Hi everyone,

After some time of development, I'm getting close to the first small production run of a custom ESP32-based automation controller I've been working on.

The original goal was simple: build a flexible controller for automation projects without depending on proprietary ecosystems or cloud services.

Current features include:

\- ESP32-based architecture

\- Local web interface

\- OTA firmware updates

\- MQTT support

\- Multiple sensor and actuator interfaces like pwm fan controll and i2c connections

\- Open-source firmware

The board was originally designed for smart growing and environmental automation, but over time I've started seeing potential use cases in greenhouses, terrariums, environmental monitoring, and general IoT projects.

Before finalizing everything, I'd love to get some feedback from the ESP32 community.

Project repo:

[https://github.com/grovahome/grova-cube-firmware](https://github.com/grovahome/grova-cube-firmware)

A few questions:

\- What are the most important features you look for in a controller board?

\- Is MQTT enough, or would you expect native Home Assistant integration these days?

\- Are there any interfaces or capabilities you consider essential?

\- What would make you choose a custom ESP32 board over existing solutions?

Any feedback, criticism, or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Designed my own ESP32 controller board – what would you add before v2?