From 23df324803de194d797e8dd9ba17ff6a31d4526b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: c0ffeeca7 <38767475+c0ffeeca7@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2024 17:20:51 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] Add section on Matter bridge (#31022)

---
 source/_integrations/matter.markdown | 13 +++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 13 insertions(+)

diff --git a/source/_integrations/matter.markdown b/source/_integrations/matter.markdown
index 158ea9a1a81..b231d608749 100644
--- a/source/_integrations/matter.markdown
+++ b/source/_integrations/matter.markdown
@@ -196,6 +196,19 @@ This method will allow you to share a device that was added to Google Home to Ho
 
 <lite-youtube videoid="-B4WWevd2JI" videotitle="Share Matter device from Google Home to Home Assistant"></lite-youtube>
 
+### Using a Matter bridge
+
+For some ecosystems, you can add some of their non-Matter devices into Home Assistant via a *Matter bridge*. Examples of Matter bridges are the SwitchBot&nbsp;Hub&nbsp;2, Aqara&nbsp;Hub&nbsp;M2, Ikea&nbsp;Dirigera, or the Philips Hue Bridge. Using a bridge allows you to keep controlling these devices via their native App, while having them available in Home Assistant at the same time. The Aquara Hub, for example, uses a cloud-based integration. By bridging it into Home Assistant via Matter (instead of using their cloud-based integration), you can make it use local communication.
+
+#### How to add a Matter bridge to Home Assistant
+
+How you add a bridge to Home Assistant depends on the device. Check the documentation of that device for the specific steps. In case of SwitchBot&nbsp;Hub&nbsp;2, for example, you need to enable the Matter-paring mode within the app. It then gives you a pairing code and tells you to set the actual device into pairing mode. You can then add that bridge device to Home Assistant as a Matter device. There is no guarantee that all the devices from that ecosystem can be used in Home Assistant. SwitchBot Hub 2 V1.5, for example, allows you to use curtain, lock, and blind via Matter, but not light.
+
+#### When not to use a bridge
+
+In some cases, bridging devices into Home Assistant via Matter might not bring you benefits. So far, The Philips Hue bridge, for example, supports Matter. But Matter only support a limited set of features. The native Home Assistant integration of Philips Hue comes with a wide variety of features. It also runs locally. You would not gain anything by adding your Philipps Hue devices to Home Assistant via Matter bridging. On the contrary, you would lose some of the features.
+
+<lite-youtube videoid="rEugjMk-4II" videoStartAt="4192" videotitle="Bridge a Matter device to Home Assistant"></lite-youtube>
 
 ## Experiment with Matter using a ESP32 dev board