home-assistant.io/source/_docs/scripts/perform-actions.markdown

---
title: "Performing actions"
description: "Instructions on how to perform actions in Home Assistant."
---

Various integrations allow performing {% term actions %} when a certain event occurs. The most common one is performing an action when an automation {% term trigger %} happens. But an action can also be called from a {% term script %}, a dashboard, or via voice command devices such as Amazon Echo.

The configuration options to perform action are the same between all integrations and are described on this page.

Examples on this page will be given as part of an automation integration configuration but different approaches can be used for other integrations too.

{% tip %}
Use the "Actions" tab under **Developer tools** to discover available actions.
{% endtip %}

### The basics

Perform the action `homeassistant.turn_on` on the {% term entity %} `group.living_room`. This will turn all members of `group.living_room` on. You can also use `entity_id: all` and it will turn on all possible entities.

```yaml
action: homeassistant.turn_on
target:
  entity_id: group.living_room
```

### Targeting areas and devices

Instead of targeting an entity, you can also target an {% term area %} or {% term device %}. Or a combination of these.
This is done with the `target` key.

A `target` is a map that contains at least one of the following: `area_id`, `device_id`, `entity_id`.
Each of these can be a list. The values should be lower-cased.

The following example uses a single action to turn on the lights in the
living room area, 2 additional light devices and 2 additional light entities:

```yaml
action: light.turn_on
target:
  area_id: living_room
  device_id:
    - ff22a1889a6149c5ab6327a8236ae704
    - 52c050ca1a744e238ad94d170651f96b
  entity_id:
    - light.hallway
    - light.landing
```

### Passing data to the action

You can also specify other parameters beside the entity to target. For example, the `light.turn_on` action allows specifying the brightness.

```yaml
action: light.turn_on
target:
  entity_id: group.living_room
data:
  brightness: 120
  rgb_color: [255, 0, 0]
```

A full list of the parameters for an action can be found on the documentation page of each integration, in the same way as it's done for the `light.turn_on` [action](/integrations/light/#action-lightturn_on).

### Use templates to decide which action to perform

You can use [templating] support to dynamically choose which action to perform. For example, you can perform a certain action based on if a light is on.

{% raw %}

```yaml
action: >
  {% if states('sensor.temperature') | float > 15 %}
    switch.turn_on
  {% else %}
    switch.turn_off
  {% endif %}
entity_id: switch.ac
```

{% endraw %}

### Using the Actions developer tool

You can use the **Actions** developer tool to test data to pass in an action.
For example, you may test turning on or off a 'group' (See [groups](/integrations/group/) for more info)

To turn a group on or off, pass the following info:

- Domain: `homeassistant`
- Action: `turn_on`
- Action data: `{ "entity_id": "group.kitchen" }`

### Use templates to determine the attributes

Templates can also be used for the data that you pass to the action.

{% raw %}

```yaml
action: thermostat.set_temperature
target:
  entity_id: >
    {% if is_state('device_tracker.paulus', 'home') %}
      thermostat.upstairs
    {% else %}
      thermostat.downstairs
    {% endif %}
data:
  temperature: "{{ 22 - distance(states.device_tracker.paulus) }}"
```

{% endraw %}

You can use a template returning a native dictionary as well, which is useful if the attributes to be set depend on the situation.

{% raw %}

```yaml
action: climate.set_temperature
data: >
  {% if states('sensor.temperature_living') < 19 %}
    {"hvac_mode": "heat", "temperature": 19 }
  {% else %}
    {"hvac_mode": "auto" }
  {% endif %}
```

{% endraw %}

### Use templates to handle response data

Some actions may respond with data that can be used in automation. This data is called _action response data_. Action response data
is typically used for data that is dynamic or large and which may not be suited for use in entity state.
Examples of action response data are upcoming calendar events for the next week or detailed driving directions.

Templates can also be used for handling response data. The action can specify
a `response_variable`. This is the [variable](/docs/scripts/#variables)
that contains the response data. You can define any name for your `response_variable`. This example performs an action and stores the response in the variable called `agenda`.

{% raw %}

```yaml
action: calendar.get_events
target:
  entity_id: calendar.school
data:
  duration:
    hours: 24
response_variable: agenda
```

{% endraw %}

You may then use the response data in the variable `agenda` in another action
in the same script. The example below sends a notification using the response
data.

{% important %}
Which data fields can be used in an action depends on the type of notification that is used.
{% endimportant %}

{% raw %}

```yaml
action: notify.gmail_com
data:
  target: "gduser1@workspacesamples.dev"
  title: "Daily agenda for {{ now().date() }}"
  message: >-
    Your agenda for today:
    <p>
    {% for event in agenda['calendar.school'].events %}
    {{ event.start}}: {{ event.summary }}<br>
    {% endfor %}
    </p>
```

{% endraw %}

### `homeassistant` actions

There are four `homeassistant` actions that aren't tied to any single domain, these are:

- `homeassistant.turn_on` - Turns on an entity (that supports being turned on), for example an `automation`, `switch`, etc.
- `homeassistant.turn_off` - Turns off an entity (that supports being turned off), for example an `automation`, `switch`, etc.
- `homeassistant.toggle` - Turns off an entity that is on, or turns on an entity that is off (that supports being turned on and off)
- `homeassistant.update_entity` - Request the update of an entity, rather than waiting for the next scheduled update, for example [Google travel time] sensor, a [template sensor], or a [light]

Complete action details and examples can be found on the [Home Assistant integration][homeassistant-integration-actions] page.

[templating]: /docs/configuration/templating/
[google travel time]: /integrations/google_travel_time/
[template sensor]: /integrations/template/
[light]: /integrations/light/
[homeassistant-integration-actions]: /integrations/homeassistant#actions