I didn’t touch Smartthing automations for the last 2, 3 years. I remember in 2019 Smartthings were saying that Webcore technology is slowing down automations and servers stuff and that they want to make their own similar thing with the introduction of the new app, etc.
Did that happen? Is Webcore still supported and functional?
In other words if Webcore still works but it’s by the end of life, should I continue to create new automations with webcore, or there is something else I can start from scratch?
From the smartthings platform point of view, Webcore is just another custom groovy smartapp that runs in the free groovy cloud provided by smartthings.
Since that cloud will be going away pretty soon, all groovy smartapps that run in that cloud, including Webcore, will stop working.
For more details on what that means, see the thread that another user started just this morning:
Thanks a lot for your answer.
I checked the capabilities of the Automations in the New App, and they are sufficient for me.
The only thing I will miss when Groovy IDE goes away, are the Virtual devices (like Simulated switches, Alexa Switch, etc.) That was the bread and butter of my automations providing the link to other platforms, like Alexa, Google… etc.
Do you know if these virtual devices are possible now with what ST provides or will they be possible in the future in ST the new app?
If virtual devices won’t be possible, before Matter becomes a reality, I won’t have a choice than to move away from ST, to something else like Homeassistant.
1 Like
you can also create virtual devices in CLI
3 Likes
Another source of good virtual devices
4 Likes
Several community developers have created edge drivers for virtual devices. So you can use one of those. They have somewhat different features.
You can find them by using the quick browse lists in the community – created wiki. Look in the section for edge drivers and then choose the list for virtual devices.
1 Like
Thanks to all you guys.
In my Groovy IDE I have lots of devices created normally, by adding an ST compatible device in the new app (for example Meross power strip)
These devices are of Type: “placeholder” but they have the Execution Location: Cloud
What will happen with these if the Cloud will be gone?
Any devices in IDE that display Paceholder are either using Edge Drivers or cloud-to-cloud integrations using the new architecture. While they are listed as Cloud, they are actually Local. IDE was set up for groovy stuff and does not display data properly for Edge. iDE is part of the legacy platform and will be phased out when ST completes the migration to Edge and LUA.
1 Like
Thank you jkp. That’s excellent information, I couldn’t figure that out.
BTW Do you know if someone made in Edge a device of type Alexa switch?
Right now I have a few Alexa Switch devices that appear in Alexa as a trigger for a routine.
I tried with a regular Virtual Switch provided by TAustin but it does not work.
I don’t know what is special about these Alexa switches (initially made by bjpierron) compared to regular virtual switches
At the time of this writing, an Alexa routine can only be triggered by a contact sensor, motion sensor, lock, Echo brand button, or flic brand button. It cannot be triggered by a “switch“ of any kind.
So What @bjpierron did was create a virtual device which had BOTH The switch and sensor capability. When you turned on the switch, the sensor would look like it was open, and so the sensor part could be used to trigger an Alexa routine. That’s what is meant by an “Alexa switch”— it’s just a switch which also has a sensor capability. That way Alexa will trigger Alexa routines from it.
The new virtual devices from @taustin have many different variations, but there are definitely some that have this same ability. That’s discussed at length in the author thread about that edge driver. But they’re usually described the other way around: as a sensor that has a switch capability rather than as a switch that has a sensor capability. But they end up working the same way. 
If you are not able to figure out how to trigger an Alexa routine from one of the virtual devices created by that Edge Driver, just ask in that author thread and someone should be able to help you. You might need a slightly different variation.
[ST Edge] vEdge Creator: a virtual device generator for end users
1 Like
JD you’re a genius man. God bless you. You made my day Tanks again
1 Like