3 plugins will no longer be accepted after September 30, 2020.

HS4 has been available for one month and more than half of our user base has purchased an upgrade to HS4. At this time, HS3 is not available for purchase, will not be receiving any future updates, HS3 developer support is no longer available, and there will be a time when we will discontinue support for HS3 altogether.

An HS3 plugin can be installed and used in HS4 however it will never be listed In the HS4 plugin section of the updater, the "featured" section, or be advertised in future marketing material. The plugin will be listed in a legacy plugin section and cannot be used in the HS4 mobile view. We will be updating our mobile app to allow users to set up and configure HS4 plugins on a mobile device. HS3 plugins will not be able to be installed or used in the app.

[kriz83]

How about HS3 plugin updates? macromark rjh

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[rmasonjr]

Finally got a reply from Homeseer:

Crud. That really puts me (and my plugin customers) in a pickle...

[kriz83]

Crud. That really puts me (and my plugin customers) in a pickle...

Not so if updates are still allowed? Or will updates no longer be approved?

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