Home Assistant Integration Documentation

Guide for creating comprehensive documentation for custom integrations.

Documentation Files

File	Purpose	Location
README.md	GitHub landing page	Repository root
info.md	HACS description	Repository root
docs/*.md	Extended docs	Optional

README.md Template

# {Integration Name}

[![hacs_badge](https://img.shields.io/badge/HACS-Custom-41BDF5.svg)](https://github.com/hacs/integration)
[![GitHub Release](https://img.shields.io/github/release/{username}/{repo}.svg)](https://github.com/{username}/{repo}/releases)

{Brief description of what the integration does.}

## Features

- Feature 1
- Feature 2
- Feature 3

## Installation

### HACS (Recommended)

1. Open HACS in Home Assistant
2. Click "Integrations"
3. Click ⋮ → "Custom repositories"
4. Add `https://github.com/{username}/{repo}` as category "Integration"
5. Click "{Integration Name}" → "Download"
6. Restart Home Assistant

### Manual

1. Download the latest release
2. Copy `custom_components/{domain}` to your `custom_components` folder
3. Restart Home Assistant

## Configuration

1. Go to **Settings** → **Devices & Services**
2. Click **+ Add Integration**
3. Search for "{Integration Name}"
4. Follow the setup wizard

### Configuration Options

| Option | Default | Description |
|--------|---------|-------------|
| Host | Required | Device IP or hostname |
| Username | Required | Login username |
| Password | Required | Login password |

### Advanced Options

| Option | Default | Description |
|--------|---------|-------------|
| Scan Interval | 30 | Update frequency in seconds |

## Entities

### Sensors

| Entity | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| sensor.{domain}_temperature | Current temperature |
| sensor.{domain}_humidity | Current humidity |

### Switches

| Entity | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| switch.{domain}_power | Main power switch |

## Automation Examples

### Turn on when temperature drops

```yaml
automation:
  - alias: "Low Temperature Alert"
    trigger:
      - platform: numeric_state
        entity_id: sensor.{domain}_temperature
        below: 18
    action:
      - service: notify.mobile_app
        data:
          message: "Temperature dropped below 18°C"

Troubleshooting

Entity shows "Unavailable"

• Check device is powered on
• Verify network connectivity
• Check integration logs for errors

Authentication Errors

1. Go to integration settings
2. Click "Configure"
3. Re-enter credentials

Known Limitations

• Limitation 1
• Limitation 2

Support

• GitHub Issues
• Home Assistant Community

License

MIT

## HACS info.md Template

```markdown
# {Integration Name}

{Detailed description for HACS store page.}

## What it does

{Explain the integration's purpose and capabilities.}

## Requirements

- Home Assistant 2024.1.0 or later
- {Device/Service name} with firmware X.X or later

## Features

- ✅ Config flow setup
- ✅ Options flow for settings
- ✅ Diagnostics support
- ✅ Automatic reconnection

Documentation Best Practices

Structure

1. Start with what it does — Users should know in 10 seconds
2. Installation first — Most common task
3. Configuration with examples — Show, don't just tell
4. Entity reference — Complete list of what's created
5. Troubleshooting — Answer common questions preemptively
6. Known limitations — Set expectations

Writing Style

• Use second person ("you" not "the user")
• Be concise — bullet points over paragraphs
• Include screenshots where helpful
• Keep examples copy-paste ready
• Update version numbers in badges

Badges to Include

[![hacs_badge](https://img.shields.io/badge/HACS-Custom-41BDF5.svg)](https://github.com/hacs/integration)
[![GitHub Release](https://img.shields.io/github/release/user/repo.svg)](https://github.com/user/repo/releases)
[![GitHub Downloads](https://img.shields.io/github/downloads/user/repo/total.svg)](https://github.com/user/repo/releases)
[![License](https://img.shields.io/github/license/user/repo.svg)](LICENSE)

IQS Documentation Requirements

Bronze

• docs-high-level-description: What the integration does
• docs-installation-instructions: How to install
• docs-removal-instructions: How to remove
• docs-actions: Service action documentation

Silver

• docs-installation-parameters: All setup fields explained
• docs-configuration-parameters: All options explained

Gold

• docs-data-update: How/when data updates
• docs-examples: Automation examples
• docs-known-limitations: What doesn't work
• docs-supported-devices: Compatible devices
• docs-supported-functions: Feature list
• docs-troubleshooting: Common issues
• docs-use-cases: Real-world examples

Related Skills

• Integration structure → ha-integration-scaffold
• HACS publishing → ha-hacs
• Quality review → ha-quality-review