Expert-level Home Assistant configuration management with efficient deployment workflows, remote CLI access, automation verification, and comprehensive Lovelace dashboard development.
Example tablet-optimized dashboard built using this skill - touch-friendly controls, color-coded status, and responsive grid layout
Verify Claude can see and use this skill:
skill-check.mp4
Shows Claude recognizing the skill and loading Home Assistant expertise
Watch the complete workflow in action - end to end (3x speed):
live-demo.mp4
Complete automation development cycle including deployment, testing, log analysis, and git workflow
This Claude Code skill transforms Claude into a Home Assistant expert that helps you:
- Rapid Development Workflow: Deploy changes via
scpfor instant testing, commit to git when stable - Smart Reload vs Restart: Automatically determines whether to reload or restart based on change type
- Configuration Validation: Always validates before applying changes to prevent downtime
- Remote CLI Access: Seamlessly manages HA instances via SSH and
hass-cli
- Complete Verification Protocol: Automatically tests automations by triggering manually and checking logs
- Error Detection: Identifies template errors, type mismatches, and execution failures
- Log Analysis Patterns: Knows what success and error indicators to look for
- Iterative Fix Workflow: Guides through debugging and re-testing cycles
- Tablet Optimization: Creates touch-friendly dashboards optimized for specific screen sizes (7", 11", 13")
- Card Type Expertise: Knows when to use Mushroom cards, Tile cards, Panel vs Sections views
- Template Patterns: Provides ready-to-use Jinja2 templates for common use cases:
- Door/window counting with color coding
- Conditional display based on time/state
- Multi-condition status indicators
- Common Pitfall Solutions: Solves dashboard registration, auto-entities failures, template type errors
- Real-World Examples: Includes working examples from production tablet dashboards
- Git + scp Hybrid: Uses git for version control, scp for rapid iteration
- No Restart for Dashboards: Deploys dashboard changes with just browser refresh
- Context7 Integration: Leverages official HA documentation via MCP when available
- Deployment Decision Tree: Guides through the optimal workflow based on change type
- Claude Code installed and configured
- Home Assistant instance with:
- SSH access enabled
- Git repository connected to
/configdirectory
- Local tools:
hass-cliinstalled (pipx install homeassistant-cli)- SSH key authentication configured
- Environment variables set:
HASS_SERVER,HASS_TOKEN
cd /path/to/your/homeassistant/config
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cd .claude/skills
git clone [email protected]:komal-SkyNET/claude-skill-homeassistant.git home-assistant-managercd /path/to/your/homeassistant/config
mkdir -p .claude/skills/home-assistant-manager
cd .claude/skills/home-assistant-manager
curl -L https://github.com/komal-SkyNET/claude-skill-homeassistant/archive/main.tar.gz | tar xz --strip-components=1The skill should appear when you start Claude Code in your Home Assistant repository. Claude will automatically load the skill and apply the expertise.
User: "Create an automation that sends a notification when the front door
is left open for more than 5 minutes"
Claude: [Uses skill to]:
1. Create automation YAML with proper syntax
2. Deploy via scp for testing
3. Reload automations (no restart needed)
4. Manually trigger to test
5. Check logs for execution
6. Verify notification received
7. Commit to git when working
User: "Create a dashboard for my 11-inch tablet in the living room
with lights, thermostat, and door status"
Claude: [Uses skill to]:
1. Create new dashboard file in .storage/
2. Register in lovelace_dashboards
3. Use 3-column grid layout (optimal for 11")
4. Add Mushroom cards for touch-friendly controls
5. Create template card with door counting
6. Deploy via scp for instant preview
7. Iterate on layout based on feedback
8. Commit when finalized
User: "My automation has a TypeError about comparing str and int"
Claude: [Uses skill to]:
1. Check logs for exact error message
2. Identify template needs | int filter
3. Fix the template syntax
4. Deploy via scp
5. Trigger manually to verify
6. Check logs confirm no errors
7. Commit the fix
This skill provides expertise in three core areas:
hass-clicommands with environment variables- SSH-based
haCLI commands - Log analysis and error detection
- State verification
- Git workflow: For final, tested changes
- scp workflow: For rapid iteration (dashboards, testing)
- Reload vs Restart: Smart decision making
- Verification protocols: Always check outcomes
- View types: Panel (full-screen) vs Sections (organized)
- Card types: Mushroom, Tile, Template, Auto-entities
- Template patterns: Jinja2 snippets for common use cases
- Debugging: JSON validation, template testing, entity verification
We welcome contributions from the Home Assistant community! This skill has been developed through real-world usage and we want to keep improving it.
🎯 Focus on Home Assistant-specific expertise:
✅ GOOD contributions:
- New template patterns for common use cases
- Solutions to specific HA configuration pitfalls
- Dashboard card examples for different devices
- Integration-specific deployment workflows
- Automation verification patterns
- Log analysis patterns for specific errors
❌ AVOID generic contributions:
- General git workflows (unless HA-specific)
- Generic Python/YAML best practices
- Non-HA development workflows
Add to the "Common Template Patterns" section:
**Your Pattern Name:**
```jinja2
{% set entities = [...] %}
{{ your_template_logic }}Use case: Explain when to use this Example output: Show what it produces
#### 2. Dashboard Card Examples
Add to "Real-World Examples":
```markdown
### Your Card Name
```json
{
"type": "...",
...
}
Best for: Device type, use case Features: What makes this example useful
#### 3. Pitfall Solutions
Add to "Common Pitfalls":
```markdown
**Problem X: Brief description**
- **Symptom:** What the user sees
- **Cause:** Root cause explanation
- **Fix:** Step-by-step solution
If proposing workflow changes:
- Explain the problem with current workflow
- Provide specific HA scenario where it applies
- Show before/after comparison
- Include verification steps
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch:
git checkout -b feature/your-contribution-name - Make your changes to
SKILL.md - Test thoroughly in your own HA environment
- Update README.md if adding new capabilities
- Submit a Pull Request with:
- Clear description of what you're adding
- Example usage scenario
- Verification that it works in real HA setup
PRs are reviewed for:
- ✅ HA-specific value: Does it solve a real HA problem?
- ✅ Accuracy: Is the information correct and up-to-date?
- ✅ Clarity: Is it well-documented and easy to understand?
- ✅ Tested: Has it been verified in a real HA environment?
home-assistant-manager/
├── SKILL.md # Main skill content with YAML frontmatter
├── README.md # This file
└── LICENSE # MIT License
The skill follows the official Claude skills specification:
SKILL.mdcontains YAML frontmatter withnameanddescription- Content organized in logical sections
- Includes examples, patterns, and workflows
- Focused on actionable expertise
For the skill to work optimally, ensure your environment has:
# Test SSH access
ssh [email protected] "ha core info"# Install hass-cli
pipx install homeassistant-cli
# Set environment variables (add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc)
export HASS_SERVER=http://homeassistant.local:8123
export HASS_TOKEN=your_long_lived_access_token
# Test hass-cli
hass-cli state list# Your HA config should be a git repository
cd /config
git init
git remote add origin your-repo-url
# Claude should be run from this directory# Add Context7 for official HA documentation
claude mcp add --transport http context7 https://mcp.context7.com/mcp \
--header "CONTEXT7_API_KEY: your_api_key"- Rapid automation development and testing
- Safe configuration changes with validation
- Remote HA instance management
- Git-based version control workflow
- Tablet-optimized control panels
- Wall-mounted dashboard displays
- Mobile-responsive layouts
- Touch-friendly interface design
- Jinja2 template creation and debugging
- Dynamic sensor calculations
- Conditional automation logic
- Custom card configurations
- Log analysis and error detection
- Template type error resolution
- Dashboard debugging
- Integration configuration issues
- Official Claude Skills Repository
- Home Assistant Documentation
- Lovelace UI Documentation
- Home Assistant Community
MIT License - See LICENSE file for details.
Komal Venkatesh Ganesan
If you find this skill helpful for managing your Home Assistant setup, consider supporting its development:
- Issues: GitHub Issues
- Discussions: GitHub Discussions
- Home Assistant Community: Tag contributions with
claude-skill
Made with ❤️ for the Home Assistant community
