Question 1

How to set up Home.Pi on a Raspberry Pi from scratch?

Accepted Answer

Install an MQTT broker with WebSocket support like Mosquitto, clone the repository, run npm install and gulp install, then publish device configurations via MQTT topics. Docker can streamline this process.

Question 2

Home.Pi vs Home Assistant: which is better for DIY projects?

Accepted Answer

Home.Pi offers more flexibility with custom Node.js bindings and cloud architecture, but Home Assistant has a larger ecosystem and community support. Choose Home.Pi if you prefer MQTT-centric control and scalability.

Question 3

Can I use Home.Pi without any cloud services?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can run all services locally by hosting the MQTT broker and microservices on-premises, though the architecture is designed for cloud deployment, which may require additional configuration.

Question 4

How to add a new smart device binding in Home.Pi?

Accepted Answer

Create a separate Node.js package that follows MQTT topic conventions, publishing and subscribing to messages. Use existing bindings like mqtt-zway or mqtt-exec as templates from the provided repositories.

Question 5

What devices are natively supported by Home.Pi?

Accepted Answer

Support depends on experimental bindings listed in the README, such as Z-Wave via mqtt-zway, shell commands with mqtt-exec, or infrared with mqtt-lirc. You may need to write custom bindings for other devices.

Question 6

Is Home.Pi still actively developed and maintained?

Accepted Answer

The README links to outdated blog posts from 2014, and GitHub activity might be sparse. Check the repository for recent commits or issues to gauge current maintenance status.

Home.Pi

What is Home.Pi?

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