IFTTT

{{Infobox company

| name = IFTTT Inc.

| logo = IFTTT logo.svg

| logo_caption =

| logo_alt =

| type = Private

| industry =

| predecessor =

| founded = {{Start date and age|2010}}

| founders = {{Unbulleted list|Linden Tibbets|Alexander Tibbets|Jesse Tane|Scott Tong}}{{cite web | url= http://blog.ifttt.com/post/2316021241/ifttt-the-beginning | title= ifttt the beginning... | publisher= IFTTT blog | access-date= October 16, 2014 | last= Tibbets | first= Linden | archive-date= December 30, 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101230144042/http://blog.ifttt.com/post/2316021241/ifttt-the-beginning | url-status= live }}

| defunct =

| fate =

| successor =

| hq_location_city = San Francisco, California

| hq_location_country = United States

| area_served =

| key_people =

| products = Computing platforms

| owner =

| num_employees = 30

| num_employees_year =

| parent =

| website = {{URL|https://ifttt.com/}}

}}

IFTTT ({{IPAc-en|ɪ|f|t}}, an acronym of if this, then that){{cite web |url=https://ifttt.com/m/brand-guidelines |title=Brand guidelines |access-date=July 22, 2017 |website=IFTTT |archive-date=July 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729050411/https://ifttt.com/m/brand-guidelines |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=https://ifttt.com/wtf|access-date=16 Oct 2014|title=About IFTTT|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015215100/https://ifttt.com/wtf|archive-date=15 October 2014|url-status=dead}} is a private commercial company that runs services that allow a user to program a response to events in the world.{{cite web |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/company/ifttt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006235203/https://www.fastcompany.com/company/ifttt |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 6, 2017 |title=IFTTT |publisher=Fast Company |access-date=2021-08-17}}{{cite web |url=https://craft.co/ifttt |title=IFTTT |publisher=Craft |access-date=2021-08-17 |quote=IFTTT is a company building an internet automation service that enables users to create connections...}}

IFTTT has partnerships with different providers of everyday services as well as using public APIs to integrate them with each other through its platform. They supply event notifications to IFTTT. Users can write applets that can respond to these events by executing related commands.{{cite web|last=Peers|first=Nick|date=October 2, 2014|title=Your Online Life Made Simpler, Thanks to IFTTT|url=http://blog.1and1.co.uk/2014/10/02/your-online-life-made-simpler-thanks-to-ifttt/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015050508/http://blog.1and1.co.uk/2014/10/02/your-online-life-made-simpler-thanks-to-ifttt/|archive-date=October 15, 2014|access-date=October 16, 2014}}

History

Linden Tibbets, the co-founder of IFTTT, announced the launch of the project on December 14, 2010. The first IFTTT applications were designed and developed by Linden with co-founders Jesse Tane and Alexander Tibbets. The product was officially launched on September 7, 2011.{{cite web|url=http://blog.ifttt.com/post/9919161101/ifttt-is-alive|title=ifttt is alive!|last=Alexander|first=Jesse|date=September 7, 2011|access-date=November 8, 2016|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924230856/http://blog.ifttt.com/post/9919161101/ifttt-is-alive|archive-date=September 24, 2011}}{{cite web |title= ifttt is alive! |url= http://blog.ifttt.com/post/9919161101/ifttt-is-alive |date= September 7, 2011 |access-date= October 18, 2014 |archive-date= September 24, 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110924230856/http://blog.ifttt.com/post/9919161101/ifttt-is-alive |url-status= live }}

In June 2012, the service entered the internet of things space by integrating with Belkin Wemo devices,{{cite web|url=https://thenextweb.com/apps/2012/06/20/task-automation-tool-ifttt-gets-new-look-moves-into-physical-world-with-belkin-wemo-compatibility/|title=Task automation tool IFTTT gets new look, moves into physical world with Belkin WeMo compatibility|last=Panzarino|first=Matthew|date=June 20, 2012|access-date=July 25, 2012|archive-date=August 6, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120806162921/http://thenextweb.com/apps/2012/06/20/task-automation-tool-ifttt-gets-new-look-moves-into-physical-world-with-belkin-wemo-compatibility/|url-status=live}} allowing applets to interact with the physical world. In July 2013, IFTTT released an iPhone app and later released a version for iPad and iPod touch.{{cite web|url=http://blog.ifttt.com/post/55130449805/the-power-of-ifttt-now-in-your-pocket|title=The power of IFTTT, now in your pocket|date=June 10, 2013|access-date=October 18, 2014|archive-date=October 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018121555/http://blog.ifttt.com/post/55130449805/the-power-of-ifttt-now-in-your-pocket|url-status=live}} An Android version was launched in July 2014.{{cite web |title= The power of IFTTT, now on Android |url= http://blog.ifttt.com/post/83729472199/the-power-of-ifttt-now-on-android |date= April 24, 2014 |access-date= October 18, 2014 |archive-date= October 17, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141017005400/http://blog.ifttt.com/post/83729472199/the-power-of-ifttt-now-on-android |url-status= live }} By the end of 2014, the IFTTT business was valued at approximately 170 million US dollars.{{cite web |title= 10 most valued Internet of Things startups from around the world |url= http://www.hottopics.ht/stories/lists/10-most-valued-internet-of-things-startups/ |date= February 2, 2015 |access-date= February 10, 2015 |archive-date= February 10, 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150210155702/http://www.hottopics.ht/stories/lists/10-most-valued-internet-of-things-startups/ |url-status= live }}

By December 2016, the company announced a partnership with JotForm to integrate an applet to create actions in other applications.{{Cite web | url = http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jotform-and-ifttts-new-integration-connects-form-responses-to-hundreds-of-new-apps-300373092.html | title = JotForm and IFTTT's New Integration Connects Form Responses to Hundreds of New Apps | work = PR Newswire | date = 6 December 2016 | access-date = 11 January 2017 | archive-date = 13 January 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170113153626/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jotform-and-ifttts-new-integration-connects-form-responses-to-hundreds-of-new-apps-300373092.html | url-status = live }}{{Cite web | url = http://tech.co/little-ifttt-applets-company-try-2016-12 | title = 6 Little-Known IFTTT Applets Your Company Should Try | work = Tech.co | date = 7 December 2016 | access-date = 11 January 2017 | archive-date = 13 January 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170113171313/http://tech.co/little-ifttt-applets-company-try-2016-12 | url-status = live }}{{Which?|date=January 2024}}

Part of IFTTT's revenue comes from IFTTT platform partners, who pay to have their products connected to the service,{{Cite web |title=IFTTT Opens Partner Platform; Introduces Applets |url=https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/ifttt-opens-partner-platform-introduces-160000560.html |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=uk.finance.yahoo.com |date=2 November 2016 |language=en-GB}} but on September 10, 2020, the service switched to a limited freemium model with a subscription-based version known as "IFTTT Pro", which allows services to use conditional statements and query data for more complex tasks. At the same time, all existing users were limited to three custom applets, being required to subscribe to Pro in order to remove this limitation.{{Cite web|title=IFTTT Pro will let users create more complex actions for $10 per month|url=https://www.engadget.com/ifttt-pro-applets-subscription-142815488.html|access-date=2020-09-14|website=Engadget|date=10 September 2020 |language=en|archive-date=2020-09-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200914120804/https://www.engadget.com/ifttt-pro-applets-subscription-142815488.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Ricker|first=Thomas|date=2020-09-10|title=IFTTT introduces Pro subscriptions, limits free version to three applets|url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/10/21430265/ifttt-pro-subscriptions-free-controversy|access-date=2020-09-14|website=The Verge|language=en|archive-date=2020-09-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916161038/https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/10/21430265/ifttt-pro-subscriptions-free-controversy|url-status=live}} This decision generated criticism from IFTTT's community of users.{{cite web |last1=Charlton |first1=Alistair |title=IFTTT Pro causes user backlash as free access restricted |url=https://www.gearbrain.com/ifttt-pro-subscription-service-explained-2647566439.html |website=Gearbrain |access-date=17 September 2020 |archive-date=24 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924181656/https://www.gearbrain.com/ifttt-pro-subscription-service-explained-2647566439.html |url-status=live }}

Features

= Overview =

File:Ifttt screenshot.png

IFTTT employs the following concepts:

Services (formerly known as channels) are the basic building blocks of IFTTT.{{cite web| url=https://ifttt.com/wtf| title=About IFTTT| publisher=IFTTT.com| access-date=October 23, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015215100/https://ifttt.com/wtf| archive-date=October 15, 2014| url-status=dead}} They mainly describe a series of data from a certain web service such as YouTube or eBay. Services can also describe actions controlled with certain APIs, like SMS. Sometimes, they can represent information in terms of weather or stocks.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/eliseackerman/2012/09/23/ifttt-the-san-francisco-startup-lets-anyone-control-the-internet-of-things/|title=San Francisco Startup Lets Anyone Control The Internet of Things|last=Ackerman|first=Elise|date=September 23, 2012|work=forbes.com|access-date=October 23, 2014|archive-date=October 23, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023040343/http://www.forbes.com/sites/eliseackerman/2012/09/23/ifttt-the-san-francisco-startup-lets-anyone-control-the-internet-of-things/|url-status=live}} Each service has a particular set of triggers and actions.{{cite web | url=https://ifttt.com/channels | title=IFTTT Channels | publisher=IFTTT.com | access-date=October 23, 2014 | archive-date=October 22, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022192151/https://ifttt.com/channels | url-status=live }}
Triggers are the part of an applet represented as "This" in the "If This Then That" acronym. They are the items that trigger the action. For example, from an RSS feed, users can receive a notification based on a keyword or phrase.
Actions are the "that" part of an applet. They are the output that results from the input of the trigger.
Applets (formerly known as recipes) are the predicates made from triggers and actions. For example, a user would activate a trigger by liking a picture on Instagram and the applet would do an action, like sending the photo to their Dropbox account.
"Ingredients" are basic data available from a trigger—from the email trigger, for example; subject, body, attachment, received date, and sender’s address.

= Usage examples =

IFTTT can automate web application tasks, such as posting the same content on several social networks.
Marketing professionals can use IFTTT to track mentions of companies in RSS feeds.{{cite web|url=http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4919-ifttt-for-business.html|title=10 Ways IFTTT Can Help Your Business|date=August 12, 2013|access-date=October 27, 2014|last=Angeles|first=Sara|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022005809/http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4919-ifttt-for-business.html|archive-date=October 22, 2014|url-status=dead}}
IFTTT also is used in home automation, for instance switching on a light when detecting motion in a room (with associated compliant devices).

Reception and impact

IFTTT was featured on Time magazine's "50 Best Websites 2012" list.{{Cite magazine |last=Carbone |first=Nick |date=2012-09-16 |title=Check out If This Then That on TIME's 50 Best Websites list |language=en-US |magazine=Time |url=https://techland.time.com/2012/09/18/50-best-websites-2012/slide/ifttt/ |access-date=2022-05-26 |issn=0040-781X}} Microsoft developed a similar product called Microsoft Power Automate (Originally named Microsoft Flow).{{cite web

| url = https://www.zdnet.com/article/where-did-microsofts-new-flow-event-automation-service-come-from/

| title = Where did Microsoft's new Flow event-automation service come from?

| last = Foley

| first = Mary Jo

| author-link = Mary Jo Foley

| date = 2016-05-04

| website = ZDNet

| publisher = CBS Interactive

| access-date = 2016-11-25

| quote = Microsoft's new alternative to IFTTT can trace its origins back to a couple of other services developed by the company's Cloud and Enterprise group. [...] 'Microsoft Flow is a stand-alone SaaS Service that is designed for broad usage, including business users that want to automate day-to-day tasks. [...]'

| archive-date = 2016-11-25

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161125110557/http://www.zdnet.com/article/where-did-microsofts-new-flow-event-automation-service-come-from/

| url-status = live

}}