integration
HACS gives you a powerful UI to handle downloads of all your custom needs.
A graphical store built into Home Assistant that lets you browse, install, and update community-made smart home extensions without manually copying files onto your server.
HACS stands for Home Assistant Community Store. It is an add-on for Home Assistant, the popular open-source home automation platform, that adds a graphical panel for browsing and managing third-party extensions that are not part of the official Home Assistant catalog.
Home Assistant supports a large community of developers who build custom integrations for smart devices, themes, and other automation tools. Without HACS, installing one of these community-built extensions typically means finding the code on GitHub and copying files manually into the correct folders on your server. HACS replaces that process with a screen inside the Home Assistant interface where you can search for, download, and update community contributions directly from your browser.
The store keeps track of everything you have installed and alerts you when updates are available. It also provides shortcuts back to each project's source repository and issue tracker, making it easier to check on a project's development activity or report a problem. Removing an installed item happens through the same interface, without touching the file system directly.
Installing HACS itself requires adding it as an integration within Home Assistant. The README is brief and points to a separate documentation site at hacs.xyz for full setup instructions, configuration options, and answers to common questions. Bug reports go to the repository's own issue tracker. The project also accepts support through GitHub Sponsors and a donation link maintained by the primary developer.
Where it fits
- Browse and one-click install community-built integrations for smart devices not officially supported by Home Assistant.
- Get notified when updates are available for your installed community extensions and apply them from a browser tab.
- Quickly remove a community integration through the same interface without touching any files on your server.
- Discover community themes and automation tools through a searchable panel inside Home Assistant.