ha-automation

This skill prevents common automation mistakes including:

1. Incorrect trigger syntax - Using deprecated formats or invalid entity IDs
2. Missing condition operators - Forgetting and/or/not conjunctions
3. Jinja2 template errors - Undefined variables or incorrect filter usage
4. Blueprint parameterization issues - Missing !input substitutions or misaligned selectors

Basic Automation Format

```yaml

automation: !include automations.yaml

```

Single Automation File

```yaml

• alias: "My Automation"

description: "What this automation does"

trigger: ...

condition: ...

action: ...

mode: single

```

State Trigger

```yaml

trigger:

platform: state

entity_id: light.bedroom

from: "off"

to: "on"

for:

minutes: 5

```

Numeric State Trigger

```yaml

trigger:

platform: numeric_state

entity_id: sensor.temperature

above: 25

below: 30

```

Time Trigger

```yaml

trigger:

platform: time

at: "10:30:00"

```

Time Pattern Trigger

```yaml

trigger:

platform: time_pattern

hours: "*/2" # Every 2 hours

minutes: 0

```

Device Trigger

```yaml

trigger:

platform: device

device_id: abc123...

domain: light

type: turned_on

```

Event Trigger

```yaml

trigger:

platform: event

event_type: call_service

event_data:

domain: light

```

MQTT Trigger

```yaml

trigger:

platform: mqtt

topic: home/front_door/status

payload: "opened"

```

Webhook Trigger

```yaml

trigger:

platform: webhook

webhook_id: my_webhook_id

```

Sun Trigger

```yaml

trigger:

platform: sun

event: sunrise

offset: "-00:30:00" # 30 min before sunrise

```

Zone Trigger

```yaml

trigger:

platform: zone

entity_id: device_tracker.john

zone: zone.home

event: enter

```

Template Trigger

```yaml

trigger:

platform: template

value_template: "{{ state_attr('light.bedroom', 'brightness') > 200 }}"

```

State Condition

```yaml

condition:

- condition: state

entity_id: light.bedroom

state: "on"

```

Numeric State Condition

```yaml

condition:

- condition: numeric_state

entity_id: sensor.temperature

above: 20

below: 25

```

Time Condition

```yaml

condition:

- condition: time

after: "08:00:00"

before: "20:00:00"

weekday:

- mon

- tue

- wed

```

Sun Condition

```yaml

condition:

- condition: sun

after: sunrise

before: sunset

```

Template Condition

```yaml

condition:

- condition: template

value_template: "{{ states('light.bedroom') == 'on' }}"

```

Combining Conditions

```yaml

condition:

- condition: and

conditions:

- condition: state

entity_id: light.bedroom

state: "on"

- condition: numeric_state

entity_id: sensor.temperature

above: 20

```

```yaml

condition:

- condition: or

conditions:

- condition: state

entity_id: binary_sensor.motion

state: "on"

- condition: state

entity_id: light.bedroom

state: "on"

```

Call Service Action

```yaml

action:

- service: light.turn_on

target:

entity_id: light.bedroom

data:

brightness: 255

color_temp: 366

```

Call Service (Multiple Targets)

```yaml

action:

- service: light.turn_on

target:

entity_id:

- light.bedroom

- light.living_room

area_id: downstairs

```

Choose (If/Then/Else)

```yaml

action:

- choose:

- conditions:

- condition: state

entity_id: light.bedroom

state: "on"

sequence:

- service: light.turn_off

target:

entity_id: light.bedroom

- conditions:

- condition: state

entity_id: light.bedroom

state: "off"

sequence:

- service: light.turn_on

target:

entity_id: light.bedroom

default:

- service: notification.send

data:

message: "Unable to determine light state"

```

Repeat (Loop)

```yaml

action:

- repeat:

count: 3

sequence:

- service: light.toggle

target:

entity_id: light.bedroom

- delay:

seconds: 1

```

Delay

```yaml

action:

- delay:

minutes: 5

```

Wait for Trigger

```yaml

action:

- wait_for_trigger:

platform: state

entity_id: binary_sensor.motion

to: "off"

timeout:

minutes: 30

- service: light.turn_off

target:

entity_id: light.bedroom

```

Parallel Actions

```yaml

action:

- parallel:

- service: light.turn_off

target:

entity_id: light.bedroom

- service: switch.turn_off

target:

entity_id: switch.fan

```

```yaml

mode: single # Default - cancel previous run

mode: restart # Restart on retrigger

mode: queued # Queue up to 10 retriggered runs

mode: parallel # Allow multiple simultaneous runs

mode: queued # with max: 10 # Limit queued runs

```

Common Variables

• states('entity.id') - Get entity state
• state_attr('entity.id', 'attribute') - Get entity attribute
• now() - Current datetime
• as_timestamp('2024-01-01') - Convert to timestamp
• trigger - Trigger object (if in trigger template)

Filters

```jinja2

{{ value | float(0) }} # Convert to float with default

{{ value | int(0) }} # Convert to int with default

{{ value | round(2) }} # Round to 2 decimal places

{{ value | timestamp_custom("%Y-%m-%d") }} # Format timestamp

{{ value | replace("old", "new") }} # Replace string

{{ value | lower }} # Lowercase

{{ value | upper }} # Uppercase

{{ value | length }} # Get length

{{ list | list }} # Convert to list

```

Conditionals

```jinja2

{% if states('light.bedroom') == 'on' %}

Light is on

{% elif states('light.bedroom') == 'off' %}

Light is off

{% else %}

Unknown

{% endif %}

```

Loops

```jinja2

{% for entity in states.light %}

{{ entity.name }}: {{ entity.state }}

{% endfor %}

```

Math Operations

```jinja2

{{ 5 + 3 }} # Addition

{{ 10 - 4 }} # Subtraction

{{ 3 * 4 }} # Multiplication

{{ 20 / 4 }} # Division

{{ 17 % 5 }} # Modulo (remainder)

```

String Operations

```jinja2

{{ "hello " + "world" }} # Concatenation

{{ value is string }} # Type checking

{{ value is number }}

{{ value is defined }} # Check if variable exists

{{ value | default("fallback") }} # Provide default

```

Debugging Templates

Use Developer Tools > Template in Home Assistant UI to test templates in real-time.

Blueprint Structure

```yaml

blueprint:

name: "Friendly Name"

description: "What this blueprint does"

domain: automation

source_url: "https://github.com/user/repo/path/to/blueprint.yaml"

input:

my_light:

name: "Light to control"

description: "The light entity to control"

selector:

entity:

domain: light

brightness_level:

name: "Brightness"

description: "Brightness percentage (0-100)"

selector:

number:

min: 0

max: 100

unit_of_measurement: "%"

duration:

name: "Duration"

description: "How long to stay on"

selector:

number:

min: 1

max: 60

unit_of_measurement: "minutes"

my_bool:

name: "Enable feature"

selector:

boolean:

trigger: ...

condition: ...

action:

- service: light.turn_on

target:

entity_id: !input my_light

data:

brightness: !input brightness_level

```

Blueprint Selectors

```yaml

# Entity selector

selector:

entity:

domain: light

# Device selector

selector:

device:

integration: zwave

manufacturer: Philips

# Area selector

selector:

area:

# Number selector

selector:

number:

min: 0

max: 100

step: 5

unit_of_measurement: "%"

# Text selector

selector:

text:

multiline: true

# Boolean selector

selector:

boolean:

# Select (dropdown)

selector:

select:

options:

- label: "Option 1"

value: "value1"

- label: "Option 2"

value: "value2"

```

❌ Don't: Use old trigger format

```yaml

trigger:

- platform: state

entity_id: light.bedroom

```

✅ Do: Use nested structure

```yaml

trigger:

- platform: state

entity_id: light.bedroom

to: "on"

```

❌ Don't: Mix trigger and condition logic

```yaml

trigger:

- platform: state

entity_id: light.bedroom

to: "on"

condition:

- condition: state

entity_id: light.bedroom

to: "on" # Redundant!

```

✅ Do: Use trigger for change detection, condition for state verification

```yaml

trigger:

- platform: state

entity_id: light.bedroom

condition:

- condition: numeric_state

entity_id: sensor.temperature

above: 20 # Additional check

```

❌ Don't: Forget entity_id in service calls

```yaml

action:

- service: light.turn_on

data:

brightness: 255

```

✅ Do: Specify target entity

```yaml

action:

- service: light.turn_on

target:

entity_id: light.bedroom

data:

brightness: 255

```

1. Use descriptive alias names - Make automation purposes clear
2. Add descriptions - Explain why the automation exists
3. Test with Developer Tools - Verify templates before deployment
4. Use choose for complex logic - More readable than multiple automations
5. Organize by room or function - Use !include to split large files
6. Set appropriate mode - Choose single/restart/queued based on use case
7. Add for: condition - Prevent false triggers from brief state changes
8. Use templates for flexibility - Enable parameter passing in blueprints

Template Shows "Error"

• Check template in Developer Tools > Template
• Verify entity IDs exist: homeassistant.entity_ids
• Use | default("value") filter for optional attributes

Automation Doesn't Trigger

• Verify entity IDs and state values (case-sensitive)
• Check trigger.yaml syntax with YAML validator
• Review automation logs in Settings > Developer Tools > Logs

Blueprint Input Not Working

• Verify !input variable_name syntax (YAML 1.2 tag)
• Check selector type matches input type
• Ensure blueprint is in correct folder: config/blueprints/automation/

Jinja2 Syntax Error

• Check for undefined variables - use | default()
• Verify filter syntax: value | filter_name(arg)
• Don't use quotes inside quotes without escaping

• [Home Assistant Automation Docs](https://www.home-assistant.io/docs/automation/)
• [Home Assistant Scripts](https://www.home-assistant.io/docs/scripts/)
• [Jinja2 Templating Guide](https://www.home-assistant.io/docs/automation/templating/)
• [Blueprint Documentation](https://www.home-assistant.io/docs/blueprint/)
• [Condition Types](https://www.home-assistant.io/docs/automation/condition/)
• [Trigger Types](https://www.home-assistant.io/docs/automation/trigger/)
• [Template Integration](https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/template/)