LIFX Node.js Library

A Node.js implementation of the LIFX protocol. Developed to work with a minimum firmware version of 2.0.

This library is not, in any way, affiliated or related to LiFi Labs, Inc.. Use it at your own risk.

Installation

$ npm install node-lifx --save

Compatibility

Node.js 0.12+ and io.js are tested and supported on Mac, Linux and Windows.

Usage

The file cli.js contains a working example.

Client

The library uses a client for network communication. This client handles communication with all lights in the network.

var LifxClient = require('node-lifx').Client;
var client = new LifxClient();

client.init();

The Client object is an EventEmitter and emmits events whenever any changes occur. This can be a new light discovery, a light sending a message or similar.
The client starts discovery of lights right after it is initialized with the init method. If a new light is found the client emmits a light-new event. This event contains the light as an object on which methods can be called then:

var LifxClient = require('node-lifx').Client;
var client = new LifxClient();

client.on('light-new', function(light) {
  // Change light state here
});

client.init();

Changing light state

The states of a light can be changed with different methods:

light.on([duration], [callback])

This turns a light on.

Option	Type	Default	Description
duration	int	0	Turning on will be faded over the time (in milliseconds).
callback	function	null	function(error) {} Called after the command has reached the light or after client.resendMaxTimes with client.resendPacketDelay in case it has not. error is null in case of success and given if the sending has failed.
Note: Using callback multiplies network load for this command by two or more times.

Usage examples:

light.on(); // Turns the light on instantly
light.on(2000); // Fading the light on over two seconds

light.off([duration], [callback])

This turns a light off.

Option	Type	Default	Description
duration	int	0	Turning off will be faded over the time (in milliseconds).
callback	function	null	function(error) {} Called after the command has reached the light or after client.resendMaxTimes with client.resendPacketDelay in case it has not. error is null in case of success and given if the sending has failed.
Note: Using callback multiplies network load for this command by two or more times.

Usage examples:

light.off(); // Turns the light off instantly
light.off(2000); // Fading the light off over two seconds

light.color(hue, saturation, brightness, [kelvin], [duration], [callback])

Changes the color off a light.

Option	Type	Default	Description
hue	int		Between 0 and 360, representing the color hue in degree which changes the color.
saturation	int		Between 0 and 100, representing the color intensity from 0% to 100%.
brightness	int		Between 0 and 100, representing the light brightness from 0% to 100%.
kelvin	int	3500	Between 2500 and 9000, representing the color temperature.
duration	int	0	Fade the color to the new value over time (in milliseconds).
callback	function	null	function(error) {} Called after the command has reached the light or after client.resendMaxTimes with client.resendPacketDelay in case it has not. error is null in case of success and given if the sending has failed.
Note: Using callback multiplies network load for this command by two or more times.

Usage examples:

light.color(0, 100, 50); // Set to red at 50% brightness
light.color(50, 50, 80, 3500, 2000); // Set to a light green at 80% brightness over next two seconds

Requesting light state and info

Infos of the state and spec of the light can be requested with the following methods:

light.getState(callback)

Requests general info from a light, this includes color, label and power state. This function is asynchronous.

Option	Type	Default	Description
callback	function		function(error, data) {}

Example result:

null,
{
  color: { hue: 120, saturation: 0, brightness: 100, kelvin: 8994 },
  power: 0,
  label: 'Kitchen'
}

light.getPower(callback)

Requests current power state (on or off). This function is asynchronous.

Option	Type	Default	Description
callback	function		function(error, data) {}

Example result:

null,
0 // off

light.getFirmwareVersion(callback)

Requests the firmware version from a light (minor and major version). This function is asynchronous.

Option	Type	Default	Description
callback	function		function(error, data) {}

Example result:

null,
{
  majorVersion: 2,
  minorVersion: 1
}

light.getHardwareVersion(callback)

Requests the hardware version from a light (vendor, product and version). This function is asynchronous.

Option	Type	Default	Description
callback	function		function(error, data) {}

Example result:

null,
{
  vendorId: 1,
  vendorName: 'LIFX',
  productId: 1,
  productName: 'Original 1000',
  version: 6
}

light.getFirmwareInfo(callback)

Requests info from the micro controller unit of a light (signal, tx and rx). This function is asynchronous.

Option	Type	Default	Description
callback	function		function(error, data) {}

Example result:

null,
{
  signal: 0,
  tx: 0,
  rx: 0
}

light.getWifiInfo(callback)

Requests wifi info from a light (signal, tx and rx). This function is asynchronous.

Option	Type	Default	Description
callback	function		function(error, data) {}

Example result:

null,
{
  signal: 0.000009999999747378752,
  tx: 16584,
  rx: 12580
}

light.getWifiVersion(callback)

Requests the wifi firmware version from the light (minor and major version). This function is asynchronous.

Option	Type	Default	Description
callback	function		function(error, data) {}

Example result:

null,
{
  majorVersion: 2,
  minorVersion: 1
}

light.getAmbientLight(callback)

Requests the ambient light value in flux from the light. This function is asynchronous.

Option	Type	Default	Description
callback	function		function(error, data) {}

Example result:

null,
10

Labels

Labels of lights can be requested and set using the following methods:

light.getLabel(callback, [cache])

Requests the label of a light. This function is asynchronous.

Option	Type	Default	Description
callback	function		function(error, data) {}
cache	boolean	false	Use the last known value for the label and and do not request from the light again

Example result:

null,
'Kitchen'

light.setLabel(label, [callback])

Sets a new label for a light.

Option	Type	Default	Description
label	string		New Label with 32 bit size maximum (which is a length of 32 with non unicode chars).
callback	function	null	function(error) {} Called after the command has reached the light or after client.resendMaxTimes with client.resendPacketDelay in case it has not. error is null in case of success and given if the sending has failed.
Note: Using callback multiplies network load for this command by two or more times.

Usage examples:

light.setLabel('Bedroom Light');
light.setLabel('Kitchen Light 4', function(err) {
  if (err) { throw err; }
  console.log('New light label has been set');
});

Get a light

client.light(identifier)

Find a light in the list off all lights by ip, label or id.

Option	Type	Default	Description
identifier	string		Light label (case sensitive) client.light('Kitchen'), the ip address client.light('192.168.2.102') or the light id client.light('0123456789012')

Returns a light object that can then be used to call methods on it. For example client.light('192.168.2.102').on().

Get all lights

client.lights([filter])

Get a list of all known lights

Option	Type	Default	Description
filter	string	null	Filter list of lights to return only active (null or 'on'), inactive ('off') or all ('')

Client events

The following events might be thrown by the client.

light-new

This event is thrown when there is a new light discovery that has not been seen at runtime before. This event is provided with the new light object.
client.on('light-new', function(light) {});

light-offline

This event is thrown when a light hasn't been discovered for a time. The light given is no longer expected to be reachable.
client.on('light-offline', function(light) {});

light-online

This event is thrown when a light is discovered again after being offline.
client.on('light-online', function(light) {});

Start / Stop discovery

The discovery for each client can be started and stopped at runtime using these commands:

client.startDiscovery()

Starts the discovery process.

client.stopDiscovery()

Stops the discovery process.

Client settings

For the initialization of the client different settings can be provided. This is an example with the default options:

var LifxClient = require('node-lifx').Client;
var client = new LifxClient();

// ...

client.init({
  lightOfflineTolerance: 3, // A light is offline if not seen for the given amount of discoveries
  messageHandlerTimeout: 45000, // in ms, if not answer in time an error is provided to get methods
  startDiscovery: true, // start discovery after initialization
  resendPacketDelay: 150, // delay between packages if light did not receive a packet (for setting methods with callback)
  resendMaxTimes: 3, // resend packages x times if light did not receive a packet (for setting methods with callback)
  debug: false, // logs all messages in console if turned on
  address: '0.0.0.0', // the IPv4 address to bind the udp connection to
  broadcast: '255.255.255.255', // set's the IPv4 broadcast address which is addressed to discover bulbs
  lights: [] // Can be used provide a list of known light IPv4 ip addresses if broadcast packets in network are not allowed
             // For example: ['192.168.0.112', '192.168.0.114'], this will then be addressed directly
});