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Overview

The MQTT Output Connector enables Condense to publish Kafka events to MQTT brokers in real time. It consumes messages from Kafka topics and delivers them to MQTT topics, allowing downstream IoT devices, edge gateways, and MQTT-enabled applications to receive streaming data. The connector supports secure communication using TCP, TLS, and Mutual TLS (mTLS), configurable QoS levels, and multiple authentication mechanisms.

Key Features

The MQTT Output Connector provides:
  • Publish Kafka events to MQTT topics
  • Supports MQTT v3.1.1
  • Configurable QoS levels
  • TCP, One-Way TLS, and Mutual TLS support
  • Username/password and certificate authentication
  • JSON, String, and Binary payload support
  • No-code deployment through the Condense UI

Supported Authentication


SSL/TLS Support


Supported Payload Formats

  • JSON
  • String
  • Binary

Typical Use Cases

The MQTT Output Connector is commonly used for:
  • Device command delivery
  • Cloud-to-device messaging
  • IoT notifications
  • Smart device control
  • Industrial automation
  • Real-time event distribution

Prerequisites

Before configuring the connector:
  • An accessible MQTT broker
  • MQTT topic for publishing
  • Kafka topic containing source messages
  • Authentication credentials (if required)
  • TLS certificates (if secure communication is used)

How to Configure the MQTT Output Connector

Step 1. Navigate to Connectors

  1. Log in to Condense.
  2. Navigate to Connectors.
  3. Click Create Connector.
  4. Select MQTT Output Connector.
Add Screenshot: Connector Selection

Step 2. Configure Broker Details

Provide:
  • Connector Name
  • Broker URL
  • Broker Port
  • Client ID
  • MQTT Publish Topic
Add Screenshot: Broker Configuration

Step 3. Configure Kafka Source

Specify:
  • Kafka Topic
  • Payload Format

Step 4. Configure Authentication

Select:
  • None
  • Username & Password
  • Client Certificate
Enter the required credentials.

Step 5. Configure SSL/TLS

Choose:
  • TCP
  • One-Way TLS
  • Mutual TLS
Upload certificates where applicable.

Step 6. Configure Processing

Configure:
  • QoS Level
  • Batch Settings (optional)
  • Retry Policy

Step 7. Deploy

  1. Review the configuration.
  2. Click Deploy Connector.
  3. Monitor deployment from the Pipelines page.

Editing the MQTT Output Connector

  1. Navigate to Pipelines.
  2. Select the deployed MQTT Output Connector.
  3. Click Edit Configurations.
  4. Update the required settings.
  5. Click Deploy Connector.

Deleting the MQTT Output Connector

  1. Navigate to Pipelines.
  2. Select the connector.
  3. Click Delete Connector.
  4. Confirm deletion.

Best Practices

  • Use TLS for production workloads.
  • Use Mutual TLS for secure deployments.
  • Select the appropriate QoS level for your use case.
  • Organize MQTT topics by application or device type.
  • Monitor broker availability and connector health.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which MQTT protocol version is supported?

The connector supports MQTT v3.1.1.

Which brokers are supported?

The connector can be used with EMQX, Eclipse Mosquitto, HiveMQ, AWS IoT Core, and other MQTT v3.1.1-compatible brokers.

Which QoS levels are supported?

QoS 0, QoS 1, and QoS 2 are supported.

Does the connector support TLS?

Yes. TCP, One-Way TLS, and Mutual TLS are supported.

Can Kafka events be published to MQTT topics?

Yes. The connector consumes records from Kafka topics and publishes them to MQTT topics.

Which payload formats are supported?

JSON, String, and Binary.