Home Assistant Guide

Getting Started with Home Assistant

Step 1: What is Home Assistant?

• Control devices from any brand – lights, switches, sensors, alarms, and more, all in one place.
• Privacy-first – Your data stays on your own hardware, not in the cloud.
• Powerful automations – Create routines as simple or advanced as you like.
• Open-source & customizable – No vendor lock-in, and you can shape it to your needs.
• Huge community – Friendly forums and tons of guides and add-ons.

Home Assistant is more powerful and flexible than typical "plug and play" smart home hubs. You can start simple, then expand as your needs grow.

Step 2: Choose the Right Installation Type

Home Assistant can run in a few different ways, but for most people, Home Assistant OS is by far the easiest, and it's what the tutorials on this site will focus on (unless an article says otherwise).

• Home Assistant OS (Recommended):
  An all-in-one package with everything you need, including Home Assistant itself, its own operating system, and an easy "app store" for add-ons.
  Just install, and you're ready to go. Works on Raspberry Pi, Home Assistant Green, ODROID, and more.
• Home Assistant Supervised:
  Installs Home Assistant plus its "app store" on top of a Linux system (like Ubuntu or Debian).
  Think of it as adding Home Assistant to a regular computer running Linux. More flexible, but requires more technical know-how.
• Home Assistant Container:
  Runs Home Assistant inside Docker - a tool that keeps apps in neat, isolated "boxes" on your system.
  Good if you already use Docker. No built-in add-on store; you manage things yourself.
• Home Assistant Core:
  Just the Home Assistant app, installed by itself (for example, using pip in Python).
  Only for advanced users who want to handle every detail manually.

For beginners, Home Assistant OS is highly recommended. Most guides here assume you're using Home Assistant OS.

Step 3: Get the Necessary Hardware

One of the first things you'll need to do is get the right hardware for your Home Assistant server. The good news? Home Assistant is lightweight, so you have plenty of options:

• Home Assistant Green: The latest official, plug-and-play box made for Home Assistant. Just connect it to power and your network, and you're ready to set up.
• Home Assistant Yellow: An official device with options for built-in Zigbee (for smart device communication) and designed for DIY upgrades.
• Raspberry Pi 4 (2GB or more): A classic, affordable single-board computer. Use a high-quality SD card or (for best reliability) an SSD.
• ODROID (like N2+): A family of small, fast computers similar to the Raspberry Pi. Some ODROID models are faster and work great with Home Assistant OS - perfect if you want more performance or can't get a Pi.
• Old PC, laptop, or Intel NUC: Reuse hardware you already have for extra speed and reliability.
• Virtual Machine (VM): Run Home Assistant on your main computer, Mac, or server alongside other software.

Minimum requirements: 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage is recommended for a smooth experience. For Raspberry Pi or ODROID, use a reliable power supply.

• Ethernet is best: Use a wired network connection for maximum reliability.
• Backup power (optional): A small UPS (battery backup) helps keep things running during short power cuts.

Step 4: Know What Peripherals You Might Need (Zigbee, Z-Wave, Thread, Matter, Bluetooth)

Many smart home devices (like bulbs, sensors, and switches) use wireless protocols such as Zigbee, Z-Wave, Thread, Bluetooth, or connect over Wi-Fi/Ethernet. If you want to use devices that talk Zigbee, Z-Wave, or Thread, you'll need a USB stick (dongle) or other adapter to allow Home Assistant to "hear" those signals.

What is Matter?
Matter is a new universal smart home standard developed by Google, Apple, Amazon, and others. It lets devices from different brands work together smoothly and securely. Many new devices use Matter over Thread, which means you'll need Thread support for those to work with Home Assistant.

• Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1: The official USB stick for Home Assistant, giving you excellent Zigbee support and the option to use it for Thread devices (including Matter over Thread).
  Important: While the ZBT-1 has the hardware for both Zigbee and Thread, you must pick one mode at a time. "Multiprotocol" (using both Zigbee and Thread at once) is experimental and not recommended for most users - it may be unreliable. For the best experience, use the ZBT-1 as either a dedicated Zigbee coordinator or flash the dedicated Thread firmware to use it as a Thread border router (for Matter devices).
• Zigbee: Used by many bulbs, sensors, and plugs. If your device doesn't have Zigbee built-in (like Home Assistant Yellow does), you'll need a Zigbee USB stick (the ZBT-1 is the easiest official option).
• Z-Wave: Another popular wireless standard for smart home. You'll need a Z-Wave USB stick if you want to use Z-Wave devices.
• Thread: A newer wireless protocol used by many Matter smart home devices. To use Thread, your Home Assistant needs access to a Thread border router - this is just a device or USB stick (like the ZBT-1, when running Thread firmware) that acts as a "translator" between your network and your Thread-based gadgets.
  Good news: Many homes already have a Thread border router built in to other devices, such as Google Nest Hubs, Google TV streamers, some Alexa speakers, or Apple HomePod Minis. If you already own one of these, you may not need a separate Thread dongle for Home Assistant at all! The easiest way to check is to let Home Assistant check for you: just add the Thread integration and it will automatically scan your network for available border routers.
• Bluetooth: For some sensors and plugs. Most Raspberry Pis and modern PCs already have Bluetooth; if not, a small USB Bluetooth adapter works.
• Wi-Fi and Ethernet devices: Many smart devices connect directly to your network - no extra hardware needed.
• USB extension cable: It's strongly recommended to use a short USB extension cable for any wireless dongle (Zigbee, Thread, Z-Wave, etc.). This helps move the stick away from your computer, reducing interference and improving wireless range and reliability.

Tip: You only need these dongles for the kinds of devices you plan to use, and you can always add them later as your setup grows!

Step 5: What Can You Control with Home Assistant?

With Home Assistant, you can connect and automate:

• Smart lights (Philips Hue, IKEA, WiZ, etc.)
• Switches and plugs
• Thermostats and climate control
• Sensors (motion, temperature, humidity, doors, etc.)
• Security cameras and alarms
• Voice assistants (Google, Alexa, open-source)
• And hundreds more types of devices and services!