RESEARCH REPORT

Home Assistant
Blueprints

Reusable automation templates turning 2 million smart homes into configurable, shareable powerhouses — no YAML expertise required.

March 2026 · 8 Sources · home-assistant.io

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By the Numbers

2M+

Active HA Installations Worldwide

3

Supported Domains: Automation, Script, Template

2020

Year Blueprints Were Introduced (v2020.12)

1-Click

Import from Forum, GitHub, or Gists

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What Are Blueprints?

YAML-based templates that encapsulate automation logic with configurable inputs
Define general behavior once — leave specific details (devices, thresholds) for the user
Create unlimited independent automations from one template

Think cookie-cutter 🍪
The shape (logic) is fixed. You choose the dough (devices & settings).

Changes to a blueprint automatically propagate to every automation based on it after reload.

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How Blueprints Work

Inputs — Configurable parts marked with the !input YAML tag (entities, numbers, booleans, maps)
Selectors — UI widgets that filter valid choices (e.g., only motion sensors, only light entities)
Input Sections — Visual grouping of related inputs with collapsible panels (since 2024.6)

Import flow: Settings → Automations → Blueprints → Import Blueprint → paste URL → Preview → Done.

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Most Popular Blueprints

💡 Motion-Activated Lights

Controls lights with motion sensors, sun position, and lux values. The most common use case.

📷 Frigate Notifications

Camera snapshots on motion with AI-powered descriptions. By SgtBatten.

🔋 Low Battery Detection

Scans all battery sensors and notifies when any device drops below a set threshold.

🌅 Wake-Up Sunrise Alarm

Gradual brightness & color temperature change for a natural alarm experience.

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Evolution Since 2020

2020.12 — Blueprints launched (automation domain only)
Script & Template — Domain support expanded to scripts and template entities
2024.6 — Input Sections added for collapsible, grouped configuration panels
2026 — Advanced selectors filter by integration, device model; version control for authors; emerging in-UI exchange

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Community & Ecosystem

Blueprint Exchange — Official HA Community forum section for sharing
Awesome HA Blueprints — Curated, tested collection by EPMatt & community
GitHub & Gists — Import blueprints directly from any public repo

Notable Authors
Blacky (Sensor Light), SgtBatten (Frigate), SirGoodenough (multi-device library) — prolific contributors updating frequently based on community feedback.

⚠️

Challenges & Caveats

Discoverability — Finding blueprints still requires leaving the HA UI for forums
Single-entity limit — One blueprint = one automation/script/template entity only

Breaking updates — Re-importing an incompatible blueprint can break automations
Performance — Complex blueprints (10,000+ lines) can strain smaller hardware

"Taking control" converts a blueprint into a regular automation — this is a one-way operation that can't be reversed.

🚀

What's Next

Device Database — New Open Home Foundation project to provide contextual device knowledge, enabling smarter blueprint recommendations
Human-Friendly Triggers — Build automations with natural language instead of technical state changes (HA Labs preview)
Template Blueprints in the GUI — Plans to bring template entity blueprints into the UI, opening a new category of shareable sensors
Integrated Exchange — Moving toward a first-party, in-app blueprint marketplace with ratings and filtering

Home AssistantBlueprints