Home Assistant
Home Assistant
Start with meaning, then move to detail.
This lesson explains Home Assistant as part of getting started with Hermes correctly. You will learn what it does, when it matters, and the smallest safe test that proves it works.
If you are new, do not memorize names. Focus on three questions: what problem does this solve, what access does it need, and how can you verify the result?
For practice, inspect the first example, identify its effects, run it on test data, and compare the result with the source claim.
For advanced readers, inspect Setup, 1. Create a Long-Lived Access Token, 2. Configure Environment Variables, then verify failure modes and version compatibility.
No prior experience is required; follow the steps on a safe test setup first.
A clear outcome before you read.
- Understand Home Assistant without assumed prior knowledge.
- Separate the source description from what still needs testing in your environment.
- Read the first command and identify its inputs and outputs before copying it.
Short definitions before the details.
- Gateway
- The process that connects Hermes to channels such as Telegram or Discord and routes messages.
- Tool
- A structured action the agent can call to read or change something.
Control your smart home with Hermes Agent via Home Assistant integration.
What does the source say, and in what order?
- 01Setup
Start here to understand the core idea or structure.
- 021. Create a Long-Lived Access Token
Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.
- 032. Configure Environment Variables
Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.
- 043. Start the Gateway
Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.
- 05Available Tools
Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.
- 06halistentities
Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.
- 07hagetstate
Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.
- 08halistservices
Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.
- 09hacallservice
Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.
- 10Gateway Platform: Real-Time Events
Finish here to verify the result and special cases.
Copy only after you understand the effect.
# Add to ~/.hermes/.env
# Required: your Long-Lived Access Token
HASS_TOKEN=your-long-lived-access-token
# Optional: HA URL (default: http://homeassistant.local:8123)
HASS_URL=http://192.168.1.100:8123hermes gatewayList all lights in the living roomRead the first command and identify its inputs and outputs before copying it.
Match every command to your installed Hermes version, review the files and accounts it can reach, and use non-sensitive data for the first test. If this explanation differs from the source, the official source wins.