Zigbee is an open standard designed specifically for low power wireless devices. Zigbee achieves this using a "mesh" networking approach, which allows devices to serve as repeaters for each other. This reduces the amount of power required to transmit data, eliminates the need for additional infrastructure, and minimizes points of failure in the network.

Perhaps more importantly, Zigbee is a "full stack" technology. A Zigbee Certified device not only implements the Zigbee PRO networking stack — i.e. the mesh network technology, but also Zigbee's robust interoperability language (or "application layer").

Zigbee's standardized application layer — often referred to as the Zigbee Cluster Library or "ZCL" — allows devices from different manufacturers not just to connect to each other, but to work together to do useful things. For example, a light bulb from Manufacturer A will work with a light switch from Manufacturer B, without the need to adapt to any proprietary APIs. This allows IoT manufacturers and platforms to enable interoperable ecosystems that can grow without significant effort to integrate each new device.

This application layer is at the core of our RapidConnect software platform. RapidConnect implements and abstracts this interoperability language, making it easy for you to integrate into your products, whether you are building a new product, or adding Zigbee connectivity to an existing one.

Zigbee is an open, global standard created and maintained by the Zigbee Alliance. Zigbee is used by major manufacturers, smart home, and commercial automation platforms. Examples include Philips Hue, SmartThings, Wink, GE/Daintree, and Icontrol (which most major North American telco security offerings are based on).