Home Assistant Unveils 2024.1: The Initial Release of the Year

Home Assistant, the popular home automation platform, has released its first update of the year - Home Assistant Core 2024.1. While it is a relatively small release, it still brings some exciting improvements and features for users to enjoy.

One of the standout changes is the improvements made to the automation editor. The user interface has undergone several tweaks to make it more user-friendly and intuitive. New users will especially benefit from these changes, as they make it easier to understand and navigate the automation creation process. The editor now includes an improved empty automations dashboard, providing a more informative and helpful starting point for new users. Additionally, there are new building blocks that can be added to automations, such as logical elements like “And,” “Or,” and “If-then.” The trigger, condition, and action buttons have also been revamped to provide a more streamlined experience.

In addition to the automation editor improvements, Home Assistant Core 2024.1 also introduces support for descriptions and due dates in the to-do list integration. Users can now add descriptions to each task on their to-do list, and even set due dates using Markdown markup.

Another notable addition in this release is the introduction of a new entity type: Valve. This entity type can be used by integrations to expose valves, such as those found on radiators, pools, sprinkler systems, and gas or water lines in a house. The Shelly integration already supports this new entity type, and it is also compatible with MQTT, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant.

The thermostat and humidifier cards have also received some attention in this release. Users now have the option to set the current temperature or humidity as the primary information displayed on the card, providing more flexibility and customization.

Other changes in Home Assistant Core 2024.1 include new card features like climate fan mode and update actions, improvements to existing integrations, and the addition of several new integrations. The release also includes backward-incompatible changes for certain integrations, so users are advised to review the full changelog for more details.