How to install mqttui on Windows?

Download the appropriate .zip file for your architecture from releases, extract it, and place the binary in your PATH. Prebuilt binaries are available for x86_64 and other common architectures.

mqttui vs MQTT-Explorer: which is better for debugging?

mqttui is faster and lighter for terminal-based real-time monitoring and scripting, while MQTT-Explorer offers a GUI with visual topic trees and history. Choose mqttui for speed and CLI workflows, MQTT-Explorer for graphical exploration.

How to publish a file using mqttui?

Use stdin redirection: 'mqttui publish "topic" </path/to/file'. This allows publishing file contents directly, as shown in the README examples with /etc/hostname.

Does mqttui support MQTT v5 features?

The README doesn't explicitly highlight MQTT v5 support; it focuses on core functionality. For advanced v5 capabilities, check the source or documentation, as it may be limited compared to dedicated tools.

Is mqttui suitable for production monitoring?

It's best for development and quick debugging due to its lightweight nature. For production, consider more feature-rich tools with persistence and alerts, though mqttui's log output can be piped to monitoring systems.

How to clean retained messages with mqttui?

Use the 'clean-retained' sub-command with a topic, e.g., 'mqttui clean-retained "topic/#"', or interactively in the TUI by pressing Delete, as described in the cleaning section.

MQTT TUI

Q: Does mqttui support MQTT v5 features?

The README doesn't explicitly highlight MQTT v5 support; it focuses on core functionality. For advanced v5 capabilities, check the source or documentation, as it may be limited compared to dedicated tools.

Q: Is mqttui suitable for production monitoring?

It's best for development and quick debugging due to its lightweight nature. For production, consider more feature-rich tools with persistence and alerts, though mqttui's log output can be piped to monitoring systems.

Q: How to clean retained messages with mqttui?

Use the 'clean-retained' sub-command with a topic, e.g., 'mqttui clean-retained "topic/#"', or interactively in the TUI by pressing Delete, as described in the cleaning section.

GPL-3.0Rustv0.23.0

A fast and lightweight terminal user interface for subscribing to MQTT topics and publishing messages from the command line.

GitHub

What is MQTT TUI?

mqttui is a terminal-based MQTT client designed for quick and efficient interaction with MQTT brokers. It provides an interactive TUI for subscribing to topics with real-time updates, as well as command-line sub-commands for publishing messages, logging to stdout, reading single payloads, and cleaning retained topics. It solves the problem of needing a fast, resource-friendly alternative to bulkier GUI or CLI MQTT tools.

Target Audience

Developers and IoT enthusiasts who need to monitor, debug, or publish MQTT messages directly from the terminal, especially those working in headless environments or preferring command-line workflows.

Value Proposition

Developers choose mqttui for its speed and ease of use, offering a lightweight, command-line-first approach without the overhead of feature-rich but slower alternatives. It prioritizes quick interaction and minimal resource consumption compared to tools like MQTT-Explorer or HiveMQ CLI.

Overview

Subscribe to a MQTT Topic or publish something quickly from the terminal

Use Cases

Best For

Quickly monitoring MQTT topics with real-time updates in a terminal interface.

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Publishing MQTT messages from the command line, including support for stdin, retain flags, and QoS settings.

Logging MQTT messages to stdout in a structured, readable format for debugging or analysis.

Fetching the current payload of a specific topic for use in scripts and automation.

Interactively or programmatically cleaning retained messages from topics.

Working in resource-constrained environments where lightweight, fast MQTT tools are preferred.

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring graphical data visualization or complex filtering beyond terminal logs
Teams needing advanced MQTT broker management features like bridging or cluster monitoring
Environments where cross-platform GUI tools are essential for non-technical users

Pros & Cons

Pros

Interactive Terminal UI

Provides a real-time, navigable interface for subscribing to topics with live updates, as shown in the TUI screenshot and command examples for easy monitoring.

Script-Friendly Publishing

Supports publishing with retain flags, QoS settings, and stdin integration, allowing automation via pipes or files, demonstrated in the publish examples.

Structured Log Output

Formats MQTT messages to stdout with timestamps and metadata in a readable format, ideal for debugging pipelines, as illustrated in the log command output.

Environment Configuration

Enables setting default brokers via environment variables like MQTTUI_BROKER, reducing repetitive command arguments and streamlining workflow.

Cons

Limited Advanced Features

Lacks features found in bulkier alternatives like HiveMQ CLI, such as extensive plugin support or advanced broker diagnostics, as admitted in the history section.

Platform-Specific Installation

Prebuilt binaries target glibc systems; users on musl-based systems like Alpine may need to compile from source, adding setup complexity.

No Built-in Data Visualization

Being terminal-only, it doesn't offer graphical plots or charts, which might be necessary for detailed data analysis in IoT projects.

Open Source Alternative To

MQTT TUI is an open-source alternative to the following products:

m

mosquitto_sub

mosquitto_sub is a command-line client included with Mosquitto for subscribing to topics and receiving messages from an MQTT broker.

m

mqtt-cli

mqtt-cli is a command-line interface tool for interacting with MQTT brokers, enabling users to publish messages, subscribe to topics, and perform other MQTT operations from the terminal.

m

mosquitto_pub

mosquitto_pub is a command-line client included with Mosquitto for publishing messages to an MQTT broker.

M

MQTT-Explorer

MQTT-Explorer is a graphical desktop application for exploring and debugging MQTT brokers, providing a user-friendly interface to monitor topics, publish messages, and visualize message flows.