joeltelling

joeltelling / HexHive

Public

Local web tool for controlling a hexagonal WLED LED-strip installation. Next.js + TypeScript.

esp8266 hexagon led nextjs typescript
12
3
89% credibility
Found May 27, 2026 at 12 stars -- GitGems finds repos before they trend. Get early access to the next one.
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AI Analysis
TypeScript
AI Summary

HexHive is a local web tool for controlling a hexagonal LED light installation. You arrange hexagonal tiles on screen to match your physical setup, map your LED strip to each hex by walking along it, then control the lights by painting colors, applying patterns, or running animated waves. The app communicates with your LED controller device and mirrors the live state back to your browser so what you see on screen is exactly what your lights are doing.

How It Works

1
✨ You see an amazing honeycomb light display

A friend shows you their LED wall made of hexagonal tiles that glow and pulse in beautiful colors.

2
💻 You download and open the app

The app runs in your browser and shows a dark, sleek interface with a honeycomb logo and a big preview area.

3
🔗 You connect to your LED device

You type in the address of your LED controller (like 'wled.local') and click Connect. A status indicator turns green.

4
🔲 You design your hexagon layout

You drag hexagonal tiles around the screen to match your actual physical setup. Tiles snap together when they get close.

5
🔦 You map your LEDs to each hexagon

A helper walks you along your LED strip one LED at a time, clicking buttons to tell the app which LEDs belong to each hex.

6
You bring your display to life
🪣
Paint each hex a different color

Pick colors from a palette and tap hexes to fill them in, watching the preview update instantly.

✨
Apply a ready-made pattern

Choose from patterns like 'Honeycomb', 'Aurora', or 'Fire Hive' with a single click.

🌊
Run an animated wave

Pick two colors and a speed, then watch ripples, sweeps, or cascades flow across your hexes.

🎉 Your LED display matches your design perfectly

Everything you see on screen is exactly what's happening on your physical LED wall, in real time.

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AI-Generated Review

What is HexHive?

HexHive is a local web application for controlling a hexagonal WLED LED-strip installation. Built with Next.js and TypeScript, it provides a visual interface for designing hex tile layouts, mapping physical LEDs to each tile, and driving the strip with curated patterns, per-hex color painting, static scenes, and animated waves. The browser never talks to WLED directly -- a server-side proxy handles HTTP and WebSocket connections, mirroring live device state back to the UI. Everything persists to JSON files in a data directory, no database required. You can run it in demo mode to test drive the interface without any hardware connected.

Why is it gaining traction?

The LED mapper tool is the standout feature. Instead of manually counting LEDs, you walk the strip physically -- one LED lights up at a time, you step forward or back until you find the boundary of each hex tile, and the app builds the mapping automatically. Combined with a layout designer where hexes snap together when dragged close, the setup workflow feels thoughtful rather than error-prone. The wave streamer runs server-side at ~16Hz, pushing per-hex color frames directly to WLED, which keeps animations smooth without browser performance becoming a bottleneck. Demo mode lets you explore the full interface before committing to a hardware build.

Who should use this?

Makers building hexagonal LED installations -- think decorative lighting rigs, art installations, or the 3D-printed honeycomb structure this was clearly designed around. WLED users who want a visual layout tool instead of configuring segments by hand. Developers comfortable with Node.js who want a starting point for customizing LED control interfaces.

Verdict

HexHive solves its target problem well and comes with thorough documentation covering architecture, API endpoints, and known pitfalls. The credibility score of 0.8999999761581421% reflects a small project with only 12 stars -- it's early-stage, unproven at scale, and has no visible test coverage. That said, the code is clean, the feature set is complete for its niche, and the GPL-3.0 license means you can fork and extend it. If you're building a hex LED project, this is worth a serious look. If you need something production-hardened or general-purpose, wait for more community validation.

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