Home Assistant integrations connect your setup to devices, online services, and software capabilities; apps (the current name for what used to be called add-ons) are separate programs that run alongside Home Assistant OS. An app might provide an MQTT broker, while an integration connects Home Assistant to that broker. The two can work together, but they do different jobs.
What is a Home Assistant integration?
An integration is the connection and configuration layer between Home Assistant and something it can use: a device, service, or software capability. Once configured, an integration can make that capability available in Home Assistant, often through one or more entities.
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Integrations are not limited to physical hardware. Home Assistant’s setup walkthrough uses Workday as an example, demonstrating that an integration can provide software-based functionality without connecting to a device. The same setup guide says Home Assistant works with products from over a thousand brands; that is the project’s own undated claim, not a dated or independently verified count. Home Assistant integration setup guide
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An entity is a particular value, control, or function made available by an integration. A sensor might report a measurement, while another entity might let you control a device or invoke a function. One integration can expose multiple entities; configuring the integration establishes the connection, while entities are the individual items you use in dashboards, automations, and other Home Assistant features. Home Assistant entity documentation
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What are Home Assistant apps, formerly called add-ons?
Home Assistant’s current documentation calls these programs “Apps”; older guides and conversations may call them add-ons. The Home Assistant Glossary describes them as “additional standalone third-party software packages that can be installed on Home Assistant OS.” They run alongside Home Assistant rather than acting as the connection to a device or service. Home Assistant Glossary
Examples include an MQTT broker, file-sharing service, or database. An app supplies a separate service; an integration connects Home Assistant to a supported service when you want to use it from Home Assistant. For example, an MQTT broker app can provide the broker, and the MQTT integration can connect Home Assistant to it. Calling the broker app itself an integration confuses the two roles. Home Assistant OS app documentation
How to add an integration or app
Add an integration
- Open Settings > Devices & services.
- If Home Assistant has discovered a device or service, look in the Discovered section and choose the option to configure it.
- If it is not listed, select Add integration, search for the integration, and follow its configuration steps.
- Open the integration’s detail view to review its entities and related Home Assistant items, such as automations, scripts, scenes, or activity.
Menu wording can change between Home Assistant releases, but the official walkthrough documents this general path and uses Workday to show that the process also applies to software-only integrations. Integration setup walkthrough
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Install an app
On Home Assistant OS, apps are managed from Settings > Apps. Some advanced apps may require Advanced Mode to be enabled. Apps are an OS feature: the installation method determines whether this app panel is available.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do add-ons work with Docker or Home Assistant Container?
No. Home Assistant Container supports integrations, but it does not include Home Assistant apps. If you run Home Assistant Container, you can install an equivalent standalone application yourself where one is available, but it will not be installed or managed through Home Assistant’s app panel. You are also responsible for managing the host system and updates. Home Assistant installation methods
This distinction matters for features that depend on an app. The installation documentation notes that Thread and Z-Wave do not have out-of-the-box support on Container installations. That does not mean every integration needs an app or a radio adapter; the requirement depends on the specific integration and protocol. Check the relevant setup instructions before choosing a host or buying hardware. Installation documentation
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Which Home Assistant installation should you choose?
| Your priority | Suitable path | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in app management and a guided setup | Home Assistant OS | Supports apps; Home Assistant recommends this installation type for most users. |
| A self-managed container environment | Home Assistant Container | Supports integrations, but apps are not included. You manage the system and updates. |
| A dedicated, ready-to-use host | Home Assistant Green | Ships with Home Assistant OS installed, according to Home Assistant’s hardware page. |
| Custom hardware or virtualization | Home Assistant OS on a supported host, such as a single-board computer, x86-64 machine, or virtual machine | Offers hardware choice; setup varies with the host and your experience. |
Home Assistant OS is a minimal operating system built to run the Home Assistant ecosystem. Green is one hardware route to that experience, not a prerequisite for integrations. A container setup may suit someone who already manages their own system, but app-dependent needs should be checked before committing to it. Official installation options and Home Assistant Green
What about custom integrations?
Some integrations are created by the community rather than included and supported as part of Home Assistant’s official offering. The official glossary says community-created custom integrations are used at the user’s risk and are not supported, reviewed, or tested by the Home Assistant development team. Check who maintains a custom integration and how it is distributed before relying on it for an important setup. Home Assistant Glossary
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