Frenck | Home Assistant & Smart Home
@frenck.social
A Human. Being. Him/He. Dad. Open Sourcerer. GitHub Star 🌟
#HomeAssistant lead engineer. Passionate. Dedicated. Motto: Make a positive difference every single day. Be the change ❤
#HomeAssistant lead engineer. Passionate. Dedicated. Motto: Make a positive difference every single day. Be the change ❤
Quick spoiler for 2025.11...
You know that feeling when you're building an automation and you have NO idea which "Motion Sensor" is which? Or how many lights you're actually about to control?
No more guessing. 🎯
#HomeAssistant
You know that feeling when you're building an automation and you have NO idea which "Motion Sensor" is which? Or how many lights you're actually about to control?
No more guessing. 🎯
#HomeAssistant
November 5, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Quick spoiler for 2025.11...
You know that feeling when you're building an automation and you have NO idea which "Motion Sensor" is which? Or how many lights you're actually about to control?
No more guessing. 🎯
#HomeAssistant
You know that feeling when you're building an automation and you have NO idea which "Motion Sensor" is which? Or how many lights you're actually about to control?
No more guessing. 🎯
#HomeAssistant
That feeling when you're moving soon but don't have keys yet, so you just lie awake at 11pm browsing smart locks and camera specs instead.
Just me?
Wrote a blog post about the exciting agony of planning a smart home you can't touch yet 👇
frenck.dev/moving-to-a-...
#HomeAssistant #SmartHome
Just me?
Wrote a blog post about the exciting agony of planning a smart home you can't touch yet 👇
frenck.dev/moving-to-a-...
#HomeAssistant #SmartHome
Moving to a new smart home: The exciting agony of not having the keys yet
I'm moving to a new place mid-December, and I can't sleep. Not from stress, but from the overwhelming excitement of building a smart home from scratch. Where do I even start? My brain won't shut up about all the possibilities.
frenck.dev
November 4, 2025 at 7:31 PM
That feeling when you're moving soon but don't have keys yet, so you just lie awake at 11pm browsing smart locks and camera specs instead.
Just me?
Wrote a blog post about the exciting agony of planning a smart home you can't touch yet 👇
frenck.dev/moving-to-a-...
#HomeAssistant #SmartHome
Just me?
Wrote a blog post about the exciting agony of planning a smart home you can't touch yet 👇
frenck.dev/moving-to-a-...
#HomeAssistant #SmartHome
Had a great time chatting with @heise.de at @github.com Universe about where @home-assistant.io is headed for the remainder of 2025!
Thanks Daniel Ziegener for the interview. Always fun to share what we're building with the community!
#HomeAssistant #GitHubUniverse #OpenHome #OpenSource
Thanks Daniel Ziegener for the interview. Always fun to share what we're building with the community!
#HomeAssistant #GitHubUniverse #OpenHome #OpenSource
Franck Nijhof leitet die Home-Assistant-Entwicklung bei der Open Home Foundation. Im Interview erzählt er, welche Neuerungen Nutzer 2025 noch erwarten. #Home Assistant
heise+ | Home Assistant: Interview über Erfolg, KI-Code und das nächste Feature
Franck Nijhof leitet die Home-Assistant-Entwicklung bei der Open Home Foundation. Im Interview erzählt er, welche Neuerungen Nutzer 2025 noch erwarten.
www.heise.de
November 4, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Had a great time chatting with @heise.de at @github.com Universe about where @home-assistant.io is headed for the remainder of 2025!
Thanks Daniel Ziegener for the interview. Always fun to share what we're building with the community!
#HomeAssistant #GitHubUniverse #OpenHome #OpenSource
Thanks Daniel Ziegener for the interview. Always fun to share what we're building with the community!
#HomeAssistant #GitHubUniverse #OpenHome #OpenSource
By the way, if you aren't using Home Assistant yet, now's a great time to start. You don't have to own the house you're in, you don't have to change any wiring, you don't have to do anything expensive. If you have any inexpensive old computers/laptops laying around, they're perfect for this. /cont'd
I don't appreciate being reminded about the rapid passing of time...
This screenshot (from the YouTube live stream of Home Assistant 2025.5 Release Party) feels applicable today.
Pictured are Missy @adorablecyb.org, Paulus @paulusschoutsen.nl, and Frenck @frenck.social (role details in alt text)
This screenshot (from the YouTube live stream of Home Assistant 2025.5 Release Party) feels applicable today.
Pictured are Missy @adorablecyb.org, Paulus @paulusschoutsen.nl, and Frenck @frenck.social (role details in alt text)
November 3, 2025 at 5:48 AM
Reposted by Frenck | Home Assistant & Smart Home
I don't appreciate being reminded about the rapid passing of time...
This screenshot (from the YouTube live stream of Home Assistant 2025.5 Release Party) feels applicable today.
Pictured are Missy @adorablecyb.org, Paulus @paulusschoutsen.nl, and Frenck @frenck.social (role details in alt text)
This screenshot (from the YouTube live stream of Home Assistant 2025.5 Release Party) feels applicable today.
Pictured are Missy @adorablecyb.org, Paulus @paulusschoutsen.nl, and Frenck @frenck.social (role details in alt text)
November 3, 2025 at 2:24 AM
I don't appreciate being reminded about the rapid passing of time...
This screenshot (from the YouTube live stream of Home Assistant 2025.5 Release Party) feels applicable today.
Pictured are Missy @adorablecyb.org, Paulus @paulusschoutsen.nl, and Frenck @frenck.social (role details in alt text)
This screenshot (from the YouTube live stream of Home Assistant 2025.5 Release Party) feels applicable today.
Pictured are Missy @adorablecyb.org, Paulus @paulusschoutsen.nl, and Frenck @frenck.social (role details in alt text)
Recorded an episode of the @github.com Podcast with @alacolombiadev.bsky.social at GitHub Universe!
Talked about @home-assistant.io's journey to 21,000+ contributors and building the ultimate open smart home. It was awesome and can't wait for this to drop! 🎙️
#GitHubUniverse #HomeAssistant
Talked about @home-assistant.io's journey to 21,000+ contributors and building the ultimate open smart home. It was awesome and can't wait for this to drop! 🎙️
#GitHubUniverse #HomeAssistant
November 2, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Recorded an episode of the @github.com Podcast with @alacolombiadev.bsky.social at GitHub Universe!
Talked about @home-assistant.io's journey to 21,000+ contributors and building the ultimate open smart home. It was awesome and can't wait for this to drop! 🎙️
#GitHubUniverse #HomeAssistant
Talked about @home-assistant.io's journey to 21,000+ contributors and building the ultimate open smart home. It was awesome and can't wait for this to drop! 🎙️
#GitHubUniverse #HomeAssistant
Quick vlog time: Why I think Home Assistant should rename "add-ons" to "apps" 🔥
The problem: newcomers see Add-ons and Integrations and have no idea which one to use. The names don't explain the difference.
Watch the full explanation (5 min)
youtu.be/TwKOeZJyPas
#HomeAssistant @home-assistant.io
The problem: newcomers see Add-ons and Integrations and have no idea which one to use. The names don't explain the difference.
Watch the full explanation (5 min)
youtu.be/TwKOeZJyPas
#HomeAssistant @home-assistant.io
Renaming Home Assistant add-ons to apps (here's why)
I opened an architecture proposal to rename Home Assistant "add-ons" to "apps"; and it's sparked quite the discussion. In this vlog, I explain why this seemingly small change actually matters for newcomers, why "add-ons" creates confusion, and what's happening in the community debate. What do you think? Apps, add-ons, or something else? Let me know in the comments! Filmed on my way to GitHub Universe 2025 ✈️ Key points: - Why new users get confused between add-ons and integrations - How "apps" creates a clearer mental model - Zero functional changes, just better naming - Community alternatives being discussed 🔔 Enjoyed the video? Don’t forget to 👍, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more smart home content! 📰 Rather read the blog version? https://frenck.dev/renaming-home-assistant-add-ons-to-apps/ #SmartHome #HomeAssistant #addons #opensource 🔗 Learn More ============ 📎 GitHub Discussion: https://github.com/home-assistant/architecture/discussions/1287 (Jump in and share your thoughts!) 🔹 Follow me on GitHub: https://github.com/frenck 🔗...
youtu.be
November 1, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Quick vlog time: Why I think Home Assistant should rename "add-ons" to "apps" 🔥
The problem: newcomers see Add-ons and Integrations and have no idea which one to use. The names don't explain the difference.
Watch the full explanation (5 min)
youtu.be/TwKOeZJyPas
#HomeAssistant @home-assistant.io
The problem: newcomers see Add-ons and Integrations and have no idea which one to use. The names don't explain the difference.
Watch the full explanation (5 min)
youtu.be/TwKOeZJyPas
#HomeAssistant @home-assistant.io
Proud moment at GitHub Universe 2025!
As a GitHub Star, I’ve got my own star on the Walk of Fame here at the venue. It’s pretty cool to see my name on the ground alongside fellow Stars! 🌟
#GitHubUniverse #GitHubStars #OpenSource
As a GitHub Star, I’ve got my own star on the Walk of Fame here at the venue. It’s pretty cool to see my name on the ground alongside fellow Stars! 🌟
#GitHubUniverse #GitHubStars #OpenSource
October 29, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Proud moment at GitHub Universe 2025!
As a GitHub Star, I’ve got my own star on the Walk of Fame here at the venue. It’s pretty cool to see my name on the ground alongside fellow Stars! 🌟
#GitHubUniverse #GitHubStars #OpenSource
As a GitHub Star, I’ve got my own star on the Walk of Fame here at the venue. It’s pretty cool to see my name on the ground alongside fellow Stars! 🌟
#GitHubUniverse #GitHubStars #OpenSource
Immutable releases announced at GitHub Universe!
Once tagged, releases can’t be changed. No more worrying about malicious actors swapping out assets or moving tags.
Single-use version tags with signed attestations. This is the supply chain protection open source really needs 🔒
#GitHubUniverse
Once tagged, releases can’t be changed. No more worrying about malicious actors swapping out assets or moving tags.
Single-use version tags with signed attestations. This is the supply chain protection open source really needs 🔒
#GitHubUniverse
October 28, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Immutable releases announced at GitHub Universe!
Once tagged, releases can’t be changed. No more worrying about malicious actors swapping out assets or moving tags.
Single-use version tags with signed attestations. This is the supply chain protection open source really needs 🔒
#GitHubUniverse
Once tagged, releases can’t be changed. No more worrying about malicious actors swapping out assets or moving tags.
Single-use version tags with signed attestations. This is the supply chain protection open source really needs 🔒
#GitHubUniverse
Hell yeah we are! 💪
This is a testament to our amazing community, building an amazing, open source, privacy aware home automation platform, powering millions of homes around the world.
Big shout out to our amazing community.
You all rock, I love you 🫶
#HomeAssistant #GitHubUniverse
This is a testament to our amazing community, building an amazing, open source, privacy aware home automation platform, powering millions of homes around the world.
Big shout out to our amazing community.
You all rock, I love you 🫶
#HomeAssistant #GitHubUniverse
😯 We did it again - we made the @github.com Octoverse report as a top open source project on GitHub! 🥳
We can't understate it: it's because of the community that we accomplished this. Thousands of you contributed to this achievement - here's to you! #OpenSource🍻
We can't understate it: it's because of the community that we accomplished this. Thousands of you contributed to this achievement - here's to you! #OpenSource🍻
October 28, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Hell yeah we are! 💪
This is a testament to our amazing community, building an amazing, open source, privacy aware home automation platform, powering millions of homes around the world.
Big shout out to our amazing community.
You all rock, I love you 🫶
#HomeAssistant #GitHubUniverse
This is a testament to our amazing community, building an amazing, open source, privacy aware home automation platform, powering millions of homes around the world.
Big shout out to our amazing community.
You all rock, I love you 🫶
#HomeAssistant #GitHubUniverse
October 28, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Coming later this year, partners can provide agents. For example, using Claude directly in the GitHub interface, just like you can use and assign just like you can do with GitHub Copilot today. I love that they bring choice to the GitHub platform.
#GitHubUniverse
#GitHubUniverse
October 28, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Coming later this year, partners can provide agents. For example, using Claude directly in the GitHub interface, just like you can use and assign just like you can do with GitHub Copilot today. I love that they bring choice to the GitHub platform.
#GitHubUniverse
#GitHubUniverse
Today GitHub announced Agent HQ; a single spot to manage your AI agents. GitHub has been using it themselves, making copilot their number one code contributor to their own code base.
#GitHubUniverse
#GitHubUniverse
October 28, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Today GitHub announced Agent HQ; a single spot to manage your AI agents. GitHub has been using it themselves, making copilot their number one code contributor to their own code base.
#GitHubUniverse
#GitHubUniverse
Boiler broke at home. No hot water. Family’s cold. 🥶
Me? 36,000 feet up, going 874 km/h ✈️ 😅
Currently debugging via airplane WiFi + @tailscale.com VPN + OpenTherm.
The fact I can even TRY this from a plane is wild. We live in the future. 🚀
#HomeAssistant #SmartHome #Tailscale #VPN
Me? 36,000 feet up, going 874 km/h ✈️ 😅
Currently debugging via airplane WiFi + @tailscale.com VPN + OpenTherm.
The fact I can even TRY this from a plane is wild. We live in the future. 🚀
#HomeAssistant #SmartHome #Tailscale #VPN
October 26, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Boiler broke at home. No hot water. Family’s cold. 🥶
Me? 36,000 feet up, going 874 km/h ✈️ 😅
Currently debugging via airplane WiFi + @tailscale.com VPN + OpenTherm.
The fact I can even TRY this from a plane is wild. We live in the future. 🚀
#HomeAssistant #SmartHome #Tailscale #VPN
Me? 36,000 feet up, going 874 km/h ✈️ 😅
Currently debugging via airplane WiFi + @tailscale.com VPN + OpenTherm.
The fact I can even TRY this from a plane is wild. We live in the future. 🚀
#HomeAssistant #SmartHome #Tailscale #VPN
“Future is Local” spotted at Prague Airport ✈️
Absolutely. Your smart home, your data, your control. All local. This is the way. 🏠
#HomeAssistant #LocalControl #FutureIsLocal
Absolutely. Your smart home, your data, your control. All local. This is the way. 🏠
#HomeAssistant #LocalControl #FutureIsLocal
October 22, 2025 at 11:23 AM
“Future is Local” spotted at Prague Airport ✈️
Absolutely. Your smart home, your data, your control. All local. This is the way. 🏠
#HomeAssistant #LocalControl #FutureIsLocal
Absolutely. Your smart home, your data, your control. All local. This is the way. 🏠
#HomeAssistant #LocalControl #FutureIsLocal
Choo choo! 🚂
Literally on a train right now heading to Prague to meet up with the whole Home Assistant crew from the Open Home Foundation. Team building time!
See you soon, team! ✈️
#HomeAssistant #OpenHomeFoundation #TeamBuilding
Literally on a train right now heading to Prague to meet up with the whole Home Assistant crew from the Open Home Foundation. Team building time!
See you soon, team! ✈️
#HomeAssistant #OpenHomeFoundation #TeamBuilding
October 20, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Choo choo! 🚂
Literally on a train right now heading to Prague to meet up with the whole Home Assistant crew from the Open Home Foundation. Team building time!
See you soon, team! ✈️
#HomeAssistant #OpenHomeFoundation #TeamBuilding
Literally on a train right now heading to Prague to meet up with the whole Home Assistant crew from the Open Home Foundation. Team building time!
See you soon, team! ✈️
#HomeAssistant #OpenHomeFoundation #TeamBuilding
Yeah, we're ending Yellow production 💛
It had an incredible run, but the market has naturally moved on. Green 💚 is now the go-to for getting started. If you've got a Yellow, don't worry. We'll keep supporting it just like we do with Blue. 💙
It had an incredible run, but the market has naturally moved on. Green 💚 is now the go-to for getting started. If you've got a Yellow, don't worry. We'll keep supporting it just like we do with Blue. 💙
⚠️ WE'RE ENDING PRODUCTION OF THE HOME ASSISTANT YELLOW ⚠️
Rest assured, it will continue to be supported 😌 but if you've considered buying one get it before stock runs out! Learn why this decision was made, what support looks like moving forward, & a peek into the future 👇🏼
Rest assured, it will continue to be supported 😌 but if you've considered buying one get it before stock runs out! Learn why this decision was made, what support looks like moving forward, & a peek into the future 👇🏼
Ending production of Home Assistant Yellow
Software support continues, and we start looking at what hardware is next for our power-users.
www.home-assistant.io
October 15, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Yeah, we're ending Yellow production 💛
It had an incredible run, but the market has naturally moved on. Green 💚 is now the go-to for getting started. If you've got a Yellow, don't worry. We'll keep supporting it just like we do with Blue. 💙
It had an incredible run, but the market has naturally moved on. Green 💚 is now the go-to for getting started. If you've got a Yellow, don't worry. We'll keep supporting it just like we do with Blue. 💙
October 15, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Reposted by Frenck | Home Assistant & Smart Home
This week on the @home-assistant.io podcast, I sat down with Achim Haug of AirGradient to explore how a personal mission during Thailand’s burning season turned into a global open-source air quality solution 🌍🛠️
Full episode: https://youtu.be/q1skkqMJcX0
Full episode: https://youtu.be/q1skkqMJcX0
October 14, 2025 at 3:10 PM
This week on the @home-assistant.io podcast, I sat down with Achim Haug of AirGradient to explore how a personal mission during Thailand’s burning season turned into a global open-source air quality solution 🌍🛠️
Full episode: https://youtu.be/q1skkqMJcX0
Full episode: https://youtu.be/q1skkqMJcX0
I’m not returning to live streams. New format: vlogs, my smart-home build, and “Ask Frenck: Unfiltered.”
Watch the announcement: www.youtube.com/watch?v=idxA...
#HomeAssistant #SmartHome #OpenHome
Watch the announcement: www.youtube.com/watch?v=idxA...
#HomeAssistant #SmartHome #OpenHome
Why I'm not streaming anymore (and what I'm doing instead)
My live streams aren't coming back, at least not anytime soon. But what's coming instead might actually be better. 📰 Rather read the blog version? https://frenck.dev/not-streaming-anymore/ This is my personal channel. My views. My perspective. And I'm launching three things: 1. RAW VLOGS - Taking you to GitHub Universe, CES in January, my new smart home build starting December, and behind the scenes of Home Assistant decisions. 2. "ASK FRENCK: UNFILTERED" - Regular 10-15 minute deep-dives where I answer ONE hard question about Home Assistant with brutal honesty. Not rapid-fire Q&A. Real explanations from my perspective as Home Assistant Lead. 3. PEEK AT MY SMART HOME BUILD - Documenting my new house setup. Device and integration choices, and of course every spectacular failure. 🔥 DROP YOUR QUESTIONS IN THE COMMENTS for "Ask Frenck: Unfiltered" 🔔 Enjoyed the video? Don’t forget to 👍, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more...
www.youtube.com
October 12, 2025 at 7:22 PM
I’m not returning to live streams. New format: vlogs, my smart-home build, and “Ask Frenck: Unfiltered.”
Watch the announcement: www.youtube.com/watch?v=idxA...
#HomeAssistant #SmartHome #OpenHome
Watch the announcement: www.youtube.com/watch?v=idxA...
#HomeAssistant #SmartHome #OpenHome
Finally! @github.com Actions supports YAML anchors after 4 years of requests.
Catch: no merge keys. Can't compose configs with overrides.
We migrated @home-assistant.io, but it is disappointing.
After 4 years, they had time to do it right.
👉 frenck.dev/github-actio...
#CICD #DevOps #YAML #GitHub
Catch: no merge keys. Can't compose configs with overrides.
We migrated @home-assistant.io, but it is disappointing.
After 4 years, they had time to do it right.
👉 frenck.dev/github-actio...
#CICD #DevOps #YAML #GitHub
GitHub Actions finally supports YAML anchors (but not really)
After 4 years of waiting, GitHub finally added YAML anchors to GitHub Actions. Then I read the docs: no merge keys. They shipped half the feature, gained all the complexity costs, and missed the entire point. Here's what actually works and why I'm disappointed.
frenck.dev
October 11, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Finally! @github.com Actions supports YAML anchors after 4 years of requests.
Catch: no merge keys. Can't compose configs with overrides.
We migrated @home-assistant.io, but it is disappointing.
After 4 years, they had time to do it right.
👉 frenck.dev/github-actio...
#CICD #DevOps #YAML #GitHub
Catch: no merge keys. Can't compose configs with overrides.
We migrated @home-assistant.io, but it is disappointing.
After 4 years, they had time to do it right.
👉 frenck.dev/github-actio...
#CICD #DevOps #YAML #GitHub
October 1, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Selling my house 🏡
It’s loaded with smart home gear 🤖
Would you leave it for the buyer or take it with you? 🤔
What would you do?
👉 Watch the clip: www.youtube.com/shorts/bVneI...
#HomeAssistant #SmartHome
It’s loaded with smart home gear 🤖
Would you leave it for the buyer or take it with you? 🤔
What would you do?
👉 Watch the clip: www.youtube.com/shorts/bVneI...
#HomeAssistant #SmartHome
Selling my house with Home Assistant: Keep it or leave it?
What would you do? 🤔 My house is for sale 🏡 It’s full of smart home tech 🤖 Leave it for the buyer or take it with me? #HomeAssistant #SmartHome #short
www.youtube.com
September 29, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Selling my house 🏡
It’s loaded with smart home gear 🤖
Would you leave it for the buyer or take it with you? 🤔
What would you do?
👉 Watch the clip: www.youtube.com/shorts/bVneI...
#HomeAssistant #SmartHome
It’s loaded with smart home gear 🤖
Would you leave it for the buyer or take it with you? 🤔
What would you do?
👉 Watch the clip: www.youtube.com/shorts/bVneI...
#HomeAssistant #SmartHome
Ever wanted to work on open source full-time? Come join me at the @openhomefoundation.org; we’ve got 5 new roles on @home-assistant.io.
👩💼 Program Manager
🐍 Python Engineers
✍️ Technical Writers
🌍 Remote. Open source, every day.
Links in replies 👇
#HomeAssistant #OpenSource #SmartHome #Hiring #Jobs
👩💼 Program Manager
🐍 Python Engineers
✍️ Technical Writers
🌍 Remote. Open source, every day.
Links in replies 👇
#HomeAssistant #OpenSource #SmartHome #Hiring #Jobs
September 28, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Ever wanted to work on open source full-time? Come join me at the @openhomefoundation.org; we’ve got 5 new roles on @home-assistant.io.
👩💼 Program Manager
🐍 Python Engineers
✍️ Technical Writers
🌍 Remote. Open source, every day.
Links in replies 👇
#HomeAssistant #OpenSource #SmartHome #Hiring #Jobs
👩💼 Program Manager
🐍 Python Engineers
✍️ Technical Writers
🌍 Remote. Open source, every day.
Links in replies 👇
#HomeAssistant #OpenSource #SmartHome #Hiring #Jobs
Spotted at IFA: Reolink’s local Vision AI blew me away.
Ask your camera what happened in the last 24h… and it just tells you.
Soon, even without clouds. Just local AI smarts.
Honestly, this changes everything 👀 🤯
#SmartHome #IFA2025 #Reolink #HomeAssistant #VisionAI #LocalFirst
Ask your camera what happened in the last 24h… and it just tells you.
Soon, even without clouds. Just local AI smarts.
Honestly, this changes everything 👀 🤯
#SmartHome #IFA2025 #Reolink #HomeAssistant #VisionAI #LocalFirst
September 22, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Spotted at IFA: Reolink’s local Vision AI blew me away.
Ask your camera what happened in the last 24h… and it just tells you.
Soon, even without clouds. Just local AI smarts.
Honestly, this changes everything 👀 🤯
#SmartHome #IFA2025 #Reolink #HomeAssistant #VisionAI #LocalFirst
Ask your camera what happened in the last 24h… and it just tells you.
Soon, even without clouds. Just local AI smarts.
Honestly, this changes everything 👀 🤯
#SmartHome #IFA2025 #Reolink #HomeAssistant #VisionAI #LocalFirst