REST API

Home Assistant provides a RESTful API on the same port as the web frontend. (default port is port 8123).

If you are not using the frontend in your setup then you need to add the api component to your configuration.yaml file.

  • http://IP_ADDRESS:8123/ is an interface to control Home Assistant.
  • http://IP_ADDRESS:8123/api/ is a RESTful API.

The API accepts and returns only JSON encoded objects.

All API calls have to be accompanied by the header Authorization: Bearer ABCDEFGH, where ABCDEFGH is replaced by your token. You can obtain a token ("Long-Lived Access Token") by logging into the frontend using a web browser, and going to your profile http://IP_ADDRESS:8123/profile.

There are multiple ways to consume the Home Assistant Rest API. One is with curl:

curl -X GET \
-H "Authorization: Bearer ABCDEFGH" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
http://IP_ADDRESS:8123/ENDPOINT

Another option is to use Python and the Requests module.

from requests import get
url = "http://localhost:8123/ENDPOINT"
headers = {
"Authorization": "Bearer ABCDEFGH",
"content-type": "application/json",
}
response = get(url, headers=headers)
print(response.text)

Another option is to use the Restful Command integration in a Home Assistant automation or script.

turn_light_on:
url: http://localhost:8123/api/states/light.study_light
method: POST
headers:
authorization: 'Bearer ABCDEFGH'
content-type: 'application/json'
payload: '{"state":"on"}'

Successful calls will return status code 200 or 201. Other status codes that can return are:

  • 400 (Bad Request)
  • 401 (Unauthorized)
  • 404 (Not Found)
  • 405 (Method not allowed)

Actions

The API supports the following actions:

GET /api/

Returns a message if the API is up and running.

{
"message": "API running."
}

Sample curl command:

curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer ABCDEFGH" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" http://localhost:8123/api/

GET /api/config

Returns the current configuration as JSON.

{
"components":[
"sensor.cpuspeed",
"frontend",
"config.core",
"http",
"map",
"api",
"sun",
"config",
"discovery",
"conversation",
"recorder",
"group",
"sensor",
"websocket_api",
"automation",
"config.automation",
"config.customize"
],
"config_dir":"/home/ha/.homeassistant",
"elevation":510,
"latitude":45.8781529,
"location_name":"Home",
"longitude":8.458853651,
"time_zone":"Europe/Zurich",
"unit_system":{
"length":"km",
"mass":"g",
"temperature":"\u00b0C",
"volume":"L"
},
"version":"0.56.2",
"whitelist_external_dirs":[
"/home/ha/.homeassistant/www",
"/home/ha/.homeassistant/"
]
}

Sample curl command:

curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer ABCDEFGH" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" http://localhost:8123/api/config

GET /api/discovery_info

Returns basic information about the Home Assistant instance as JSON.

{
"base_url": "http://192.168.0.2:8123",
"location_name": "Home",
"requires_api_password": true,
"version": "0.56.2"
}

Sample curl command:

curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer ABCDEFGH" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" http://localhost:8123/api/discovery_info

GET /api/events

Returns an array of event objects. Each event object contains event name and listener count.

[
{
"event": "state_changed",
"listener_count": 5
},
{
"event": "time_changed",
"listener_count": 2
}
]

Sample curl command:

curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer ABCDEFGH" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" http://localhost:8123/api/events

GET /api/services

Returns an array of service objects. Each object contains the domain and which services it contains.

[
{
"domain": "browser",
"services": [
"browse_url"
]
},
{
"domain": "keyboard",
"services": [
"volume_up",
"volume_down"
]
}
]

Sample curl command:

curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer ABCDEFGH" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" http://localhost:8123/api/services

GET /api/history/period/<timestamp>

Returns an array of state changes in the past. Each object contains further details for the entities.

The <timestamp> (YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ssTZD) is optional and defaults to 1 day before the time of the request. It determines the beginning of the period.

You can pass the following optional GET parameters:

  • filter_entity_id=<entity_ids> to filter on one or more entities - comma separated.
  • end_time=<timestamp> to choose the end of the period in URL encoded format (defaults to 1 day).
[
[
{
"attributes": {
"friendly_name": "Weather Temperature",
"unit_of_measurement": "\u00b0C"
},
"entity_id": "sensor.weather_temperature",
"last_changed": "2016-02-06T22:15:00+00:00",
"last_updated": "2016-02-06T22:15:00+00:00",
"state": "-3.9"
},
{
"attributes": {
"friendly_name": "Weather Temperature",
"unit_of_measurement": "\u00b0C"
},
"entity_id": "sensor.weather_temperature",
"last_changed": "2016-02-06T22:15:00+00:00",
"last_updated": "2016-02-06T22:15:00+00:00",
"state": "-1.9"
},
]
]

Sample curl commands:

curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer ABCDEFGH" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
http://localhost:8123/api/history/period/2016-12-29T00:00:00+02:00
curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer ABCDEFGH" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
http://localhost:8123/api/history/period/2016-12-29T00:00:00+02:00?filter_entity_id=sensor.temperature
curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer ABCDEFGH" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
http://localhost:8123/api/history/period/2016-12-29T00:00:00+02:00?end_time=2016-12-31T00%3A00%3A00%2B02%3A00

GET /api/states

Returns an array of state objects. Each state has the following attributes: entity_id, state, last_changed and attributes.

[
{
"attributes": {},
"entity_id": "sun.sun",
"last_changed": "2016-05-30T21:43:32.418320+00:00",
"state": "below_horizon"
},
{
"attributes": {},
"entity_id": "process.Dropbox",
"last_changed": "22016-05-30T21:43:32.418320+00:00",
"state": "on"
}
]

Sample curl command:

curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer ABCDEFGH" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" http://localhost:8123/api/states

GET /api/states/<entity_id>

Returns a state object for specified entity_id. Returns 404 if not found.

{
"attributes":{
"azimuth":336.34,
"elevation":-17.67,
"friendly_name":"Sun",
"next_rising":"2016-05-31T03:39:14+00:00",
"next_setting":"2016-05-31T19:16:42+00:00"
},
"entity_id":"sun.sun",
"last_changed":"2016-05-30T21:43:29.204838+00:00",
"last_updated":"2016-05-30T21:50:30.529465+00:00",
"state":"below_horizon"
}

Sample curl command:

curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer ABCDEFGH" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
http://localhost:8123/api/states/sensor.kitchen_temperature

GET /api/error_log

Retrieve all errors logged during the current session of Home Assistant as a plaintext response.

15-12-20 11:02:50 homeassistant.components.recorder: Found unfinished sessions
15-12-20 11:03:03 netdisco.ssdp: Error fetching description at http://192.168.1.1:8200/rootDesc.xml
15-12-20 11:04:36 homeassistant.components.alexa: Received unknown intent HelpIntent

Sample curl command:

curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer ABCDEFGH" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
http://localhost:8123/api/error_log

GET /api/camera_proxy/camera.<entity_id>

Returns the data (image) from the specified camera entity_id.

Sample curl command:

curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer ABCDEFGH" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
http://localhost:8123/api/camera_proxy/camera.my_sample_camera?time=1462653861261 -o image.jpg

POST /api/states/<entity_id>

Updates or creates a state. You can create any state that you want, it does not have to be backed by an entity in Home Assistant.

info

This endpoint sets the representation of a device within Home Asistant and will not communicate with the actual device. To communicate with the device, use the POST /api/services/<domain>/<service> endpoint.

Expects a JSON object that has at least a state attribute:

{
"state": "below_horizon",
"attributes": {
"next_rising":"2016-05-31T03:39:14+00:00",
"next_setting":"2016-05-31T19:16:42+00:00"
}
}

The return code is 200 if the entity existed, 201 if the state of a new entity was set. A location header will be returned with the URL of the new resource. The response body will contain a JSON encoded State object.

{
"attributes": {
"next_rising":"2016-05-31T03:39:14+00:00",
"next_setting":"2016-05-31T19:16:42+00:00"
},
"entity_id": "sun.sun",
"last_changed": "2016-05-30T21:43:29.204838+00:00",
"last_updated": "2016-05-30T21:47:30.533530+00:00",
"state": "below_horizon"
}

Sample curl command:

curl -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer ABCDEFGH" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"state": "25", "attributes": {"unit_of_measurement": "°C"}}' \
http://localhost:8123/api/states/sensor.kitchen_temperature

POST /api/events/<event_type>

Fires an event with event_type

You can pass an optional JSON object to be used as event_data.

{
"next_rising":"2016-05-31T03:39:14+00:00",
}

Returns a message if successful.

{
"message": "Event download_file fired."
}

POST /api/services/<domain>/<service>

Calls a service within a specific domain. Will return when the service has been executed or after 10 seconds, whichever comes first.

You can pass an optional JSON object to be used as service_data.

{
"entity_id": "light.Ceiling"
}

Returns a list of states that have changed while the service was being executed.

[
{
"attributes": {},
"entity_id": "sun.sun",
"last_changed": "2016-05-30T21:43:32.418320+00:00",
"state": "below_horizon"
},
{
"attributes": {},
"entity_id": "process.Dropbox",
"last_changed": "22016-05-30T21:43:32.418320+00:00",
"state": "on"
}
]

Sample curl commands:

Turn the light on:

curl -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer ABCDEFGH" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"entity_id": "switch.christmas_lights"}' \
http://localhost:8123/api/services/switch/turn_on

Send a MQTT message:

curl -X POST \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-ha-access:YOUR_PASSWORD" \
-d '{"payload": "OFF", "topic": "home/fridge", "retain": "True"}' \
http://localhost:8123/api/services/mqtt/publish
tip

The result will include any states that changed while the service was being executed, even if their change was the result of something else happening in the system.

POST /api/template

Render a Home Assistant template. See template docs for more information.

{
"template": "Paulus is at {{ states('device_tracker.paulus') }}!"
}

Returns the rendered template in plain text.

Paulus is at work!

Sample curl command:

curl -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer ABCDEFGH" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"template": "It is {{ now() }}!"}' http://localhost:8123/api/template

POST /api/config/core/check_config

Trigger a check of configuration.yaml. No additional data needs to be passed in with this request. Needs config integration enabled.

If the check is successful, the following will be returned:

{
"errors": null,
"result": "valid"
}

If the check fails, the errors attribute in the object will list what caused the check to fail. For example:

{
"errors": "Integration not found: frontend:",
"result": "invalid"
}

POST /api/event_forwarding

Set up event forwarding to another Home Assistant instance.

Requires a JSON object that represents the API to forward to.

{
"host": "machine",
"api_password": "my_super_secret_password",
"port": 8880 // optional
}

It will return a message if event forwarding was set up successfully.

{
"message": "Event forwarding setup."
}

DELETE /api/event_forwarding

Cancel event forwarding to another Home Assistant instance.

Requires a JSON object that represents the API to cancel forwarding to.

{
"host": "machine",
"api_password": "my_super_secret_password",
"port": 8880 // optional
}

It will return a message if event forwarding was canceled successfully.

{
"message": "Event forwarding cancelled."
}
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