Free Home Assistant course for beginners

Home Assistant Course from Scratch
A complete smart home tutorial in English

Learn Home Assistant step by step: install Home Assistant OS on a Raspberry Pi, build Zigbee and ESPHome devices, use MQTT, and create real home automations. 246 lessons across 23 modules — practical text guides with screenshots and ready-to-copy YAML.

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What you learn

A practical Home Assistant learning path

This smart home course is built for people who want a local, reliable Home Assistant setup — not another vendor cloud. Lessons explain why each step matters before you copy the config.

You get a clear path from first install to automations, Zigbee devices, ESPHome sensors, MQTT, dashboards, and energy monitoring.

  • Home Assistant OS install HAOS on Raspberry Pi, PC, or VM — first boot, updates, and a stable base for your smart home.
  • Zigbee & ESPHome devices Connect lights, plugs, and DIY sensors without depending on manufacturer apps.
  • Automations & Lovelace Ready-to-adapt YAML for automations, scripts, and dashboards that match a real home.
  • Solar & energy monitoring FoxESS, Growatt, Modbus, and battery data on one Home Assistant dashboard.
Browse lessons DIY project gallery
246
Lessons in the course
23
Topic modules
200+
Pages of material
EN
Course language
∞
Ongoing updates

Who it’s for

Who is this Home Assistant course for?

See if this smart home tutorial matches where you are

This course is for you if…
You’ve heard of Home Assistant but don’t know where to start: install, setup, first devices.
You have a Raspberry Pi or spare PC and want it to become your smart home hub.
You bought a Zigbee bulb or plug and want it working without the vendor cloud.
You have solar or a battery (FoxESS, Growatt) and want to monitor and automate it in Home Assistant.
You tried HA already and got stuck on YAML, errors, and scattered documentation.
You want a local smart home without monthly manufacturer subscriptions.
You’re an electrician, plumber, or installer and want to offer clients a solid Home Assistant setup.
This course is not for you if…
You’re looking for a turnkey smart home that works out of the box with zero configuration.
You mainly want to learn programming — this tutorial focuses on configuration, not writing apps.
You’re an advanced developer hunting for deep API docs and niche integrations only.
You need a custom setup for rare hardware that must be named and supported one-to-one.
Not sure yet? Open a sample lesson and see the teaching style.
From zero to a working smart home

No prior Home Assistant knowledge required. If you can install a phone app and get a router online, you can follow this course. We start with Home Assistant OS (Raspberry Pi, PC, or VM), then Zigbee devices, ESPHome, and your first automations. Every lesson explains why before how, with screenshots and YAML snippets you can copy.

No HA experience needed Basic computer skills Willingness to learn Internet access

Outcomes

What learners build with this material

Example projects people complete after working through the lessons

Smart home hub on a Raspberry Pi

Home Assistant with Zigbee, backups, and updates. Your house runs locally — no vendor cloud required.

Home Assistant Zigbee Raspberry Pi

Solar monitoring for FoxESS / Growatt

Inverter via Modbus RS485 and ESP32. Production, self-consumption, and battery state on one dashboard.

Modbus ESP32 Solar

Energy-saving automations

Start appliances on PV surplus, align heating with energy price, and drive lights from presence and time of day.

Automations Energy YAML

Custom ESPHome sensors

Temperature, humidity, door/window, pulse counters — DIY hardware with OTA updates and diagnostics in HA.

ESPHome DIY Sensors

Start here

Sample Home Assistant lessons

Jump into a lesson and see the teaching style — screenshots, YAML, and clear steps.

Open How This Course Works, and What You'll Actually Learn
Lesson 1
How This Course Works, and What You'll Actually Learn
Module 1 · Lesson 1 How This Course Works, and What You'll Actually Learn Smart Home From Scratch Course  ·  appro…
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Open Is Home Assistant Actually Right for You?
Lesson 2
Is Home Assistant Actually Right for You?
Module 1 · Lesson 2 Is Home Assistant Actually Right for You? Smart Home From Scratch Course  ·  approx. 12 min &n…
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Open What Is a Smart Home, Really?
Lesson 3
What Is a Smart Home, Really?
Module 1 · Lesson 3 What Is a Smart Home, Really? Smart Home From Scratch Course  ·  approx. 9 min  ·&…
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What’s included

What’s in this free Home Assistant course

An online smart home tutorial with written lessons: HAOS install, home automations, Zigbee, ESPHome, and MQTT. Screen recordings for selected lessons are planned.

246+ written lessons

From installing Home Assistant OS on a Raspberry Pi to automations, Zigbee, MQTT, and ESPHome. 200+ pages with screenshots, YAML examples, and ready configs.

Video walkthroughs (planned)

Screen recordings for selected lessons are on the roadmap and will be added to the same course over time.

Updated for new HA versions

Home Assistant changes often. Lessons are refreshed so your smart home tutorial stays practical.

Ready-to-copy configs

Automations, scripts, ESPHome YAML, and Lovelace cards — adapt them to your own home.

Solar & battery monitoring

FoxESS and Growatt inverters over Modbus RS485, with register maps you can reuse.

Optional progress tracking

Optional login lets you track which lessons you have completed. Browsing lessons never requires an account.

Modules

23 topic modules

Each module has its own page with a description and lesson list. All modules · Full table of contents.

Module 1

Smart Home and Home Assistant, Without the Chaos

Module 1 Smart Home and Home Assistant, Without the Chaos No hardware, no installation, no wiring. Module 1 is where you decide…

10 lessons Module 2

A Home Ready for Home Assistant

Module 2 A Home Ready for Home Assistant Still no Home Assistant install here, that's Module 5. Module 2 builds the foundation…

12 lessons Module 3

Home Assistant Server

Module 3 Home Assistant Server Still no installation here, that's Module 5. Module 3 answers the question that comes before it:…

10 lessons Module 4

Communication Protocols in the Smart Home

Module 4 Communication Protocols in the Smart Home Your server is chosen, now it's time to understand how your future devices…

6 lessons Module 5

Installing Home Assistant

Module 5 Installing Home Assistant This is the moment the course has been building toward. Your network is ready, your hardware…

6 lessons Module 6

First Steps in Home Assistant

Module 6 First Steps in Home Assistant Your Home Assistant server is running and you've logged in. Module 6 builds the…

7 lessons Module 7

Remote Access to Home Assistant

Module 7 Remote Access to Home Assistant Your Home Assistant server works beautifully at home. Module 7 makes it reachable…

7 lessons Module 8

Smart Home Security

Module 8 Smart Home Security Module 7 made your Home Assistant server reachable from anywhere. Module 8 makes sure that access,…

7 lessons Module 9

Zigbee in Home Assistant

Module 9 Zigbee in Home Assistant Module 8 secured and stabilized your Home Assistant server. Module 9 brings your first real…

10 lessons Module 10

ESPHome From Scratch

Module 10 ESPHome From Scratch Module 9 brought certified Zigbee devices into your smart home. Module 10 takes a different path…

10 lessons Module 11

Automations From Scratch

Module 11 Automations From Scratch Modules 9 and 10 filled your home with entities, a Zigbee smart plug, a hand-built ESPHome…

11 lessons Module 12

Helpers, Scenes, and Scripts

Module 12 Helpers, Scenes, and Scripts Module 11 taught you to build automations from trigger, condition, and action. Module 12…

11 lessons Module 13

Dashboards, the Basics

Module 13 Dashboards, the Basics Module 12 gave you helpers, scenes, and scripts, the reusable building blocks behind every…

15 lessons Module 14

The Central Home Panel

Module 14 The Central Home Panel Module 13 built dashboards for individual screens, a phone here, a laptop there. Module 14…

10 lessons Module 15

Dashboards Pro with HACS

Module 15 Dashboards Pro with HACS Module 13 built a sound, working dashboard. Module 14 gave the household its own wall-mounted…

10 lessons Module 16

The Phone in Home Assistant

Module 16 The Phone in Home Assistant Module 14 gave the household a shared wall panel. Module 16 tu s to the device that's…

14 lessons Module 17

Energy in Home Assistant

Module 17 Energy in Home Assistant Module 17 tu s Home Assistant toward electricity, water, gas, and solar. It starts with the…

10 lessons Module 18

Home Security in Home Assistant

Module 18 Home Security in Home Assistant Module 18 tu s Home Assistant toward keeping your home and household safe. It opens by…

12 lessons Module 19

Thermal Comfort in the Home with Home Assistant

Module 19 Thermal Comfort in the Home with Home Assistant Module 19 tu s Home Assistant toward the temperature, humidity, and…

12 lessons Module 20

Lighting and Blinds in Home Assistant

Module 20 Lighting and Blinds in Home Assistant Module 20 tu s Home Assistant toward the two hardware categories every smart…

14 lessons Module 21

Outdoor in Home Assistant

Module 21 Outdoor in Home Assistant Module 21 takes Home Assistant past the walls of the house and out into the garden, the…

16 lessons Module 22

Multimedia, Audio, and Announcements in Home Assistant

Module 22 Multimedia, Audio, and Announcements in Home Assistant Module 22 tu s Home Assistant into a household communication…

16 lessons Module 23

Maintaining Home Assistant

Module 23 Maintaining Home Assistant Module 23 closes the course with the layer most people forget about until something breaks:…

10 lessons

Curriculum

Home Assistant lesson list

23 modules and 246 lessons: from installing Home Assistant on a Raspberry Pi through automations, Zigbee, and MQTT to solar monitoring and custom ESPHome sensors. Expand a module or open the modules hub.

Module 1 Smart Home and Home Assistant, Without the Chaos 10 lessons Module page →
1 How This Course Works, and What You'll Actually Learn How This Course Works, and What You'll Actually Learn Free course
2 Is Home Assistant Actually Right for You? Is Home Assistant Actually Right for You? Free course
3 What Is a Smart Home, Really? What Is a Smart Home, Really? Free course
4 Home Assistant vs. Google Home, Alexa, and Apple Home Home Assistant vs. Google Home, Alexa, and Apple Home Free course
5 Tuya, KNX, Loxone, Fibaro, and Professional Systems Tuya, KNX, Loxone, Fibaro, and Professional Systems Free course
6 Why Home Assistant Often Wins as the Smart Home Hub Why Home Assistant Often Wins as the Smart Home Hub Free course
7 Your Smart Home Plan: What to Automate and Where to Start Your Smart Home Plan: What to Automate and Where to Start Free course
8 Beginner Mistakes: What Not to Do at the Start Beginner Mistakes: What Not to Do at the Start Free course
9 Your Mini Smart Home Kit: The Starter Shopping List Your Mini Smart Home Kit: The Starter Shopping List Free course
10 Module Wrap-Up: You're Ready for the Technical Foundation Module Wrap-Up: You're Ready for the Technical Foundation Free course
Module 2 A Home Ready for Home Assistant 12 lessons Module page →
1 Before You Install Home Assistant: What a Stable Smart Home Actually Needs Before You Install Home Assistant: What a Stable Smart Home Actually Needs Free course
2 Where to Put Home Assistant, and Why Ethernet Beats Wi-Fi Here Where to Put Home Assistant, and Why Ethernet Beats Wi-Fi Here Free course
3 Wiring Your Home for a Smart Home Wiring Your Home for a Smart Home Free course
4 Your Utility Closet, Electrical Panel, and UPS: Staging and Powering Your Gear Your Utility Closet, Electrical Panel, and UPS: Staging and Powering Your Gear Free course
5 Your Network Explained: IP Addresses, DHCP, DNS, and the Gateway Your Network Explained: IP Addresses, DHCP, DNS, and the Gateway Free course
6 A Fixed Address for Home Assistant and Your Key Devices A Fixed Address for Home Assistant and Your Key Devices Free course
7 Wi-Fi for a Smart Home: Bands, Range, Channels, Mesh, and Roaming Wi-Fi for a Smart Home: Bands, Range, Channels, Mesh, and Roaming Free course
8 Separating Your Smart Devices From Your Everyday Computers Separating Your Smart Devices From Your Everyday Computers Free course
9 VLANs: When They're Worth It, and When Simpler Is Fine VLANs: When They're Worth It, and When Simpler Is Fine Free course
10 Three Example Network Layouts: Simple, Reasonable, and Full-Featured Three Example Network Layouts: Simple, Reasonable, and Full-Featured Free course
11 The Most Common Network Problems in Home Assistant, and How to Diagnose Them The Most Common Network Problems in Home Assistant, and How to Diagnose Them Free course
12 Module Wrap-Up: Is Your Home Actually Ready for Home Assistant? Module Wrap-Up: Is Your Home Actually Ready for Home Assistant? Free course
Module 3 Home Assistant Server 10 lessons Module page →
1 What Can Home Assistant Actually Run On? What Can Home Assistant Actually Run On? Free course
2 Home Assistant Green and Yellow: Official Hardware, and Who It's For Home Assistant Green and Yellow: Official Hardware, and Who It's For Free course
3 Raspberry Pi as a Home Assistant Server: When Yes, When No Raspberry Pi as a Home Assistant Server: When Yes, When No Free course
4 Mini PC as a Home Assistant Server: Headroom and Low Power Draw Mini PC as a Home Assistant Server: Headroom and Low Power Draw Free course
5 Off-Lease Business Thin Clients as a Home Assistant Server: Cheap, Reliable, But Buy Smart Off-Lease Business Thin Clients as a Home Assistant Server: Cheap, Reliable, But Buy Smart Free course
6 NAS as a Home Assistant Server: Convenience or Trap? NAS as a Home Assistant Server: Convenience or Trap? Free course
7 Hardware for Proxmox: When Virtualization Is Worth Planning For Hardware for Proxmox: When Virtualization Is Worth Planning For Free course
8 Disk, RAM, Processor, and Power: What Actually Matters Disk, RAM, Processor, and Power: What Actually Matters Free course
9 What Does a Home Assistant Server Actually Cost Over 5 Years? What Does a Home Assistant Server Actually Cost Over 5 Years? Free course
10 What Should You Actually Choose? A Simple Recommendation What Should You Actually Choose? A Simple Recommendation Free course
Module 4 Communication Protocols in the Smart Home 6 lessons Module page →
1 Z-Wave in Home Assistant: How It Works, What to Buy, and Setting Up Z-Wave JS Z-Wave in Home Assistant: How It Works, What to Buy, and Setting Up Z-Wave JS Free course
2 WiFi IoT in Home Assistant: Shelly, Sonoff, Tasmota, and ESPHome WiFi IoT in Home Assistant: Shelly, Sonoff, Tasmota, and ESPHome Free course
3 Matter and Thread in Home Assistant: Setup and Devices Matter and Thread in Home Assistant: Setup and Devices Free course
4 Bluetooth BLE in Home Assistant: Sensors and Proxies Bluetooth BLE in Home Assistant: Sensors and Proxies Free course
5 Niche Protocols in Home Assistant: mBus, Modbus, KNX, and More Niche Protocols in Home Assistant: mBus, Modbus, KNX, and More Free course
6 Which Protocol for Which Device: A Complete Smart Home Protocol Map Which Protocol for Which Device: A Complete Smart Home Protocol Map Free course
Module 5 Installing Home Assistant 6 lessons Module page →
1 Installing Home Assistant: Choose Your Path and Prep Your Hardware Installing Home Assistant: Choose Your Path and Prep Your Hardware Free course
2 Mini PC and Thin Client: Home Assistant OS Bare Metal, Step by Step Mini PC and Thin Client: Home Assistant OS Bare Metal, Step by Step Free course
3 Proxmox VE: Installing the Host, Step by Step Proxmox VE: Installing the Host, Step by Step Free course
4 Home Assistant OS on Proxmox: Creating the VM and First Boot Home Assistant OS on Proxmox: Creating the VM and First Boot Free course
5 First Run: Creating Your Account, Home, and Basic Settings First Run: Creating Your Account, Home, and Basic Settings Free course
6 When Installation Doesn't Work: Common Problems and Fixes When Installation Doesn't Work: Common Problems and Fixes Free course
Module 6 First Steps in Home Assistant 7 lessons Module page →
1 Home Assistant Core Concepts: Integrations, Devices, Entities, Areas, and Services Home Assistant Core Concepts: Integrations, Devices, Entities, Areas, and Services Free course
2 Integrations in Home Assistant Integrations in Home Assistant Free course
3 Add-ons in Home Assistant Add-ons in Home Assistant Free course
4 Home Assistant Starter Tools: What to Install Now, What to Leave for Later Home Assistant Starter Tools: What to Install Now, What to Leave for Later Free course
5 HACS: The Community Store, Its Risks, and a Safe Installation HACS: The Community Store, Its Risks, and a Safe Installation Free course
6 MQTT and the Mosquitto Broker: What It's For and When You'll Need It MQTT and the Mosquitto Broker: What It's For and When You'll Need It Free course
7 Cleaning Up After Installation: Names, Areas, Entities, and Documentation Cleaning Up After Installation: Names, Areas, Entities, and Documentation Free course
Module 7 Remote Access to Home Assistant 7 lessons Module page →
1 Remote Access to Home Assistant: LAN, WAN, NAT, CGNAT, Ports, and Security Remote Access to Home Assistant: LAN, WAN, NAT, CGNAT, Ports, and Security Free course
2 Nabu Casa: The Simplest Remote Access for Beginners Nabu Casa: The Simplest Remote Access for Beginners Free course
3 WireGuard VPN: Private Home Access Without Exposing Your HA Panel WireGuard VPN: Private Home Access Without Exposing Your HA Panel Free course
4 Tailscale: VPN Without Port Forwarding, When You're Behind CGNAT Tailscale: VPN Without Port Forwarding, When You're Behind CGNAT Free course
5 Cloudflare Tunnel: Your Own Address Without Port Forwarding Cloudflare Tunnel: Your Own Address Without Port Forwarding Free course
6 Cloudflare Tunnel in Practice: Domain, DNS, Tunnel, and Diagnostics Cloudflare Tunnel in Practice: Domain, DNS, Tunnel, and Diagnostics Free course
7 Remote Access to Home Assistant: Which Method Should You Choose Remote Access to Home Assistant: Which Method Should You Choose Free course
Module 8 Smart Home Security 7 lessons Module page →
1 Home Assistant Security: What's a Real Threat, and What's Just Fear-Mongering Home Assistant Security: What's a Real Threat, and What's Just Fear-Mongering Free course
2 User Accounts, Roles, and Two-Factor Authentication: Why Not Everyone Needs Admin User Accounts, Roles, and Two-Factor Authentication: Why Not Everyone Needs Admin Free course
3 Passwords, Tokens, the Mobile App, and a Lost Phone Passwords, Tokens, the Mobile App, and a Lost Phone Free course
4 Home Assistant Backups: Local, Automatic, and Off-Server Home Assistant Backups: Local, Automatic, and Off-Server Free course
5 Home Assistant Updates: When to Click, When to Wait, and How Not to Break Your System Home Assistant Updates: When to Click, When to Wait, and How Not to Break Your System Free course
6 Cloudflare Access: An Extra Layer of Protection in Front of Home Assistant Cloudflare Access: An Extra Layer of Protection in Front of Home Assistant Free course
7 Your Emergency Plan: What to Do When Home Assistant Won't Start Your Emergency Plan: What to Do When Home Assistant Won't Start Free course
Module 9 Zigbee in Home Assistant 10 lessons Module page →
1 Zigbee in a Smart Home: What It Is and Why It's Not the Same as WiFi Zigbee in a Smart Home: What It Is and Why It's Not the Same as WiFi Free course
2 Zigbee Coordinators: Which One to Choose, Where to Plug It In, and What to Avoid Zigbee Coordinators: Which One to Choose, Where to Plug It In, and What to Avoid Free course
3 ZHA vs Zigbee2MQTT: Which Path Should You Choose ZHA vs Zigbee2MQTT: Which Path Should You Choose Free course
4 ZHA Step by Step: Installation and First Configuration ZHA Step by Step: Installation and First Configuration Free course
5 Zigbee2MQTT Step by Step: Installation, Mosquitto, and First Configuration Zigbee2MQTT Step by Step: Installation, Mosquitto, and First Configuration Free course
6 Your First Zigbee Devices: A Smart Plug, a Temperature Sensor, and a Motion Sensor Your First Zigbee Devices: A Smart Plug, a Temperature Sensor, and a Motion Sensor Free course
7 Naming, Areas, and Organization for Zigbee Devices Naming, Areas, and Organization for Zigbee Devices Free course
8 Zigbee Mesh: Range, Routers, Channels, and Interference Zigbee Mesh: Range, Routers, Channels, and Interference Free course
9 Common Zigbee Problems: Won't Pair, Drops Out, Reports Incorrectly Common Zigbee Problems: Won't Pair, Drops Out, Reports Incorrectly Free course
10 Closing Out the Module: A Stable Mini Smart Home on Zigbee Closing Out the Module: A Stable Mini Smart Home on Zigbee Free course
Module 10 ESPHome From Scratch 10 lessons Module page →
1 ESPHome: What It Is, How It Works, and When It Makes Sense ESPHome: What It Is, How It Works, and When It Makes Sense Free course
2 ESP32, ESP8266, and Starter Boards: What to Buy and What Not to Touch Yet ESP32, ESP8266, and Starter Boards: What to Buy and What Not to Touch Yet Free course
3 Installing ESPHome in Home Assistant Installing ESPHome in Home Assistant Free course
4 Your First ESPHome Device: an ESP32 Visible in Home Assistant Your First ESPHome Device: an ESP32 Visible in Home Assistant Free course
5 ESPHome YAML Without Fear: What a Configuration Is Made Of ESPHome YAML Without Fear: What a Configuration Is Made Of Free course
6 Your First ESPHome Sensor: Temperature, Humidity, or a Simple Reading Your First ESPHome Sensor: Temperature, Humidity, or a Simple Reading Free course
7 Inputs and Outputs: Button, Reed Switch, LED, and Relay at Low Voltage Inputs and Outputs: Button, Reed Switch, LED, and Relay at Low Voltage Free course
8 Mini ESPHome Project: Your Own Control Module for Home Assistant Mini ESPHome Project: Your Own Control Module for Home Assistant Free course
9 ESPHome Diagnostics: Offline, WiFi, YAML, OTA, and Logs ESPHome Diagnostics: Offline, WiFi, YAML, OTA, and Logs Free course
10 Closing Out the ESPHome Module: Documentation, Testing, and What's Next Closing Out the ESPHome Module: Documentation, Testing, and What's Next Free course
Module 11 Automations From Scratch 11 lessons Module page →
1 Automations in Home Assistant: Trigger, Condition, and Action Without Fear Automations in Home Assistant: Trigger, Condition, and Action Without Fear Free course
2 Your First Automation: Hallway Motion Turns On an ESP32 LED Your First Automation: Hallway Motion Turns On an ESP32 LED Free course
3 Conditions in Automations: When Your Home Should React, and When It Should Stay Quiet Conditions in Automations: When Your Home Should React, and When It Should Stay Quiet Free course
4 Temperature Automations: Thresholds, Values, and Caution Temperature Automations: Thresholds, Values, and Caution Free course
5 ESPHome Button as an Automation Trigger ESPHome Button as an Automation Trigger Free course
6 Zigbee Smart Plug in Automations: Practice and Safety Zigbee Smart Plug in Automations: Practice and Safety Free course
7 Automation Modes: Single, Restart, Queued, and Parallel Automation Modes: Single, Restart, Queued, and Parallel Free course
8 Delays, Timers, and Loops: Why an Automation Sometimes Turns Into Chaos Delays, Timers, and Loops: Why an Automation Sometimes Turns Into Chaos Free course
9 Debugging Automations: Trace, History, Logbook, and States Debugging Automations: Trace, History, Logbook, and States Free course
10 Mini Project: Hallway Plus Office, Your First Layered Smart Home Logic Mini Project: Hallway Plus Office, Your First Layered Smart Home Logic Free course
11 Push Notifications: How Home Assistant Talks to Your Phone Push Notifications: How Home Assistant Talks to Your Phone Free course
Module 12 Helpers, Scenes, and Scripts 11 lessons Module page →
1 Helpers in Home Assistant: What They're For and When to Use Them Helpers in Home Assistant: What They're For and When to Use Them Free course
2 input_boolean: Your Own Logical Switch input_boolean: Your Own Logical Switch Free course
3 input_select and choose: A Home Mode Instead of a Separate Rule for Every Situation input_select and choose: A Home Mode Instead of a Separate Rule for Every Situation Free course
4 Timer as a Better Delay: hallway_off Step by Step Timer as a Better Delay: hallway_off Step by Step Free course
5 input_number: A Temperature Threshold Without Editing the Automation input_number: A Temperature Threshold Without Editing the Automation Free course
6 Scenes: A Saved State for Several Devices at Once Scenes: A Saved State for Several Devices at Once Free course
7 Scripts: A Reusable Action You Can Call by Name Scripts: A Reusable Action You Can Call by Name Free course
8 Automation Plus Helper Plus Script: A Proper Working Schema Automation Plus Helper Plus Script: A Proper Working Schema Free course
9 A Diagnostic Dashboard for Testing Your Automations A Diagnostic Dashboard for Testing Your Automations Free course
10 Common Mistakes with Helpers, Scenes, and Scripts Common Mistakes with Helpers, Scenes, and Scripts Free course
11 Mini Project: Hallway Plus Office 2.0 Mini Project: Hallway Plus Office 2.0 Free course
Module 13 Dashboards, the Basics 15 lessons Module page →
1 What a Dashboard Is, and What It Doesn't Replace What a Dashboard Is, and What It Doesn't Replace Free course
2 Lovelace Vocabulary: Dashboard, View, Section, Card, Entity Lovelace Vocabulary: Dashboard, View, Section, Card, Entity Free course
3 Planning a Dashboard: Before You Add a Single Card Planning a Dashboard: Before You Add a Single Card Free course
4 View Types: Sections, Masonry, Panel, and Sidebar View Types: Sections, Masonry, Panel, and Sidebar Free course
5 Built-in Cards: An Overview and When to Use Each Built-in Cards: An Overview and When to Use Each Free course
6 Names, Icons, Areas, and Labels: Order Before the Dashboard Names, Icons, Areas, and Labels: Order Before the Dashboard Free course
7 Charts on the Dashboard: When a Graph Earns Its Space Charts on the Dashboard: When a Graph Earns Its Space Free course
8 The Home Dashboard: Building the Start Screen The Home Dashboard: Building the Start Screen Free course
9 The Office View: A Pattern for Every Room The Office View: A Pattern for Every Room Free course
10 Rebuilding the Diagnostic Dashboard: What to Keep, What to Hide Rebuilding the Diagnostic Dashboard: What to Keep, What to Hide Free course
11 The Technical Dashboard: Helpers, ESPHome, Zigbee, and Service The Technical Dashboard: Helpers, ESPHome, Zigbee, and Service Free course
12 Control from the Dashboard: Switch, Script, Scene, Helper Control from the Dashboard: Switch, Script, Scene, Helper Free course
13 The Phone Dashboard: A Remote Control, Not a Command Center The Phone Dashboard: A Remote Control, Not a Command Center Free course
14 The Desktop and Tablet Dashboard: More Room, Not More Clutter The Desktop and Tablet Dashboard: More Room, Not More Clutter Free course
15 Mini Project: A Complete Three-Tier Dashboard Set Mini Project: A Complete Three-Tier Dashboard Set Free course
Module 14 The Central Home Panel 10 lessons Module page →
1 The Central Home Panel: What Your Options Actually Are The Central Home Panel: What Your Options Actually Are Free course
2 Choosing a Tablet, Power, and Wi-Fi for the Panel Choosing a Tablet, Power, and Wi-Fi for the Panel Free course
3 A Separate Panel User and a Separate Dashboard A Separate Panel User and a Separate Dashboard Free course
4 The Panel's Wall-Screen Structure The Panel's Wall-Screen Structure Free course
5 Panel Layout: Big Buttons, Fewer Cards, Touch-First Panel Layout: Big Buttons, Fewer Cards, Touch-First Free course
6 Fully Kiosk Browser: Installation and Full Configuration Fully Kiosk Browser: Installation and Full Configuration Free course
7 The Fully Kiosk Integration in Home Assistant The Fully Kiosk Integration in Home Assistant Free course
8 The Panel Screen: Screensaver, Brightness, and Night Mode The Panel Screen: Screensaver, Brightness, and Night Mode Free course
9 Panel Security: Gate, Alarm, Cameras, Kids, and Guests Panel Security: Gate, Alarm, Cameras, Kids, and Guests Free course
10 Mini Project: The Home Panel on a Fully Kiosk Tablet Mini Project: The Home Panel on a Fully Kiosk Tablet Free course
Module 15 Dashboards Pro with HACS 10 lessons Module page →
1 Dashboard Pro: What Changes After Module 13, and What Doesn't Dashboard Pro: What Changes After Module 13, and What Doesn't Free course
2 Mushroom Cards: A Fast Upgrade for Start and Office Mushroom Cards: A Fast Upgrade for Start and Office Free course
3 Mushroom Template Card: Your Own State Description, No New Automation Mushroom Template Card: Your Own State Description, No New Automation Free course
4 Button Card: Buttons That Look and Behave Exactly As Advertised Button Card: Buttons That Look and Behave Exactly As Advertised Free course
5 The Room Card Pro: Office as a Finished Component The Room Card Pro: Office as a Finished Component Free course
6 ApexCharts: Climate Pro and Charts That Actually Explain Something ApexCharts: Climate Pro and Charts That Actually Explain Something Free course
7 Auto Entities: Technical Lists That Update Themselves Auto Entities: Technical Lists That Update Themselves Free course
8 Card Mod and Theme: One Consistent Look, No Christmas Tree Card Mod and Theme: One Consistent Look, No Christmas Tree Free course
9 Bubble Card: Popups That Echo the Panel You Already Built Bubble Card: Popups That Echo the Panel You Already Built Free course
10 Mini Project: Dashboard Home Pro Mini Project: Dashboard Home Pro Free course
Module 16 The Phone in Home Assistant 14 lessons Module page →
1 The Phone in Home Assistant: How It Differs From the Wall Panel The Phone in Home Assistant: How It Differs From the Wall Panel Free course
2 Installing the Home Assistant Companion App Installing the Home Assistant Companion App Free course
3 The User, the Phone, and the Device in Home Assistant The User, the Phone, and the Device in Home Assistant Free course
4 Phone Entities: Battery, Wi-Fi, Charging, Sound Mode, and Sensors Phone Entities: Battery, Wi-Fi, Charging, Sound Mode, and Sensors Free course
5 Household Presence: person, device_tracker, and Real-World Problems Household Presence: person, device_tracker, and Real-World Problems Free course
6 Zones and Geofencing: Home, Work, School, the Store Zones and Geofencing: Home, Work, School, the Store Free course
7 Phone Notifications: The Basics of notify Phone Notifications: The Basics of notify Free course
8 Good Notifications: When, To Whom, and What to Say Good Notifications: When, To Whom, and What to Say Free course
9 Actionable Notifications: Buttons in a Notification Actionable Notifications: Buttons in a Notification Free course
10 Critical Notifications: Flooding, Smoke, Freezing, and Technical Alarms Critical Notifications: Flooding, Smoke, Freezing, and Technical Alarms Free course
11 The Phone as a Remote: Mobile Dashboard and Quick Actions The Phone as a Remote: Mobile Dashboard and Quick Actions Free course
12 NFC, Shortcuts, and Quick Actions from Your Phone NFC, Shortcuts, and Quick Actions from Your Phone Free course
13 Privacy, Battery, and the Phone's Reliability in Home Assistant Privacy, Battery, and the Phone's Reliability in Home Assistant Free course
14 Mini Project: The Phone as a Personal Remote and Notification System Mini Project: The Phone as a Personal Remote and Notification System Free course
Module 17 Energy in Home Assistant 10 lessons Module page →
1 Energy in Home Assistant: What's Worth Measuring, and Why Energy in Home Assistant: What's Worth Measuring, and Why Free course
2 The Energy Dashboard Step by Step: Electricity, Water, Gas, and Your First Configuration The Energy Dashboard Step by Step: Electricity, Water, Gas, and Your First Configuration Free course
3 Power, Energy, Costs, and Entities: W, kWh, Dollars, utility_meter, and Common Mistakes Power, Energy, Costs, and Entities: W, kWh, Dollars, utility_meter, and Common Mistakes Free course
4 Your First Measurement: A Zigbee Outlet, a Shelly Plug, and Ready-Made Helper YAML Your First Measurement: A Zigbee Outlet, a Shelly Plug, and Ready-Made Helper YAML Free course
5 Whole-Home Measurement: Shelly 3EM, DIN Rail Meters, Current Transformers, and Safety Whole-Home Measurement: Shelly 3EM, DIN Rail Meters, Current Transformers, and Safety Free course
6 Solar in Home Assistant: PV, Import, Export, Self-Consumption, and Dynamic Pricing Integrations Solar in Home Assistant: PV, Import, Export, Self-Consumption, and Dynamic Pricing Integrations Free course
7 Real Savings: Standby, Rate Plans, PV Surplus, Dynamic Pricing, and Payback-Aware Automations Real Savings: Standby, Rate Plans, PV Surplus, Dynamic Pricing, and Payback-Aware Automations Free course
8 A Modern Energy Dashboard: Power Flow, Energy Flow, ApexCharts, and Gradient Charts A Modern Energy Dashboard: Power Flow, Energy Flow, ApexCharts, and Gradient Charts Free course
9 Water and Gas in Practice: Pulses, m³, Leak Alarms, and Safe Measurement Free course
10 Mini Project: A Home Energy Audit, PV, and Your First Savings Plan Mini Project: A Home Energy Audit, PV, and Your First Savings Plan Free course
Module 18 Home Security in Home Assistant 12 lessons Module page →
1 Home Security in Home Assistant: Boundaries, Risks, and a Response Plan Home Security in Home Assistant: Boundaries, Risks, and a Response Plan Free course
2 The Notification Foundation: Phone, Household Groups, Priorities, and Reliability Tests The Notification Foundation: Phone, Household Groups, Priorities, and Reliability Tests Free course
3 Critical Notifications: Escalation, SMS, Repeats, Acknowledgment, and Fallback Critical Notifications: Escalation, SMS, Repeats, Acknowledgment, and Fallback Free course
4 Flood Sensors: Kitchen, Bathroom, Washer, Dishwasher, Boiler Room, and a Water Valve Flood Sensors: Kitchen, Bathroom, Washer, Dishwasher, Boiler Room, and a Water Valve Free course
5 Smoke, CO, and Gas: Certified Detectors, Warnings, and Home Assistant as an Extra Layer Smoke, CO, and Gas: Certified Detectors, Warnings, and Home Assistant as an Extra Layer Free course
6 Doors, Windows, the Gate: Contact Sensors, Left-Open Openings, and Home Modes Doors, Windows, the Gate: Contact Sensors, Left-Open Openings, and Home Modes Free course
7 Weather + Windows + Safety: Rain, Wind, Frost, Heat, and Open Windows Weather + Windows + Safety: Rain, Wind, Frost, Heat, and Open Windows Free course
8 Motion, Presence, and Home Modes: Home, Night, Away, Guests Motion, Presence, and Home Modes: Home, Night, Away, Guests Free course
9 A Simple Alarm in Home Assistant: Zones, Delays, a Siren, and False Alarms A Simple Alarm in Home Assistant: Zones, Delays, a Siren, and False Alarms Free course
10 Security System Failures: No Internet, No Power, an Offline Sensor, a Low Battery Security System Failures: No Internet, No Power, an Offline Sensor, a Low Battery Free course
11 A Home Security Dashboard: Status, Alerts, Cards, Buttons, and Event History A Home Security Dashboard: Status, Alerts, Cards, Buttons, and Event History Free course
12 Mini Project: Your Own Home Security Plan and Scenario Tests Mini Project: Your Own Home Security Plan and Scenario Tests Free course
Module 19 Thermal Comfort in the Home with Home Assistant 12 lessons Module page →
1 Thermal Comfort in the Home: What You Want to Achieve, and What Not to Break Thermal Comfort in the Home: What You Want to Achieve, and What Not to Break Free course
2 Hardware for Thermal Comfort: Sensors, Thermostats, TRV Heads, Relays, and What to Avoid Hardware for Thermal Comfort: Sensors, Thermostats, TRV Heads, Relays, and What to Avoid Free course
3 Ways to Connect to the Boiler, Heat Pump, and Heating System Ways to Connect to the Boiler, Heat Pump, and Heating System Free course
4 Ready-Made Thermostat and Heating System Integrations in Home Assistant Ready-Made Thermostat and Heating System Integrations in Home Assistant Free course
5 TRV Heads and Heating Zones TRV Heads and Heating Zones Free course
6 Generic Thermostat, a Relay, and On/Off Control Without the Chaos Generic Thermostat, a Relay, and On/Off Control Without the Chaos Free course
7 OpenTherm, Modbus, and Boiler Protocols: When to Read Data, and When to Control It OpenTherm, Modbus, and Boiler Protocols: When to Read Data, and When to Control It Free course
8 Humidity, the Bathroom, a Fan, and Comfort After a Shower Humidity, the Bathroom, a Fan, and Comfort After a Shower Free course
9 CO2, Air Quality, Airing Out, an Air Purifier, and HRV CO2, Air Quality, Airing Out, an Air Purifier, and HRV Free course
10 Comfort Modes, Schedules, and Manual Override Comfort Modes, Schedules, and Manual Override Free course
11 Thermal Comfort Dashboard: Rooms, Modes, Charts, and Diagnostics Thermal Comfort Dashboard: Rooms, Modes, Charts, and Diagnostics Free course
12 Mini Project: a Home Thermal Comfort Plan and Scenario Testing Mini Project: a Home Thermal Comfort Plan and Scenario Testing Free course
Module 20 Lighting and Blinds in Home Assistant 14 lessons Module page →
1 Lighting and Blinds in the Smart Home: What You Want to Achieve, and What Not to Break Free course
2 Lighting Hardware: Smart Bulbs, Relays, Dimmers, LED Strips, and Fixtures Free course
3 Smart Bulb or a Relay in the Box: the Most Important Buying Decision Free course
4 Wall Switches, Buttons, and Relays: What's in Your Box Free course
5 Dimming Light and LED Strips: 230V Dimmer, Smart Bulb, or a 12/24V Controller Free course
6 Blinds Hardware: Roller Modules, Motors, Ready-Made Blinds, and What to Know Before Buying Free course
7 Blinds Safety: Limit Switches, Calibration, Lockout, Wind, Patios, and Children Free course
8 light, switch, cover, and scene Entities: What You See in Home Assistant Free course
9 Manual Control: Buttons, Remotes, Wall Switches, and Plan B Free course
10 Lighting Scenes: Evening, Night, Movie, Guests, Cleaning, and Arriving Home Free course
11 Motion-Activated Lighting: Hallway, Bathroom, Kitchen, and Common Mistakes Free course
12 Light by Time, Sun, and Brightness: Sunrise, Sunset, Offset, Lux Free course
13 Blinds by Time, Sun, and Temperature: Comfort Without Overheating the House Free course
14 Dashboard and Mini Project: A Lighting and Blinds Plan for the Home Free course
Module 21 Outdoor in Home Assistant 16 lessons Module page →
1 Outdoor in the Smart Home: What's Worth Automating Outside, and What Not to Do Blind Free course
2 Outdoor Hardware: IP44, IP65, IP67, Power, Enclosures, Cables, and Weatherproofing Free course
3 Wi-Fi, Zigbee, LoRa, and PoE Range Outdoors: The Garden, the Garage, the Gate, and Sensors Far From the House Free course
4 Outdoor Lighting: Patio, Driveway, Entrance, Garden, Motion Sensors, and Night Mode Free course
5 The Driveway Gate in Home Assistant: Control, Reed Sensors, Open-State, and Safety Free course
6 The Pedestrian Gate, Electric Strike, Doorbell, and Intercom: What to Integrate, and What Not to Oversimplify Free course
7 The Garage, Driveway, and Car Presence: Garage Door, Lighting, Sensors, and Plan B Free course
8 Garden Irrigation: Solenoid Valves, Zones, Schedules, Rain, and Manual Override Free course
9 Rainwater and Tanks: Liquid Level, Pump, Dry-Run Protection, Overflow, and a Water Dashboard Free course
10 Specialty Outdoor Sensors: Mailbox, Packages, Bins, the Drainage Pit, Frost, and Technical Alerts Free course
11 Weather Sensors: Rain, Wind, Temperature, Soil Moisture, and Sunlight Free course
12 Weather-Driven Automations: Irrigation, the Awning, Blinds, and Alerts Free course
13 Outdoor Cameras and Live View: Entrance, Driveway, Garden, but Not a Fake Alarm Free course
14 Outdoor Dashboard: Garden, Gate, Pedestrian Gate, Irrigation, Weather, Tank, and Diagnostics Free course
15 Outdoor Failures: No Signal, Water in the Box, Frost, Battery, Internet, Power, and Seasonal Tests Free course
16 Mini Project: An Outdoor Plan for the Home, Garden, Driveway, and Technical Sensors Free course
Module 22 Multimedia, Audio, and Announcements in Home Assistant 16 lessons Module page →
1 Multimedia and Announcements in the Smart Home: What's Worth Automating, and What Not to Force Free course
2 The media_player Entity: TV, Speaker, Soundbar, Receiver, Tablet, and Player Free course
3 Music Assistant: A Hub for Music, Players, Libraries, Radio, and Multiroom Free course
4 Speakers in Home Assistant: Sonos, Google/Nest, AirPlay, DLNA, Bluetooth, MQTT, and Their Limits Free course
5 TTS and Voice Announcements: Methods, Engines, Language, Volume, Delay, and Quality Free course
6 Announcements Without Ruining the Music: Snapshot, Pause/Resume, Music Assistant, and Priority Free course
7 The Tablet as a Home Communicator: Dashboard, Sound, TTS, Screen, Camera, Night Mode, and Locks Free course
8 The TV as an Information Hub: the TV App, Dashboard, Cameras, Notifications, and Remote Limitations Free course
9 Multimedia Notifications: Phone, Tablet, TV, Speaker, Light, and Channel Selection Free course
10 Doorbell, Pedestrian Gate, Driveway Gate, and Packages: Home Announcements Instead of Just a Phone Push Free course
11 Multimedia Scenes: Movie, Music, Cooking, Cleaning, Guests, Night, and Wake-Up Free course
12 Silence Mode, Baby Sleeping, Night, and Guests: When the House Should Be Quiet Free course
13 Control Without a Phone: Remotes, Buttons, TV Dashboard, Tablet, Voice, and Automations Free course
14 Audio as a Technical Alert Layer: Flood, Gate, Washer, Outdoor, but No Panic Free course
15 Multimedia and Announcements Dashboard: Audio, TV, Music Assistant, Notification, and Diagnostic Hub Free course
16 Mini Project: A Home Multimedia, Announcement, and Notification System Free course
Module 23 Maintaining Home Assistant 10 lessons Module page →
1 Why Home Assistant Maintenance Matters: What Breaks Without Care Free course
2 Backup and Restore: Automatic Backups You Can't Move Forward Without Free course
3 Updates: Core, Supervisor, OS, and Add-Ons Without Surprises Free course
4 The Database and the Recorder: Why Home Assistant Slows Down After a Few Months Free course
5 Logs, System Health, and Repairs: Where to Look for a Cause Before You Ask the Forum Free course
6 Users and Permissions: An Account for a Child, a Guest, and an Administrator Free course
7 Migrating to New Hardware: From a Raspberry Pi to a More Powerful Server Without Losing Your Configuration Free course
8 Network and VLAN for IoT Devices: Why It's Worth Isolating Your Smart Home Free course
9 The HACS Ecosystem: How to Assess Whether a Custom Integration Is Safe Free course
10 Mini Project: Your Home Assistant Maintenance Plan Free course

This is not a fixed list. The course is actively developed with new Home Assistant lessons and modules. The live outline is also on the table of contents page.

Reviews

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Author

About the author

Marek Cichawa, MarkLabs

Creator of marklabs.pl and the MarkLabs YouTube channel. Smart home, ESPHome, PCB design, and solar integrations. This Home Assistant course is a structured write-up of what I learned building real installations at home.

Inspiration

Browse DIY smart home projects

ESP32, Home Assistant, automations — see real builds for ideas you can adapt.

View DIY projects →

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Another question? Email [email protected]

How do I start with Home Assistant as a beginner?

Start with Home Assistant OS (HAOS) on a Raspberry Pi, mini PC, or virtual machine. This Home Assistant course walks you through first boot, adding Zigbee and ESPHome devices, and your first home automations.

What hardware do I need for Home Assistant — Raspberry Pi, PC, or VM?

The tutorials cover HAOS on Raspberry Pi, an old PC, and a virtual machine. You will see the trade-offs and how to pick hardware for your budget — no Linux expertise required.

Is Home Assistant free?

Yes. Home Assistant is free and open source. It runs locally, without a vendor cloud subscription. This MarkLabs smart home course is also completely free to read online — no payment and no paywall.

Do I have to pay for this course?

No. The full course is free. There is no checkout. Optional support via Buy Me a Coffee is never required.

Do I need prior Home Assistant experience?

No. This is a Home Assistant tutorial for beginners. If you can install a phone app and connect a router to the internet, you can follow along.

What will I learn in this smart home course?

You will learn to install Home Assistant, connect Zigbee devices, build ESPHome sensors, use MQTT, write automations and Lovelace dashboards, and monitor solar / battery setups such as FoxESS and Growatt.

Is the course text-based or video?

Lessons are written guides with screenshots, YAML examples, and downloadable configs. Screen recordings for selected lessons are planned later.

How is this different from YouTube Home Assistant videos?

The materials go deeper: ready-to-copy YAML, register maps, and structured modules. That level of detail is hard to fit into a single video.

Do I need an account?

No. You can browse every lesson without signing in. An optional account is only for tracking your lesson progress.

Is the course updated when Home Assistant changes?

Yes. Home Assistant evolves quickly, and the lessons are updated over time so the smart home tutorial stays practical.

Free course

Start your Home Assistant smart home

246 lessons, 23 modules — a free Home Assistant tutorial you can read now. No payment, no checkout.

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