A method of message adaptation in the Internet of Things (IoT) includes receiving a message containing data collected by the plurality of sensors, identifying a message type, looking up a message descriptor according to the message type, looking up a message template matching the message type and outputting the message with the matched message template for content-based processing. In one embodiment, the method includes identifying the message is a text message, parsing the message according to message type and message descriptor, and creating a sequence of key-value pairs for the text message. In one embodiment the method includes determining that there is no matched or valid matched message template and parsing the message according to the message descriptor to generate and store a message template including the message type, a message item list and a message item position list and attaching the message template to the message.