Matter

Matter is an open, royalty-free smart-home connectivity standard from the Connectivity Standards Alliance that lets devices from different manufacturers work together securely over IP. Launched in 2022 after starting life as Project CHIP (Connected Home over IP), it was backed by Apple, Google, Amazon, and Samsung specifically to end the fragmentation of incompatible smart-home ecosystems. Its goal is simple: a device certified for Matter works across any Matter-compatible platform.

• IP-based transport - Runs over Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Thread, so devices are addressable on standard networks rather than proprietary hubs.
• Vendor interoperability - A single certification lets one device pair with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and SmartThings alike.
• Security by design - Devices are onboarded with attestation and encrypted communication built into the commissioning flow.
• Alliance-governed - The Connectivity Standards Alliance owns the spec, certification program, and compliance testing.

For API and platform teams, Matter is a case study in how a data model plus a certification regime can force interoperability across fiercely competitive vendors — the same pattern API standards aim for. Its device schemas and commissioning flows increasingly surface through cloud APIs and local controllers, and as smart-home fleets grow, Matter becomes the contract that agentic assistants and automation platforms rely on to discover and control devices without per-vendor integrations.