The present disclosure relates to configuring and operating Internet of things (IoT) elements connected by a network. A computing device receives a request to generate a rule for coordinating operation of a plurality of IoT elements. The computing device determines whether the request satisfies restrictions as described in descriptions of interface components of the plurality of IoT elements in the computing device by referencing descriptions of interface components. The interface components correspond to the plurality of IoT elements. The computing device generates the rule responsive to determining that the request satisfies the restrictions, and sends an action signal over the network based on the rule to operate one or more of the plurality of IoT elements.