In a previous article, we explored how a Commissioner node provisions a Joiner in a Thread network using OpenThread’s default firmware. However, in real-world applications, custom firmware logic is often required, along with programmatic control over the commissioning process. In this article, we will implement a Joiner using the nRF Connect SDK, following these four key steps. Joiner in Action The Joiner process involves the following steps: Enable Thread – Ensure that the Thread network and IPv6 are enabled.

In previous articles, we explored the Thread protocol and connected Thread devices to the internet using a Border Router. We joined the Thread network by manually configuring each node with a full dataset containing network credentials such as the PAN ID, Network Key, Network Name, and more (refer to Step 6.1: Access Network Credentials). While this method works, it becomes impractical when provisioning hundreds of Thread devices in real-world scenarios.

As we understand “IoT Platform” is an essential building block of IoT Ecosystem . A platform essentially decouples the business application from low level details of the technology stack and required services. Thus, it makes more sense to go for an off-the-shelf platform that provide all the relevant features and required flexibility, instead of developing the whole IoT stack from scratch. Selection of an IoT Platform is a key to develop a scalable and robust IoT Solution.