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 witha "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.