Installation

Install the base agent:

pip install plexus-python

The base package includes the Plexus client, CLI, buffering, and HTTP transport. Add optional extras for hardware-specific capabilities.

Extras

Install extras by appending them in brackets:

pip install plexus-python[sensors]
pip install plexus-python[sensors,can]
pip install plexus-python[all]

Extra	Installs	Use Case
`sensors`	`smbus2`	I2C sensors (IMU, temperature, pressure, ADC)
`can`	`python-can`, `cantools`	CAN bus via SocketCAN
`mavlink`	`pymavlink`	MAVLink protocol (drones, autopilots)
`mqtt`	`paho-mqtt`	MQTT broker integration
`modbus`	`pymodbus`	Modbus TCP/RTU (PLCs, industrial sensors)
`opcua`	`asyncua`	OPC-UA (industrial automation)
`serial`	`pyserial`	Serial port (RS-232, UART, GPS receivers)
`ble`	`bleak`	Bluetooth Low Energy relay
`tui`	`rich`	Live terminal dashboard (`plexus start --live`)
`system`	`psutil`	System health (CPU temp, memory, disk)
`all`	All of the above	Install everything

System Requirements

Base Package

Python 3.8 or later
Works on Linux (x86_64, ARM64), macOS, and Windows

Platform-Specific Requirements

Extra	OS	Requirements
`sensors`	Linux	I2C enabled (`sudo raspi-config` on Raspberry Pi)
`can`	Linux	SocketCAN kernel module, `can-utils`
`serial`	All	USB-to-serial adapter or UART pins
`system`	All	No additional requirements

Raspberry Pi Quick Setup

# Enable I2C
sudo raspi-config nonint do_i2c 0
 
# Install with sensors
pip install plexus-python[sensors]
 
# Verify I2C is working
plexus scan

CAN Bus Setup (Linux)

# Load the SocketCAN kernel module
sudo modprobe can
sudo modprobe can_raw
 
# Bring up the CAN interface
sudo ip link set can0 type can bitrate 500000
sudo ip link set can0 up
 
# Install with CAN support
pip install plexus-python[can]

Environment Variables

Set these before running the agent:

Variable	Required	Description
`PLEXUS_API_KEY`	Yes	Your API key (starts with `plx_`). Get it from app.plexus.company (opens in a new tab) → Settings → Developer.
`PLEXUS_GATEWAY_URL`	No	Gateway HTTP ingest URL. Defaults to `https://plexus-gateway.fly.dev`.
`PLEXUS_GATEWAY_WS_URL`	No	Gateway WebSocket URL. Defaults to `wss://plexus-gateway.fly.dev`.

export PLEXUS_API_KEY=plx_xxxxx

Verify Installation

# Check the installed version
plexus --version
 
# Diagnose any missing dependencies
plexus doctor
 
# Scan for connected hardware
plexus scan

Next Steps

Configuration — Configure the agent with a config file or constructor parameters
Quickstart — Send your first data point in under a minute

CLI Reference Configuration