Updated: 2026-10-05 · Applies to: home-assistant 2026.9

Home Assistant

What it is: An open-source smart-home platform that runs on your own hardware. It works without internet and keeps data at home. HA docs It connects devices and services through integrations, e.g. Zigbee via ZHA, MQTT or Thread. The current release is HA 2026.9.4 (09/2026). HA docs

Installation types

	Home Assistant OS	Home Assistant Container
What it is	a minimal system with HA Core and the Supervisor	HA Core in a container (Docker)
Where	Green (preinstalled), Yellow, Raspberry Pi 4/5, x86, VM	Linux, NAS, home server
Apps (formerly add-ons)	yes, e.g. an MQTT broker or a database	no, services run as separate containers
System updates	handled by the Supervisor	yourself
Recommendation	recommended type for most people	for those comfortable with Docker

Source: HA docs.

With Container, USB adapters (e.g. Zigbee) must be mapped into the container. ZBT-2 docs On Umbrel Home the HA app is a container install with /dev mapped. Umbrel sources

Core concepts

According to the HA glossary HA docs:

An integration connects a device or service (e.g. Philips Hue). A device is a physical or logical unit and contains entities.
An entity is a sensor, actuator or function. It has one state (e.g. on, 21.0) plus attributes. Example: a smart plug = a device with a switch entity (power) and a sensor entity (consumption).
An area is a room. It lets you control everything in a room at once and gives the voice assistant context.
Automation: trigger (e.g. sunset) → optional conditions (someone is home) → actions (turn on the lights). A script is a list of steps without a trigger. A scene is a stored state of entities. A blueprint is an automation template.
A helper is a virtual entity, e.g. a toggle, timer, number or schedule.
An app (formerly add-on) is standalone software on HA OS, e.g. an MQTT broker.

Backups

According to HA docs:

Backups are encrypted .tar archives, stored locally in /backup.
Automatic backups: daily recommended, with a set number of copies (older ones are deleted) and optionally a backup before every update.
The emergency kit contains the encryption key. Download it and store it safely; without it you can't restore an encrypted backup.
Keeping backups only on the same device isn't enough. Keep a copy outside HA (NAS, cloud) and ideally off-site.
An HA backup also contains the Zigbee network settings from ZHA. HA docs ZBT-2 draft

Integrations for the smart home

ZHA: Zigbee directly in HA. The alternative is Zigbee2MQTT via MQTT.
MQTT: the recommended broker is the Mosquitto app. Devices add themselves to HA via MQTT discovery. HA docs
Thread and Matter via a Thread border router.
Node-RED: a second automation engine via the WebSocket API.

Gotchas

Container has no apps. You have to run the broker, Node-RED or a database as separate containers. HA docs
You can't restore an encrypted backup without the emergency kit. HA docs
Connect ZBT-2 needs HA 2025.11+. ZBT-2 docs The ZBT-2 needs a hub with a USB 2.0 port. ZBT-2 draft

Zigbee, ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT, MQTT, Thread, Node-RED, Docker

Sources

HA docs: official HA documentation (installation, concepts, backups, MQTT, ZHA).
ZBT-2 docs: Container and USB adapters, HA version for the ZBT-2.
ZBT-2 draft: USB 2.0 (draft, superseded).
Umbrel sources: HA on Umbrel Home.