Welcome to the AlpycaDevice SDK
This document describes the AlpycaDevice SDK project, a lightweight working sample of an Alpaca device driver with templates for all ASCOM device types. The sample is actually a fully functional Alpaca Rotator simulator which passes the Conform Universal Test Tool comprehensive function test and protocol tests. Dependencies are kept to an absolute minimum.
The idea here is to provide you, the prospective Alpaca device driver author, with the code structure and “boiler-plate” support code needed. No interaction with HTTP or JSON is needed. Only two dependencies (and of course their dependencies) are needed.
By starting with this project, you will be able to implement a fully functional conforming Alpaca device with a minimum of “just in time learning”.
Tip
Start Here: Alpyca Device Quick Start then look through Introduction to Alpaca Drivers.
Note
This is the 1.0.3 (May 1, 2025) updated production version. For Release Notes on this SDK see the CHANGES document on the Alpyca Device SDK GitHub repository.
For background see About Alpaca and ASCOM and ASCOM Alpaca Connectivity on the ASCOM Initiative web site. As an astronomy developer wanting to use Alpaca, we suggest you look over Alpaca Developers Info and join the ASCOM Driver and Application Development Support Forum.