The Future of the Plugin-Based Architecture
Aqara Life is not a conventional smart home app with a fixed set of screens and features. Its flexible plugin-based structure enables a personalized interface: users who prefer minimalism and those who favor feature-rich screens can each configure the experience they want.
Built on Studio capabilities, this architecture will continuously expand through plugins and provide personalized experiences for different spaces and user roles.
Plugin-Based Architecture: Capabilities That Keep Expanding
Aqara Life uses a plugin-based technical architecture: the core system remains stable, while specific capabilities are extended through plugins. Plugin capabilities will subsequently be opened through the Aqara Builder Community, supporting multiple plugin types, including Protocol Plugins, Feature Plugins, and Extension Plugins.
- Developers can install, update, and combine plugins as needed.
- Plugins can extend device integration, business logic, and specific feature experiences.
- Official feature pages and device plugins can be extended or replaced based on actual requirements.
- The app's feature set and page structure can evolve as the needs of a space change.
With this approach, Aqara Life does not need to prescribe a fixed, comprehensive feature set. Instead, it provides an extensible application foundation that can adapt to different homes and more complex spatial application requirements.
From Page Structure to Spaces and Roles
Conventional smart home apps generally use device lists, room lists, and automation lists as a uniform information architecture. In practice, however, different spaces and different user roles within the same space have different requirements for displayed information and access to controls.
| Space | Typical Requirements |
|---|---|
| Home | Administrators focus on the overall home status, devices, and automations. Older adults and other household members may need only a few frequently used devices and scenes, together with simpler controls. |
| Apartment | Apartment managers focus on overall device operation and exceptions across the building, while residents generally need access only to devices and controls associated with their own units. The boundaries between interfaces and functions must remain clear. |
| Retail Store | Store managers and similar roles may focus more on store status, camera feeds, foot traffic, on-duty operations, and other operational information. |
One Space, Different User Views
Rather than starting from a fixed page structure, Aqara Life is designed around spaces and roles. The same space can present different interface views, device permissions, and services for different user roles.
For example, in a home, the household administrator may have full space management capabilities, while older adults, children, or other household members may use simpler entry points tailored to their needs.
Service providers can also design and configure the space solution in advance, set device permissions and dashboard views for different user groups, and then deliver the completed experience to the property owner and household members.
Product Evolution
Aqara Life will continue to evolve alongside Studio, Builder, the plugin ecosystem, and AI capabilities. Its current focus is access to and use of configured Studio spaces. In the future, it may expand to include broader Studio management, a richer plugin ecosystem, and more advanced intelligent interactions with spaces.