Home automation software is software that lets you control and monitor common home and office appliances using a computer. Home automation used to be confined to turning on and off lights and appliances. But the possibilities are much wider letting users build a wireless network, automate TV and hi-fi, monitor pets when you are away, set up an answering system, create a weather station – integrating an abundance of different home automation technologies into one.
Many home automation systems use proprietary networking protocols. The protocols used will be specific to the company that developed the system. The software company may favor such an approach as it ties the customer to their products only. However, this can only be detriment to the user of the home automation system. It is therefore important to evaluate a home automation system to ensure that it is built on open protocols. All of these solutions are released under an open source license.
Do not think home automation is just for geeks. It is now mainstream and a burgeoning industry. Become an home automation expert and try out these finest open source software for home automation. There are some real gems here. Many users flock to Home Assistant, Domoticz and openHAB, but one of the others listed here may be a better fit for your requirements.
Here’s our verdict captured in a legendary LinuxLinks-style ratings chart. Only free and open source software is eligible for inclusion.
A system with strong compatibility with the functionality you need is your best bet. Above all, try to look for a system that best suits your needs. The possibilities for automated intelligent home control are almost limitless.
| Home Automation | |
|---|---|
| Home Assistant | Home automation platform running on Python 3 |
| openHAB | Award winning solution for smart home and the Internet of Things |
| Homebridge | NodeJS server for home network that emulates the iOS HomeKit API |
| Domoticz | An excellent home automation system |
| HomeGenie | Home automation server for smart connected devices and applications |
| FHEM | Perl server for house automation |
| Gladys Assistant | Privacy-first home assistant |
| Freedomotic | Secure Internet of Things (IoT) development framework |
| Calaos | Home automation solution and a complete distro |
| ioBroker | Integration platform for the Internet of Things |
| Pytomation | Automation system written in Python |
This article has been revamped in line with our recent announcement.
 Read our complete collection of recommended free and open source software. Our curated compilation covers all categories of software. The software collection forms part of our series of informative articles for Linux enthusiasts. There are hundreds of in-depth reviews, open source alternatives to proprietary software from large corporations like Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, and Autodesk. There are also fun things to try, hardware, free programming books and tutorials, and much more. |
Hi, where is the software list?
Sorry about that, the table was missed in the migration to our new content management system. Thanks for letting us know. I’ve corrected the problem.
The list of 11 home automation software packages is still missing in action.
Only the X10 containing list of packages is shown.
Other than that I am excited to see what is in them.
You are spot on. I have now linked the correct table.
And what about OpenMotics? A full open source automation platform! http://www.openmotics.com
Cheerss
Absolutely, OpenMotics is a strong recommendation. Unfortunately, we linked the recommendations for a different article. I’m blaming brain fog on this occasion.
The following project looks very promising:
https://gkiefer.github.io/home2l
It’s new, open source, very lightweight and portable. Automation rules written in normal Python code. I tried the step-by-step tutorial and was surprised by the concepts and efficiency.
I cannot find here the ioBroker smarthome solution. It has now ca. 30000 mostly in Germany.
Because it isn’t very good…