The `org.jivesoftware.smackx.iot.Thing` class acts as basic entity representing a single "Thing" which can be used to retrieve data from or to send control commands to. `Things` are constructed using a builder API.
While not strictly required, most things are identified via a key and serial number. We also build the thing with a "momentary read out request handler" which when triggered, retrieves the current temperature and reports it back to the requestor.
After the `Thing` is built, it needs to be made available so that other entities within the federated XMPP network can use it. Right now we only install the Thing in the `IoTDataManager`, which means the thing will act on read out requests but not be managed by a provisioning server.
Now you have to unwrap the `IoTDataField` instances from the `IoTFieldsExtension`. Note that Smack currently only supports a subset of the specified data types.
You may have wondered how a full JIDs of things can be determined. One approach is using the discovery mechanisms specified in XEP-0347. Smack provides the `IoTDiscoveryManager` as an API for this.
For example, instead of just installing the previous things in the `IoTDataManager` and/or `IoTControlManager`, we could also use the `IoTDiscoveryManger` to register the thing with a registry. Doing this also installs the thing in the `IoTDataManager` and the `IoTControlManager`.
Things can usually only be used by other things if they are friends. Since a thing normally can't decide on its own if an incoming friendship request should be granted or not, we can delegate this decision to a provisioning service. Smack provides the `IoTProvisinoManager` to deal with friendship and provisioning.