backlight is a FastAPI-based LED controller for WS281x strips (WS2812B, SK6812, ...) for Raspberry Pi. backlight works on Raspberry Pi 4 and 5, but likely has some degree of backward compatibility.

• Multiple built-in commands (colors, brightness, gamma correction, animations...)
• Individual LED addressable
• Highly configurable from
  • JSON config file
  • RESTful API
• React frontend at maiswan/backlight-dashboard

sudo apt-get install python3-dev # install globally
python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate

pip install -r requirements.txt

# https://gordonlesti.com/light-up-ws2811-leds-with-a-raspberry-pi-5-via-spi/
sudo raspi-config

Select 3 Interface Options, then I4 SPI, then Yes.

# https://abyz.me.uk/lg/download.html
sudo apt install swig
sudo apt install python-setuptools python3-setuptools
wget http://abyz.me.uk/lg/lg.zip
unzip lg.zip
cd lg
make
sudo make install
cd ..
pip install -r requirements-pi-5.txt

On a Pi 5, the LED data line must be connected to a SPI pin (e.g., GPIO10). In config.json, set spi_enabled to true.

Modify config.json as needed.

Run (sudo as needed).

chmod 755 backlight.sh 
./backlight.sh

backlight will read and use the first available configuration file from config.dev.json, config.prod.json, and config.json. When exiting, backlight saves the latest configurations and LED commands.

backlight also offers remote control through a HTTP API. The routes are as follows:

There are two endpoints for each of port, led_count, pixel_order, spi_enabled, pwm_pin and fps, fps_static.

GET /api/v3/config/{x}
PUT /api/v3/config/{x}

When sending a PUT request, encapsulate the value in a JSON object:

PUT /api/v3/config/fps

{
    "value": 60
}

Updating the port value will require restarting backlight.