DIY integrations, open platforms, and local control. Build a smart home that you actually own — no cloud lock-in, no subscriptions, no surprises.
HA vs Homey vs SmartThings vs Homebridge vs openHAB — which open platform fits your setup?
Side-by-side comparison for mixed-brand smart home setups — strengths, weaknesses, and who should choose what.
Two ways to run Zigbee in Home Assistant. Which one gives you more devices, more flexibility, and less pain?
What MQTT is, how brokers work, and how to send your first smart home messages with real bash examples.
Visual automation flows that go beyond what HA's built-in automations can do. Real flow examples included.
Build your own local smart sensors and relays using ESP32 boards and a simple YAML config file.
Which smart home wireless protocol should you build on? Full comparison with real trade-offs.
What you gain and lose when you go local — and the best locally-controlled devices to buy right now.
Network segmentation, Tailscale remote access, backups, and 2FA — without making daily use painful.
The full open-source stack: HA, Zigbee2MQTT, ESPHome, Node-RED, Mosquitto, n8n, and more.
Connect Aqara sensors and switches via Zigbee2MQTT for full local control — no hub required.
Local control for TP-Link Tapo plugs and switches without relying on the Tapo cloud.
Push-based, fully local Shelly integration using MQTT — faster and more reliable than polling.
Pair Sonoff ZBMINI, SNZB sensors, and more with Zigbee2MQTT for local control in Home Assistant.
Stream Reolink cameras, trigger automations on motion, and save snapshots — all locally.
Official API, HACS custom integration, or local Bluetooth — three ways to bring Govee into HA.
Connect Eufy vacuums, cameras, and security devices via the eufy-security-ws HACS integration.
Use the Hue Bridge for easy setup, or bypass it entirely with Zigbee2MQTT for full local control.
Connect IKEA smart bulbs, remotes, and motion sensors to HA via Zigbee2MQTT or native integration.
Z-Wave, Zigbee, and Matter smart locks that work 100% locally with Home Assistant.
Motion sensor → light automation from scratch, with YAML structure explained line by line.
Publish and subscribe to MQTT topics with real mosquitto_pub/sub commands and HA YAML sensors.
Install Node-RED, connect it to HA, and build a real sunset-triggered light flow step by step.
Flash an ESP32 with a DHT22 temperature sensor config and add it to Home Assistant in minutes.
From dongle to first paired device — complete setup walkthrough with real configuration YAML.
Lovelace YAML cards, custom views, and tablet kiosk mode for a wall-mounted home dashboard.
Track real-time power usage with Shelly EM and Tapo P115 — with cost calculation and alerts.
Aqara + Shelly + Tapo working together in a single cross-brand automation. The complete guide.
Get push notifications and save camera snapshots when Reolink detects motion — with time filters.
Tailscale, Nabu Casa, and Cloudflare Tunnel — which remote access method is right for you?