openHAB

Derick Koelpin

One of the great open source home automation software available. So, why openHAB instead of another one ? - The community is rock solid and very friendly. - Non profit organization, no fees. - The automation and coding possibilities. Be warned (but do not be afraid), openHAB is probably the automation software with the steepest learning curve. If you want to do basic things, it's ok, but you will have to read a little bit and learn several concepts for advanced automation. But these concepts are very powerful and this really worth the investment. This is the price for being able to build a perfectly tailored experience for your need !

11 months ago

Daren Bruen

Comment Deleted

11 months ago

Wiley Lubowitz

I've been using openhab for almost 10 years to control and automate my entire home. Everything that has a cable is connected and can be evaluated and controlled. From time to time I have looked at other solutions and each time I have come to the conclusion that OpenHAB is a mature, stable and comprehensive system that supports thousands of devices. To get an idea of the scope. My automation rules consist of &gt; 10,000 lines of Python code which evaluate and control almost 880 items. You can find out more about this at <a href="https://intranet-of-things.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://intranet-of-things.com/</a> or <a href="https://github.com/HolgerHees/smartserver" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://github.com/HolgerHees/sm...</a>

1 year ago

Hillard Halvorson

I've been using openHAB since 2018 to automate my home lighting, air conditioning, security cameras, motion sensors, pool heater, pool pump, energy management (solar panel, inverter), TVs, garden irrigation, photo album, garage door, exhaust fans, etc. openHAB appeals greatly to me because I can write the rules of my automation using Ruby programming language. Other programming languages are also supported, such as JavaScript, Python, Java, and "Blockly" which is a drag and drop block coding interface. It also caters to non-programmers by offering web based rule creation and management (similar to "if-this-happens-then-do-that") without having to write a single line of code. As I become more and more familiar with openHAB, I continue to be impressed with its architecture and stability. Furthermore, it has a friendly and helpful community discussion forum for whenever I got stuck and needed help. It is 100% free and open source too! There is no monthly fees to use the cloud integration service. It is funded by donations, so you are NOT the product, despite being free! Unlike other home automation platforms, openHAB collects absolutely ZERO data from its users. There is no "opt-out" because there is no telemetry of any kind to begin with. Not even "usage statistics".

1 year ago

Buck Yundt

I started using openHAB in 2019. I'm not a smart home hobbyist, my intention is to use the tool to save money and improve confort. openHAB is very simple to use and it only requires moderate technical skills. It is perfect for me. Using openHAB rules I was able to reduce my electricity bill by 20% and the water used in the garden by 30%. Rules are what I like most in openHAB. They are simple to code but can also be very complex. The community is very helpfull to help in such complex cases. openHAB has a myriad of interfaces with all sorts of devices, but unfortunately with not all of the ones I'm using. No problem, openHAB also provides tools that makes it relatively easy to manage devices that do not have an official integration. If there is an integration available in Github chances are that openHAB can use it. On rare situations you may have to develop your own "integration". openHAB provides low level protocols that you can use to develop your own "interfaces", such as http and modbus. Why use an open source tool for an almost "mission critical" purpose ? openHAB uses a very robust architecture and is developed by a large community of volunteers, this creates me confidence in openHAB's future.

1 year ago