Question 1

How does Open Wearables compare to directly using Apple HealthKit?

Accepted Answer

Open Wearables unifies multiple wearable sources into one API, saving time if you need data from various providers, but for apps only requiring Apple HealthKit, direct integration is simpler and avoids extra abstraction layers. It's best for multi-provider scenarios.

Question 2

What wearable devices does Open Wearables support?

Accepted Answer

It currently supports cloud-based providers like Garmin, Suunto, and Polar, plus SDK-based access to Apple HealthKit, Samsung Health, and Google Health Connect. More providers are planned, but check the docs for updates as it's early-stage.

Question 3

How to set up Open Wearables with Docker for local development?

Accepted Answer

Clone the repo, copy environment variable files from .env examples, and run 'docker compose up -d'. This starts the backend, frontend, and databases, with an admin account auto-created for accessing the developer portal at localhost:3000.

Question 4

Is Open Wearables free to use in commercial projects?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it's open-source under the MIT license, so you can use it freely in commercial apps. However, you'll need to cover your own hosting costs for the self-hosted infrastructure like servers and databases.

Question 5

Can individuals use Open Wearables for personal health tracking?

Accepted Answer

Yes, individuals can self-host it to connect their wearables, access data through the API, and use upcoming features like the AI Health Assistant, all with full data privacy and control over their information.

Question 6

How does data synchronization work in Open Wearables?

Accepted Answer

It uses OAuth flows for cloud providers and mobile SDKs for on-device health stores, with background sync tasks handled by Celery. Data is normalized and stored in PostgreSQL, accessible via the unified API.

Question 7

What are the system requirements for self-hosting Open Wearables?

Accepted Answer

You'll need a server with Docker, PostgreSQL, and Redis. The README recommends Docker Compose, and it requires sufficient resources for the backend, frontend, and task queue processes, with details in the environment configuration.

OpenWearables

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