Skip to main content
DocsSmartThings APIEnterprise API
Docs

Interaction Types

Your Schema App must support various interaction types. Here you can find information about interaction types, field descriptions, error handling, examples, and other specification requirements. In order to use SmartThings Schema, ensure that you have registered your Schema App.

note

All parameters are required unless otherwise specified.

During your testing phase, monitor your server logs for Interaction Result. It will highlight any critical errors SmartThings finds with your integration.

Schema Info​

"schema": "st-schema"
"version": "1.0"

Interaction Types​

The interaction type is located in the payload headers.interactionType.
The token context for the request is indicated in authentication.token.

For Works with SmartThings certification approval, you must implement the following interaction types:
  • discoveryRequest: SmartThings requests a list of devices. Automatic polling occurs every ~24 hours. The Discovery request is followed by the State Refresh request.
  • stateRefreshRequest: SmartThings requests the states of the indicated devices.
  • commandRequest: SmartThings requests that you issue commands for the indicated devices.
  • Callbacks allow your Cloud Connector to push a device's state to SmartThings:
    • Reciprocal Access Token Callbacks: Receive and refresh access tokens for use with a Callback interaction. Consists of the following interaction types:
      • grantCallbackAccess: Originates from SmartThings. Involved in initial token exchange.
      • accessTokenRequest: Originates from your Cloud Connector. Involved in initial token exchange.
      • accessTokenResponse: Originates from SmartThings. Involved in initial token exchange + refreshing the SmartThings token.
      • refreshAccessTokens: Originates from your Cloud Connector. Involved in refreshing the SmartThings token.
    • stateCallback is used by your Cloud Connector to update the state of a device that changed as a result of an interaction that did not originate from SmartThings.
    • discoveryCallback allows your Cloud Connector to perform on-demand discovery.
  • interactionResult notifies you of where issues were found in the response on a request from SmartThings Schema.
  • integrationDeleted notifies you when a connected service is deleted.
  • Error Responses can be appended with globalError or deviceError in your interaction type response.

Discovery​

Discovery is the first SmartThings request. Handle this request by retrieving a list of devices.

note

Automatic polling occurs approximately every 24 hours. The Discovery request is followed by the State Refresh request.

{
  "headers": {
    "schema": "st-schema",
    "version": "1.0",
    "interactionType": "discoveryRequest",
    "requestId": "abc-123-456"
  },
  "authentication": {
    "tokenType": "Bearer",
    "token": "token received during oauth from partner"
  }
}

Below, we break down the request:

  • headers
    • schema: Schema type.
    • version: Schema version.
    • interactionType: Interaction type of payload.
    • requestId: A unique ID (requests sent from SmartThings use the UUID format) assigned to the request.
  • authentication
    • tokenType: Token type.
    • token: Token issued by your cloud; the context for the request.

In the response payload header, include the matching requestId from the request. Also include the schema, version and corresponding interactionType (e.g. discoveryResponse).

Be sure to also include the payload requested. For the Discovery request, you need to include a list of devices (as seen in the example response below).

note

Every device must be associated with a Device Profile or a deviceHandlerType. See Device Handler Types and Device Profiles for more info.

deviceUniqueId​

If you have an Alexa Skill, ensure you use the same value for deviceUniqueId that is used for your Alexa Skill customIdentifier

Categories​

The Categories response (mentioned above) is an optional parameter that helps define the kind of device that is being interacted with. SmartThings has an expanding list of device categories that work with our platform.

You can find the list of supported categories here.

State Refresh​

Handle the State Refresh request by retrieving the device states for the indicated list of devices.

{
  "headers": {
    "schema": "st-schema",
    "version": "1.0",
    "interactionType": "stateRefreshRequest",
    "requestId": "abc-123-456"
  },
  "authentication": {
    "tokenType": "Bearer",
    "token": "token received during oauth from partner"
  },
  "devices": [
    {
      "externalDeviceId": "partner-device-id-1",
    },
    {
      "externalDeviceId": "partner-device-id-2"
    }
  ]
}
  • headers
    • schema: Schema type.
    • version: Schema version.
    • interactionType: Interaction type of payload.
    • requestId: A unique ID assigned to the request.
  • authentication: See Discovery section.
  • deviceState: Array of device states. See Callback section.

Command​

Handle the Command request by triggering the commands for the list of devices.

{
  "headers": {
    "schema": "st-schema",
    "version": "1.0",
    "interactionType": "commandRequest",
    "requestId": "abc-123-456"
  },
  "authentication": {
    "tokenType": "Bearer",
    "token": "token-received during oauth from partner"
  },
  "devices": [
    {
      "externalDeviceId": "partner-device-id-1",
      "deviceCookie": {
        "lastcookie": "cookie value"
      },
      "commands": [
        {
          "component": "main",
          "capability": "st.colorControl",
          "command": "setColor",
          "arguments": [
            {
              "saturation": 91,
              "hue": 0.8333333333333334
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "component": "main",
          "capability": "st.switchLevel",
          "command": "setLevel",
          "arguments": [80]
        },
        {
          "component": "main",
          "capability": "st.switch",
          "command": "on",
          "arguments": []
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
  • headers
    • schema: Schema type.
    • version: Schema version.
    • interactionType: Interaction type of payload.
    • requestId: A unique ID assigned to the request.
  • authentication: See Discovery section.
  • devices
    • externalDeviceId: Device ID on your cloud.
    • deviceCookie: Received in the Discovery response.
    • commands: Array of commands.
      • component: Component of device. In most cases, the value will be "main".
      • capability: Capability of the device. Use the syntax st.<capabilityName>.
      • command: Command name.
      • arguments: Array containing command arguments. If not applicable to the capability/attribute, will be empty.

Callback​

Callback interactions allow you to push device state information to SmartThings.

The token in the JSON under authentication is the token received by you from SmartThings during the reciprocal OAuth phase.

The requestId in the callback JSON is generated by you. Be sure to use a unique identifier (SmartThings request IDs are sent in UUID format.)

requestId Requirements

Any unique string of alphanumeric characters and dashes less than 128 characters is valid, but a version 4 UUID, which is a UUID generated from random numbers, is recommended.

Reciprocal Access Token​

When SmartThings receives an access token (obtained in an OAuth integration) from a third party, it sends a callback authentication code as seen below. The third party can use this code to request callback access tokens.

{
    "headers": {
        "schema": "st-schema",
        "version": "1.0",
        "interactionType": "grantCallbackAccess",
        "requestId": "abc-123-456"
    },
    "authentication" : {
        "tokenType": "Bearer",
        "token": "Token received during oauth from partner"
    },
    "callbackAuthentication": {
        "grantType": "authorization_code",
        "scope": "callback_access",
        "code": "xxxxxxxxxxx",
        "clientId": "The SmartThings client ID provided to you during Schema App registration"
    },
    "callbackUrls": {
        "oauthToken": "Callback URL for access-token-request.json and refresh-access-tokens.json requests",
        "stateCallback": "Callback URL for state-callback.json updates"
    }
}
  • headers
    • schema: Schema type.
    • version: Schema version.
    • interactionType: Interaction type of payload.
    • requestId: A unique ID assigned to the request.
  • authentication:
    • tokenType: Token type.
    • token: Token issued by your cloud; the context for the request.
  • callbackAuthentication:
    • grantType: Authorization type.
    • scope: Authorization scope.
    • code: Authorization code to be used in accessTokenRequest interaction.
    • clientId: The SmartThings client ID provided to you during Schema App registration.
  • callbackUrls:
    • oauthToken: Callback URL used in accessTokenRequest and refreshAccessTokens interactions.
    • stateCallback: Callback URL for providing state callbacks.

Use an HTTPS POST call to the above oauthToken URL to request a callback access token. Uses the callback access token to call into the SmartThings Cloud.

Device State Callback​

JSON will be sent by you to the SmartThings Cloud without any request from SmartThings. This is used to update the state of a device that may have changed as a result of an interaction that did not originate from SmartThings, such as a command originating from your cloud or from manually controlling the device.

{
    "headers": {
        "schema": "st-schema",
        "version": "1.0",
        "interactionType": "stateCallback",
        "requestId": "abc-123-456"
    },
    "authentication": {
        "tokenType": "Bearer",
        "token": "token-received from SmartThings for callbacks"
    },
    "deviceState": [
        {
            "externalDeviceId": "partner-device-id-1",
            "states": [
                {
                    "component": "main",
                    "capability": "st.button",
                    "attribute": "button",
                    "value": "pushed",
                    "timestamp": 1568248946010,
                    "stateChange": "Y"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "externalDeviceId": "partner-device-id-2",
            "states": [
                {
                    "component": "main",
                    "capability": "st.switch",
                    "attribute": "switch",
                    "value": "off",
                    "timestamp": 1568254946010
                },
                {
                    "component": "main",
                    "capability": "st.switchLevel",
                    "attribute": "level",
                    "value": 80,
                    "timestamp": 1568255946020
                },
                {
                    "component": "main",
                    "capability": "st.healthCheck",
                    "attribute": "healthStatus",
                    "value": "offline",
                    "timestamp": 1568257946030
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}
  • authentication
    • tokenType: Token type.
    • token: Token received from SmartThings.
  • deviceState: (Optional) Array of device states.
    • externalDeviceID: Third-party device ID.
    • states
      • component: Component of device. In most cases, the value will be "main".
      • capability: Capability of the device. Use the syntax st.<capabilityName>.
      • attribute: Attribute of Capability.
      • value: The resource value.
      • unit: Unit of measurement, if applicable (e.g. "F" or "C" for temperature.) Should not be present for attributes without units.
      • visibility: Optional fields controlling the display and storage of events
        • displayed: Show device events in the device history tab of the mobile app. Valid values are true or false. Generally defaults to true if unspecified, though some standard Capabilities may default to false.
        • nonArchiveable: Do not put in long-term storage. Should only be set if legally or contractually required.
      • stateChange: Optional; a value of Y forces the event to be considered a change, which will trigger automations and be displayed in the event history. If stateChange is not specified, the SmartThings platform generally determines whether a change has occurred by comparing the new deviceState value to the previous value.
important

If your device state has changed, you must send the st.healthCheck Capability to indicate whether the device is online or offline.

important

If your device is deleted, you must send a DEVICE-DELETED device error enum as part of the device state callback response.

Discovery Callback​

A discovery callback interaction allows you to perform on-demand discovery of devices.

  • headers
    • schema: Schema type.
    • version: Schema version.
    • interactionType: Interaction type of payload.
    • requestId: A unique ID assigned to the request.
  • authentication
    • tokenType: Token type.
    • token: Token issued by your cloud; the context for the request.
{
  "headers": {
      "schema": "st-schema",
      "version": "1.0",
      "interactionType": "discoveryCallback",
      "requestId": "abc-123-456"
  },
  "authentication": {
      "tokenType": "Bearer",
      "token": "token-recevied from SmartThings for callbacks"
  },
  "devices": [
    {
      "externalDeviceId": "partner-device-id-1",
      "deviceCookie": {"updatedcookie": "old or new value"},
      "friendlyName": "Kitchen Bulb",
      "manufacturerInfo": {
        "manufacturerName": "LIFX",
        "modelName": "A19 Color Bulb",
        "hwVersion": "v1 US bulb",
        "swVersion": "23.123.231"
      },
      "deviceContext" : {
        "roomName": "Kitchen",
        "groups": ["Kitchen Lights", "House Bulbs"]
      },
      "deviceHandlerType": "c2c-rgbw-color-bulb"
  },
  {
      "externalDeviceId": "partner-device-id-2",
      "deviceCookie": {"updatedcookie": "old or new value"},
      "friendlyName": "Toaster",
      "manufacturerInfo": {
        "manufacturerName": "LIFX",
        "modelName": "Outlet",
        "hwVersion": "v1 US outlet",
        "swVersion": "3.03.11"
      },
      "deviceContext" : {
        "roomName": "Living Room",
        "groups": ["Hall Lights"]
      },
      "deviceHandlerType": "<DEVICE-PROFILE-ID>"
    }
  ]
}

Below, we break down the response:

  • headers
    • schema: Schema type.
    • version: Schema version.
    • interactionType: Interaction type of payload.
    • requestId: A unique ID assigned to the request.
  • devices: Array of devices for user account.
    • externalDeviceId: Device ID on your cloud.
    • deviceCookie: Pass-through cookie for setting custom key/value pairs. Must not contain personally identifiable information and cannot be greater than 5 KB.
    • friendlyName: (Optional) Label of the device shown to the user.
    • manufacturerInfo: Manufacturer info for the device.
      • manufacturerName: Name of the manufacturer, preferably partner name.
      • modelName: Unique model number that identifies the device model.
      • hwVersion: (Optional) Hardware version.
      • swVersion: (Optional) Software/firmware version.
    • deviceContext: (Optional) Device context info.
      • roomName: Location name associated with the device.
      • groups: Groups that include the device.
      • categories: (Optional) Categories associated with the device.
    • deviceHandlerType: Device handler type name. When using a custom device profile, the value should be the device profile ID.

Interaction Result​

An interaction result is a notification sent to your cloud notifying you that issues were found in the response on a request from SmartThings Schema.

  1. authentication: is not provided for users/interactions that SmartThings Schema has not been able to obtain valid access tokens from the partner.
  2. originatingInteractionType: the interaction type causing the interactionResult to be sent.
  3. globalError: only sent if there was a major issue with the originatingInteractionType message.
  4. deviceState: only sent for and when there are issues with individual devices (devices with no issues will not be included).
{
    "headers": {
        "schema": "st-schema",
        "version": "1.0",
        "interactionType": "interactionResult",
        "requestId": "abc-123-456"
    },
    "authentication": {
        "tokenType": "Bearer",
        "token": "token-recevied during oauth from partner"
    },
    "originatingInteractionType" : <interactionResponse>,
    "globalError": {
        "errorEnum": "<enum>",
        "detail": "messageDetail"
    },
    "deviceState": [
        {
            "externalDeviceId": "pdevice-1",
            "deviceError": [
                {
                    "errorEnum": "<enum>",
                    "detail": "messageDetail"
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Integration Deleted​

This interaction notifies a third-party when a connected service is deleted.

tip

A SmartThings Schema integration is deleted from the SmartThings platform when any of the following conditions are met:

  • The user deletes all devices discovered by the integration.
  • The user removes the integration from "Linked services" on the SmartThings App.
  • A State Callback with the "INTEGRATION-DELETED" global error is received.
{
  "headers": {
    "schema": "st-schema",
    "version": "1.0",
    "interactionType": "integrationDeleted",
    "requestId": "abc-123-456"
  },
  "authentication": {
    "tokenType": "Bearer",
    "token": "token received during oauth from partner"
  }
}

* `headers`
    * `schema`: Schema type.
    * `version`: Schema version.
    * `interactionType`: Interaction type of payload.
    * `requestId`: A unique ID assigned to the request. 
* `authentication`
    * `tokenType`: Token type.
    * `token`: Token issued by your cloud; the context for the request.

Error Responses​

Errors can be appended using global errors or device errors in your interaction type response.

Example Global Error​

{
  "headers": {
    "schema": "st-schema",
    "version": "1.0",
    "interactionType": "stateRefreshResponse",
    "requestId": "abc-123-456"
  },
  "authentication": {
    "tokenType": "Bearer",
    "token": "token-issued-by-3rd-party"
  },
  "globalError": {
    "errorEnum": "TOKEN-EXPIRED",
    "detail": "The token has expired"
  },
  "deviceState": []
}

Append a globalError field to the root of your JSON response for an interaction type.

  • errorEnum: Global error enum type (see below).
  • details: Message for the error.

Global Error Enum Types​

  • BAD-REQUEST: Bad request. Example detail values: st-schema body is missing, JSON parse of body failed, missing st-schema headers, missing st-schema authentication
  • INTEGRATION-DELETED: User has removed the integration; both accessToken and refreshToken are invalid. Indicates user must re-authorize.
  • INTEGRATION-OFFLINE: All devices in the integration are offline, or the integration is offline or unreachable.
  • INVALID-TOKEN
  • INVALID-INTERACTION-TYPE
  • UNSUPPORTED-GRANT-TYPE
  • INVALID-CODE
  • INVALID-CLIENT-SECRET
  • INVALID-CLIENT
  • TOKEN-EXPIRED: Token has expired.

Example Device Error​

{
  "headers": {
    "schema": "st-schema",
    "version": "1.0",
    "interactionType": "stateRefreshResponse",
    "requestId": "abc-123-456"
  },
  "authentication": {
    "tokenType": "Bearer",
    "token": "token-issued-by-3rd-party"
  },
  "deviceState": [
    {
      "externalDeviceId": "partner-device-id-1",
      "deviceError": [
        {
          "errorEnum": "DEVICE-DELETED",
          "detail": "more detail from the partner"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Append a deviceError field to the stateRefreshResponse or commandResponse interaction response.

  • errorEnum: Device error enum type (see below).
  • details: Message for the error.

Device Error Enum Types​

  • CAPABILITY-NOT-SUPPORTED: Command requested is not supported by the device.
  • DEVICE-DELETED: Device is deleted and cannot accept commands.
  • DEVICE-OFFLINE: Device is offline and cannot accept commands.
  • DEVICE-UNAVAILABLE: Device is temporarily unavailable for known reasons such as a firmware update or for maintenance.
  • RESOURCE-CONSTRAINT-VIOLATION: Value is out of range or not acceptable.
important

If your device is deleted, offline, or unavailable, you must send the appropriate DEVICE-DELETED, DEVICE-OFFLINE or DEVICE-UNAVAILABLE device error enum as part of the command response, device state callback, and state refresh.