What it is

The Home Assistant Companion for Android is the official Android application for Home Assistant, an open-source home automation platform. It is written in Kotlin, released under the Apache-2.0 license, and distributed as an open-source app for Android devices. The project sits inside the Home Assistant ecosystem and connects a mobile client to a user's Home Assistant instance.

The concrete problem it solves is the need for a native Android interface to a Home Assistant instance. Users can interact with their Home Assistant setup, receive notifications, track location, and use Android surfaces such as widgets and dashboards. The app gives Android users a companion client for the Home Assistant automation platform.

Key capabilities

• It provides a native Android experience using widgets, notifications, and location tracking.
• It lets users control a Home Assistant instance and interact with their smart home through the companion app.
• It supports customization through themes and dashboards, so users can tailor the interface to their preferences.
• It is built with Kotlin and Compose, as indicated by the repository language and topics.
• It includes wear-related and automotive-related functionality, as indicated by the repository topics.
• It is open source and accepts community contributions through GitHub pull requests.

Who uses it and how

• Home Assistant users install the app from the Google Play Store and connect it to their existing Home Assistant instance.
• Early testers join the Play Store Beta channel to test new features early.
• Developers contribute by reading the Android developer guide, forking the repository, creating a branch, and opening a pull request.
• Users report bugs or request features through the GitHub issue templates for bug reports and feature requests.
• Community members discuss development and support in the Home Assistant Discord community, especially the #Android channel.

Getting started

The README lists Google Play Store download, a Play Store Beta option, and availability in other app stores. For source contributions, users fork the repository, create a branch, and submit a pull request after reading the Android developer guide.

When to use it — and when not to

Use this app when you already run Home Assistant and want an official Android client for its open-source home automation platform. Do not treat it as a standalone smart-home hub, because it is a companion app for an existing Home Assistant instance. The repository lists 458 open issues, so users should check the documentation and issue tracker before relying on a specific feature.