Documentation: Getting Started and Backend Docs

janklostermann · January 21, 2026, 10:10pm

Going through the Getting Started Guide I perceived that a big part of it is upon the OpenEMS Backend.
The part of the documentation that describes the Backend does not even contain an overview upon the intended use of the Backend in the moment.

To my understanding, a Newbie who wants to get started with OpenEMS should better not even look at the Backend. It’s for far more advanced usecases. (Please correct me, if I am wrong!)
Nonetheless, I like it to be mentioned in the Getting Started for completeness and an overall understanding.

Therefore I would suggest the following:

Moving the integrate_openems_backend section with some further overview introduction on Backend intention from the GettingStarted to a new https://openems.github.io/openems.io/openems/latest/backend/overview.html
leave in the GettingStarted just a short explanation what a Backend is useful for and reference to overview.html for further guidance, if the reader is interested in that.

What do you think of such change?
To my view, it would focus the GettingStarted more to the really first steps. With the by-product of getting an introductory page for the Backend section.

Thanks for considering.

(Is this the way to go? Or should I simply propose a PR and the discussion should run there then?
I choose this path now, as putting a lot of effort into a tested PR which is finally already concept-wise not acceptable would be a waste of time.)

sjjh · January 22, 2026, 9:06pm

Another thought, maybe it could help to refine the graphics in the introduction to specify if OpenEMS means the Edge (1st image, 3x 2nd image) or the Backend (2nd image)

janklostermann · January 22, 2026, 10:19pm

Clarifying especially the meaning of Backend is definitely a good idea. And doing it by naming the elements on these images would definitely help.

I am apparently not the only one, who was confused around the necessity of Backend. Often the misconception seems around the similarity to frontend (UI) and backend (server) concept.

Whereas here at OpenEMS UI and Backend mean something entirely different. (The UI component itself is composed of frontend and backend, as is Edge as well.)

sjjh · January 23, 2026, 11:29am

I’m not sure if your understanding is correct here. To my understanding there are two different types of “traditional” backends:

OpenEMS Edge
OpenEMS Backend (to orchestrate different Edges)

And one “traditional” frontend, the OpenEMS UI. The UI can be connected to either an OpenEMS Backend or an Edge.