Test if string matches pattern: match

The match template test checks whether a string matches a regular expression (regex) pattern at the beginning. A regular expression is a special text pattern that lets you describe what you are looking for, such as “starts with a number” or “begins with the word sensor”. As a template test, it is used with the is keyword, making your templates read more naturally.

This is useful in conditions and {% if %} blocks where you want to check if a value starts with a certain pattern. For example, you might test whether an entity ID begins with a particular domain, or whether a sensor value starts with a specific prefix. Because it is a test rather than a filter, it fits naturally into conditional expressions. It checks only the beginning of the string; use the search test to look for a pattern anywhere.

Usage

Here’s how to use this template function. Copy any example and adjust it to your setup.

{% if "light.living_room" is match("light\\.") %}
  It's a light entity
{% endif %}

It's a light entity

Function signature

The signature is a technical summary of this template function. It shows the name of the function, the values (called parameters) it accepts, and what type of data each parameter expects (for example, a piece of text or a number).

Function parameters that have a = with a value after them are optional. If you leave them out, the default value shown is used automatically. Function parameters without a default are required.

match(
    value: str,
    find: str = "",
    ignorecase: bool = False,
) -> bool

Function parameters

The following parameters can be provided to this function.

Match vs search test

The match test only checks the beginning of the string. Use the search test to find a pattern anywhere in the string.

{{ "Room: Living Room" is match("Living") }}
{{ "Room: Living Room" is search("Living") }}

false
true

Good to know

• Only checks the start of the string. Use search when the pattern can appear anywhere.
• A literal dot (.) in the pattern must be escaped with a backslash, since . matches any character in regex.
• Case-sensitive by default. Pass ignorecase=true to match regardless of case.

Try it yourself

Ready to test this? Open Developer tools > Template, paste the example into the Template editor, and watch the result update on the right. Edit the values to see how the function adapts to your own 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].

More examples

Real scenarios where this function comes up in automations and templates. Copy any example and adapt it to your setup.

Filter entities by domain in a loop

Use match inside a loop to select only entities from a specific domain.

{% for entity in states if entity.entity_id is match("binary_sensor\\.") %}
  {{ entity.entity_id }}
{% endfor %}

Conditional automation based on entity pattern

Check if a triggering entity belongs to a specific domain using the match test in a condition.

{% if trigger.entity_id is match("sensor\\.temperature_") %}
  Temperature sensor triggered: {{ trigger.entity_id }}
{% endif %}

Temperature sensor triggered: sensor.temperature_living_room

Still stuck?

The Home Assistant community is quick to help: join Discord for real-time chat, post on the community forum with your template and expected result, or share on our subreddit /r/homeassistant.

Related template functions

These functions work well alongside this one:

• Test if string contains pattern: search - Template test that checks if a string contains a regular expression pattern anywhere.

• Match a regex pattern: regex_match - Tests if a string matches a regular expression pattern at the beginning.

• Search for a regex pattern: regex_search - Searches for a regular expression pattern anywhere in a string.