diff --git a/source/_topics/packages b/source/_topics/packages new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..de83c1f4c2d --- /dev/null +++ b/source/_topics/packages @@ -0,0 +1,86 @@ +--- +layout: page +title: "Packages" +description: "Describes all there is to know about configuration packages in Home Assistant." +date: 2017-01-10 20:00 +0200 +sidebar: false +comments: false +sharing: true +footer: true +--- + +## {% linkable_title About } + +Packages in Home Assistant provides a way to bundle different component's configuration together. We were already introduced to the two configuration styles (specifying platforms entries together or individually) on the [adding devices](/getting-started/devices) page. Both of these configuration methods require you to create the component key in the main `configuration.yaml` file. With packages we have a way to include different components, or parts of configuration using any of the `!include` directives introduced in [splitting the configuration](/topics/splitting_configuration). + +Packages are configured under the core `homeassistant/packages` in the configuration and take the format of a packages name (no spaces, all lower case) followed by a dictionary with the package config. For example, package `pack_1` would be created as: + +```yaml +homeassistant: + ... + packages: + pack_1: + ...package config here... +``` + +The package configuration can include: `switch`, `light`, `automation`, `groups` or the majority of the Home Assistant components. + +It can be specified inline, or in a seperate yaml file using `!include` + +Inline example, main `configuration.yaml`: + +```yaml +homeassistant: + ... + packages: + pack_1: + switch: + - platform: rest + ... + light: + - platform: rpi + ... +``` + +Include example, main `configuration.yaml`: +```yaml +homeassistant: + ... + packages: + pack_1: !include my_package.yaml +``` +The file `my_package.yaml` contains the "top-level" configuration: +``` +switch: + - platform: rest + ... +light: + - platform: rpi + ... +``` + +There are some rules for packages that will be merged: + +1. Component names may only use the basic form (e.g. `switch` and `switch 1` or `switch aa` is not accepted) +2. Platform based components (`light`, `switch`, etc) can always be merged +3. Components where entities are identified by a key that will represent the entity_id (`{key: config}`) need to have unique 'keys' between packages and the main configuration file (`input_boolean`, `group`) +4. Any component that is not a platform [2], or dictionaries with Entity ID keys [3] cannot be merged and can only occur once between all packages and the main config + +An example travel time package can be found [here](/cookbooks/travel_time) + +

+Components inside packages can only specify platform entries using configuration style 1, where all the platforms are grouped under the component name. +

+ + +### {% linkable_title Create a packages folder } + +One way to organise packages would be to create a folder named "packages" in your Home Assistant configuration directory. In the packages directory you can store any number of packages in a yaml file. This entry in your `configuration.yaml` will load all packages: + +```yaml +homeassistant: + packages: !include_dir_named packages +``` + +This uses the concept splitting the configuration and will include all files in a directory with the keys representing the filenames. +See the documentation about [splitting the configuration](/topics/splitting_configuration) for more information about `!include_dir_named` and other include statements that might be helpful.