What is ProtoPie Connect?

ProtoPie Connect is an extension to ProtoPie supporting advanced workflows and prototyping needs specific for industry use.

It is a separate application run in companion to ProtoPie Studio. ProtoPie Studio still is responsible for the pie (prototype) making/editing.
It is as a control center responsible for connecting multiple prototypes for seamless cross device interactions as well as Hardwares, APIs, DBs

	ProtoPie only	ProtoPie Connect + ProtoPie
Running multiple prototypes simultaneously	Limited	Yes
Testing interactions spanning multiple prototypes/displays	Limited	Yes
Preview and run any prototype on the web browser	Limited	Yes
→ Web Player
Run and rearrange multiple prototypes on the same browser window	No	Yes
→ View All mode
Debugging messages communicated between prototypes	Limited	Yes
→ Debug mode
Test interactions with Arduino	Limited	Yes
→ Arduino Serial (USB) Connection
Test interactions involving custom hardwares	No	Yes
→ http://socket.io / https://github.com/ProtoPie/protopie-connect-bridge-apps
Test interactions with APIs/simulation data	No	Yes
→ http://socket.io / https://github.com/ProtoPie/protopie-connect-bridge-apps
http://socket.io extensibility & customization	No	Yes
→ https://github.com/ProtoPie/protopie-connect-bridge-apps
Test in embedded systems / Linux environments	No	Yes
→ ProtoPie Connect for Embedded Systems

ProtoPie Connect is basically a server application:

Serves pies (prototypes) to client devices
- Run pies in ProtoPie Player (iOS/Android) apps
- Run pies in Web Player (web browser) either locally or connected in same LAN
**socket.io server** for communicating signals and messages between prototypes and socket.io clients (ProtoPie Players, Web Player, Bridge apps etc)
ProtoPie Connect server launches on the local area network, and is assigned an IP address with port number 9981.
- All communication between prototypes and Bridge apps will happen via the local area network.

ProtoPie Connect for Desktop vs Embedded Systems

There are two different versions of ProtoPie Connect: