Integration categories

Integration categories are how people find integrations: on the integrations page of the website, in the Home Assistant app, and in the Marketplace. An integration can list one to three of them in the categories key of its manifest. The key is optional for now.

How to choose

Ask yourself one question: what is this, and where would someone look for it? A category describes the product or service, not the entities Home Assistant creates for it.

Pick the primary category: the one that says what your integration is for. A thermostat brand is Climate, even when it also creates sensors and switches.
Use a subcategory when one clearly fits, like climate.thermostats_heating. Otherwise, use the category on its own.
Add a second or third category only when your integration really is that too, in a way people would browse for. Shelly makes smart plugs and switches, but also bulbs and energy meters, so it lists all three.

Most integrations need one category. Some guidance for the cases that come up often:

A hub or bridge that brings in many kinds of devices, like Zigbee or a multi-purpose vendor bridge, goes in Hubs & protocols. A bridge for one kind of product goes in that product's category: Philips Hue is Lighting.
Generic building blocks, like MQTT, RESTful, or Modbus, go in DIY & makers.
Helpers go in Helpers first. Add a real-world category only when the helper is clearly about one, like the utility meter, which is also Energy.
A weather station measures the weather, it doesn't forecast it. Use Weather & alerts on its own, and keep Forecasts for services that actually forecast.

Entity and system integrations, like light or recorder, are not something people browse for and have no categories. Neither do virtual integrations: they show the categories of the integration they point to.

All categories

Every category below lists the values you can put in categories. Some categories have subcategories, to narrow it down: use the category on its own when your integration covers more of it, and the subcategory when one fits. A smart thermostat is climate.thermostats_heating. A brand that makes thermostats, air conditioners, and fans is climate.

Find a category by what your integration is for, like "thermostat" or "pool", or jump to one.

AI & voice

AI models and agents, voice assistants, speech-to-text, text-to-speech and image recognition.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
AI & voice, in general	`ai_voice`
AI models	`ai_voice.ai_models`
Image recognition	`ai_voice.image_recognition`
Speech	`ai_voice.speech`
Voice assistants	`ai_voice.voice_assistants`

Appliances & cleaning

Cooking and kitchen appliances (ovens, coffee machines, sous vide, cooking thermometers, brewing), laundry, robot vacuums and mops, and fragrance diffusers.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Appliances & cleaning, in general	`appliances_cleaning`
Cleaning	`appliances_cleaning.cleaning`
Cooking	`appliances_cleaning.cooking`
Laundry	`appliances_cleaning.laundry`

Blinds & curtains

Blinds, curtains, shutters, awnings, garage doors and gates.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Blinds & curtains	`blinds_curtains`

Buttons & remotes

Smart buttons, remote controls, and infrared or radio blasters that control other devices.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Buttons & remotes	`buttons_remotes`

Climate

Heating, cooling and ventilation: thermostats, heat pumps, air conditioners, fans, humidifiers, air purifiers and water heaters.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Climate, in general	`climate`
Air purifiers & humidifiers	`climate.air_purifiers_humidifiers`
Fans & ventilation	`climate.fans_ventilation`
Heat pumps & air conditioning	`climate.heat_pumps_air_conditioning`
Thermostats & heating	`climate.thermostats_heating`
Water heaters	`climate.water_heaters`

Computers & network

Routers, NAS, servers, printers, 3D printers, cloud hosting, developer tools and uptime monitoring.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Computers & network, in general	`computers_network`
Cloud & developer tools	`computers_network.cloud_developer_tools`
Monitoring	`computers_network.monitoring`
NAS & servers	`computers_network.nas_servers`
Printers	`computers_network.printers`
Routers & network	`computers_network.routers_network`

DIY & makers

Build your own: firmware, message brokers, and generic connectors for web APIs, databases, serial ports and Modbus.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
DIY & makers, in general	`diy_makers`
Boards & hardware interfaces	`diy_makers.boards_hardware`
Web & data connectors	`diy_makers.web_data_connectors`

Energy

Solar panels, home batteries, energy meters, EV chargers, generators, UPS, gas and propane tanks, and energy prices.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Energy, in general	`energy`
Backup power	`energy.backup_power`
Energy prices	`energy.energy_prices`
EV charging	`energy.ev_charging`
Meters & monitoring	`energy.meters_monitoring`
Solar & batteries	`energy.solar_batteries`

Finance

Bank accounts, budgeting tools, stocks, currency exchange rates and cryptocurrency.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Finance	`finance`

Garden & plants

Irrigation, lawn mowers, plant sensors, hydroponics and greenhouses.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Garden & plants	`garden_plants`

Health & wellbeing

Scales, toothbrushes, sleep and fitness tracking, glucose monitoring and baby care.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Health & wellbeing	`health_wellbeing`

Helpers

Entities you create yourself, without a device behind them: toggles, numbers, timers and schedules, and values calculated from other entities.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Helpers, in general	`helpers`
Calculate a value	`helpers.calculate_value`
Store a value	`helpers.store_value`

Hubs & protocols

Smart home hubs and radio protocols that each bring in many kinds of devices.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Hubs & protocols, in general	`hubs_protocols`
Building automation	`hubs_protocols.building_automation`
Smart home hubs	`hubs_protocols.smart_home_hubs`
Wireless protocols	`hubs_protocols.wireless_protocols`

Lighting

Smart bulbs, light strips, fixtures and lighting systems.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Lighting, in general	`lighting`
Bulbs & lamps	`lighting.bulbs_lamps`
LED strips & controllers	`lighting.led_strips_controllers`
Lighting systems	`lighting.lighting_systems`

Local services

Waste collection, power outages, parking, fuel prices and other city or utility information.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Local services	`local_services`

Media & entertainment

TVs, speakers, streaming, music services, receivers, game consoles, game servers and radio.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Media & entertainment, in general	`media_entertainment`
Gaming	`media_entertainment.gaming`
Music & radio services	`media_entertainment.music_radio_services`
Speakers & audio	`media_entertainment.speakers_audio`
TV & streaming	`media_entertainment.tv_streaming`

Messaging & notifications

Send and receive messages: push notifications, email, chat apps, SMS and phone calls.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Messaging & notifications, in general	`messaging_notifications`
Chat apps	`messaging_notifications.chat_apps`
Email, SMS & calls	`messaging_notifications.email_sms_calls`
Push notifications	`messaging_notifications.push_notifications`

News & social media

Follow news and RSS feeds, and follow or post to social networks, blogs and video channels.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
News & social media	`news_social_media`

Other ecosystems

Use your Home Assistant devices in Apple Home, Alexa, Google Assistant and other platforms.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Other ecosystems	`other_ecosystems`

Pets

Feeders, litter boxes, pet doors, pet trackers and aquariums.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Pets	`pets`

Plugs & switches

Smart plugs, light switches, dimmers and relays.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Plugs & switches	`plugs_switches`

Presence & location

Know who is home and where devices are: phones, trackers and network presence.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Presence & location, in general	`presence_location`
Network presence	`presence_location.network_presence`
Phones & companion apps	`presence_location.phones_companion_apps`
Trackers	`presence_location.trackers`

Productivity & information

Calendars, to-do and shopping lists, grocery delivery, package tracking, documents, photos and bookmarks.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Productivity & information, in general	`productivity_information`
Calendars & to-dos	`productivity_information.calendars_todos`
Documents & photos	`productivity_information.documents_photos`
Shopping & groceries	`productivity_information.shopping_groceries`

Security & safety

Cameras, doorbells, locks, keypads, alarm systems, sirens, and smoke alarms.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Security & safety, in general	`security_safety`
Alarm systems	`security_safety.alarm_systems`
Cameras	`security_safety.cameras`
Doorbells & intercoms	`security_safety.doorbells_intercoms`
Locks & access	`security_safety.locks_access`
Smoke & CO alarms	`security_safety.smoke_co_alarms`

Sensors

Motion, door and window, temperature, humidity and air quality sensors.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Sensors, in general	`sensors`
Air quality	`sensors.air_quality`
Door & window	`sensors.door_window`
Motion & presence	`sensors.motion_presence`
Temperature & humidity	`sensors.temperature_humidity`

Vehicles & transport

Cars, EVs, e-bikes, public transport and flight tracking.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Vehicles & transport, in general	`vehicles_transport`
Bikes & scooters	`vehicles_transport.bikes_scooters`
Cars & EVs	`vehicles_transport.cars_evs`
Flights	`vehicles_transport.flights`
Public transport	`vehicles_transport.public_transport`

Water

Water meters, leak detection, softeners and filters, tanks, pools and spas.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Water, in general	`water`
Meters & leak detection	`water.meters_leak_detection`
Pools & spas	`water.pools_spas`
Water treatment	`water.water_treatment`

Weather & alerts

Forecasts, outdoor air quality, pollen, and public warnings for storms, floods, earthquakes or air raids.

Use it for	Value in the manifest
Weather & alerts, in general	`weather_alerts`
Air quality & pollen	`weather_alerts.air_quality_pollen`
Forecasts	`weather_alerts.forecasts`
Public warnings	`weather_alerts.public_warnings`