Concepts and terminology

Now you’re in Home Assistant, let’s look at the most important concepts.

Integrations

Integrations are pieces of software that allow Home Assistant to connect to other software and platforms. For example, a product by Philips called Hue would use the Philips Hue integrationIntegrations connect and integrate Home Assistant with your devices, services, and more.
[Learn more] and allow Home Assistant to talk to the hardware controller Hue Bridge. Any Home Assistant compatible devicesA device is a model representing a physical or logical unit that contains entities. connected to the Hue Bridge would appear in Home Assistant as devices.

For a full list of compatible integrationsIntegrations connect and integrate Home Assistant with your devices, services, and more.
[Learn more], refer to the integrations documentation.

Once an integrationIntegrations connect and integrate Home Assistant with your devices, services, and more.
[Learn more] has been added, the hardware and/or data are represented in Home Assistant as devices and entities.

Entities

Entities are the basic building blocks to hold data in Home Assistant. An entityAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service.
[Learn more] represents a sensorSensors return information about a thing, for instance the level of water in a tank.
[Learn more], actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entitiesAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service.
[Learn more]. An entityAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service.
[Learn more] is usually part of a deviceA device is a model representing a physical or logical unit that contains entities. or a serviceA service carries out one specific task, for example: turn on the light in the living room. A service has targets and data and can be called by actions, a dashboard, or via voice command.
[Learn more]. Entities have statesThe state holds the information of interest of an entity, for example, if a light is on or off. Each entity has exactly one state and the state only holds one value at a time. However, entities can store attributes related to that state such as brightness, color, or a unit of measurement.
[Learn more].

Devices

Devices are a logical grouping for one or more entitiesAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service.
[Learn more]. A deviceA device is a model representing a physical or logical unit that contains entities. may represent a physical deviceA device is a model representing a physical or logical unit that contains entities. , which can have one or more sensors. The sensors appear as entities associated with the deviceA device is a model representing a physical or logical unit that contains entities. . For example, a motion sensor is represented as a deviceA device is a model representing a physical or logical unit that contains entities. . It may provide motion detection, temperature, and light levels as entitiesAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service.
[Learn more]. Entities have states such as detected when motion is detected and clear when there is no motion.

Devices and entities are used throughout Home Assistant. To name a few examples:

• Dashboards can show a state of an entityAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service.
  [Learn more]. For example, if a light is on or off.
• An automation can be triggered from a state change on an entityAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service.
  [Learn more]. For example, a motion sensor entity detects motion and triggers a light to turn on.
• A predefined color and brightness setting for a light saved as a scene.

Areas

An area in Home Assistant is a logical grouping of devicesA device is a model representing a physical or logical unit that contains entities. and entitiesAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service.
[Learn more] that are meant to match areas (or rooms) in the physical world: your home. For example, the living room area groups devices and entities in your living room. Areas allow you to target service calls at an entire group of devices. For example, turning off all the lights in the living room. Locations within your home such as living room, dance floor, etc. Areas can be assigned to floorsA floor in Home Assistant is a logical grouping of areas that are meant to match the physical floors in your home. Devices & entities are not assigned to floors but to areas. Floors can be used in automations and scripts as a target for actions. For example, to turn off all the lights on the downstairs floor when you go to bed.. Areas can also be used for automatically generated cards, such as the Area card.

Automations

A set of repeatable actionsActions are used in several places in Home Assistant. As part of a script or automation, actions define what is going to happen once a trigger is activated. In scripts, an action is called sequence.
[Learn more] that can be set up to run automatically. Automations are made of three key components:

1. Triggers - events that start an automationAutomations in Home Assistant allow you to automatically respond to things that happen in and around your home.
   [Learn more]. For example, when the sun sets or a motion sensor is activated.
2. Conditions - optional tests that must be met before an actionActions are used in several places in Home Assistant. As part of a script or automation, actions define what is going to happen once a trigger is activated. In scripts, an action is called sequence.
   [Learn more] can be run. For example, if someone is home.
3. Actions - interact with devicesA device is a model representing a physical or logical unit that contains entities. such as turn on a light.

To learn the basics about automationsAutomations in Home Assistant allow you to automatically respond to things that happen in and around your home.
[Learn more], refer to the automation basics page or try creating an automation yourself.

Scripts

Similar to automationsAutomations in Home Assistant allow you to automatically respond to things that happen in and around your home.
[Learn more], scripts are repeatable actionsActions are used in several places in Home Assistant. As part of a script or automation, actions define what is going to happen once a trigger is activated. In scripts, an action is called sequence.
[Learn more] that can be run. The difference between scriptsScripts are components that allow users to specify a sequence of actions to be executed by Home Assistant when turned on.
[Learn more] and automationsAutomations in Home Assistant allow you to automatically respond to things that happen in and around your home.
[Learn more] is that scriptsScripts are components that allow users to specify a sequence of actions to be executed by Home Assistant when turned on.
[Learn more] do not have triggers. This means that scriptsScripts are components that allow users to specify a sequence of actions to be executed by Home Assistant when turned on.
[Learn more] cannot automatically run unless they are used in an automationsAutomations in Home Assistant allow you to automatically respond to things that happen in and around your home.
[Learn more]. Scripts are particularly useful if you perform the same actionsActions are used in several places in Home Assistant. As part of a script or automation, actions define what is going to happen once a trigger is activated. In scripts, an action is called sequence.
[Learn more] in different automationsAutomations in Home Assistant allow you to automatically respond to things that happen in and around your home.
[Learn more] or trigger them from a dashboard. For information on how to create scriptsScripts are components that allow users to specify a sequence of actions to be executed by Home Assistant when turned on.
[Learn more], refer to the scripts documentation.

Scenes

Scenes allow you to create predefined settings for your devicesA device is a model representing a physical or logical unit that contains entities. . Similar to a driving mode on phones, or driver profiles in cars, it can change an environment to suit you. For example, your watching films sceneScenes capture the states you want certain entities to be. For example, a scene can specify that light A should be turned on and light B should be bright red.
[Learn more] may dim the lighting, switch on the TV and increase its volume. This can be saved as a sceneScenes capture the states you want certain entities to be. For example, a scene can specify that light A should be turned on and light B should be bright red.
[Learn more] and used without having to set individual devicesA device is a model representing a physical or logical unit that contains entities. every time.

To learn how to use scenesScenes capture the states you want certain entities to be. For example, a scene can specify that light A should be turned on and light B should be bright red.
[Learn more], refer to the scene documentation.

Add-ons

Depending on your installation type, you can install third party add-ons. Add-ons are usually apps that can be run with Home Assistant but provide a quick and easy way to install, configure, and run within Home Assistant. Add-ons provide additional functionality whereas integrationsIntegrations connect and integrate Home Assistant with your devices, services, and more.
[Learn more] connect Home Assistant to other apps.