domoticz compared to homeassistant

[tjabas]

i think the domoticz developers are doing a great job, i have recently been looking at homeassistant, and it seems like it has alot of implemetations running easily, like scanning the network for devices, for me homeassistant finds alot of devices in my network, and also alot of other plugins, and to implement them is very easy, for me to do it in domoticz takes a long time and alot of installing and coding.

will domoticz ever be that easy?
dont get me wrong, i love domoticz and have invested many years installing and tweaking it.

[Thorgal789]

Lol, I don't think user choose Domoticz for the application facility. Domoticz is definitively not user friendly, the UI interface neither.
Not possible to do same in domoticz than HA, the core not working same.

On my side I have choosed domoticz for it's lightness, stability and the facility to use my custom code/script, I don't have problem with code and I like edit it, try different libs, ect ...
Domoticz don't support my hardware, no problem I can make a python plugin to support it in some hours. Not possible to do faster on HA even with the same language.

HA work with docker, if a plugin miss something, good luck to you to edit the code at your convenience, even if you just need to edit 2 words.
Most of HA users are not able to edit a simple text file with a text editor in their configuration, SSH is an option (a joke) and some users are not able to enable it. And if you want to use a special lib not supported by a plugin and need to compile it yourself, it's just a nightmare.

OFC you can use docker too with domoticz if you like them, but the HA system is optimised to be used with docker only.

[HvdW]

Agree with the first answer/comment.
Many things are easy in HomeAssistant others are not implemented.
I have a separate SD card to run HomeAssistant on my RPI and every now and then I'm building it up.
For now it doesn't come near Domoticz.
My sole wish for Domoticz is to have an easier layout for the UI, like scaling the tiles and dragging the tiles to different rooms.

EDIT 22 oktober 2023
Still running both Homeassitant and Domoticz
Last week I installed a S0 pulse counter. Domoticz does it and Homeassistant doesn't.
Same for attaching an USB drive for Windows backups. Easy on Domoticz and complicated on Homeassitant.
In one of the last update Domoticz added the feature to delete extreme measurements (mostly due to switching off Domoticz for a while) by clicking on the extreme value while pressing the Shift key. Great feature.
dzVents makes life so easy.

Thanks to all contributers who made this possible.

[kiddigital]

Network discovery isn’t an easy thing and hardware/technology dependent.

For technologies like ZigBee, ZWave and maybe Matter it should be possible to ‘discover’ devices that are compliant with these technologies.

Domoticz utilizes the ‘Auto Discovery’ features as defined by Home Assistent and with ‘gateways’ like ZigBee2MQTT and Zwavejs2MQTT that are capable of creating HA Auto Discovery messages, at least for these technologies a similar experience to HA can be offered by Domoticz.

[Thorgal789]

Domoticz utilizes the ‘Auto Discovery’ features as defined by Home Assistent and with ‘gateways’ like ZigBee2MQTT and Zwavejs2MQTT that are capable of creating HA Auto Discovery messages, at least for these technologies a similar experience to HA can be offered by Domoticz.

I don't think, I have lot of hardware and I don't use at all native features, so I m using only python plugins. And no one of thoses hardware can be detected by domoticz ofc. All of them need to be installed manualy by myself.

The "Auto Discovery" can only work for hardware that use native feature, and they are realy more in python plugin side. The autodiscovery feature is usefull in HA because it detect all stuff, in domoticz it's just a joke, faster to add an edit box to enter the ip of the MQTT server.

[kiddigital]

…
The autodiscovery feature is usefull in HA because it detect all stuff, in domoticz it's just a joke, faster to add an edit box to enter the ip of the MQTT server.

Care to explain why it is ‘just a joke’? When setup correctly, devices will be discovered and created automatically when Domoticz sees them. You have other/different expectations of Auto Discovery?

[Sjonnie2017]

I am a die-hard fan of Domoticz. Due to some problems I had on release 2022.2, I installed Home Assistant. I must say that preliminary discovery of applicable items is great and there are a lot of plug-ins for HA but (and here come my fanboy arguments ):

1 Groups and scenes are easier to use in Domoticz,
2 It's (for me) much easier to configure items to act on input from other devices or triggers,
3 Domoticz is indeed lightweight and ultra stable,
4 Runs like a charm in a Docker container,
5 Domoticz has Dashticz as a complementary dashboard (I can't use my home without it ),
6 Domoticz has a very easy and elaborate programming environment (blockly, DzVents etc),
7 For the past few years (latest update not counting) updating Domoticz is monkey proof and does not wreck your customizations as most HA upgrades do.
8 I like the community over here more
9 Thorgal789 is very active over here which is a big bonus as I use his DeCONZ plugin

Eventually it is all up to personal preferences and the type of devices you want to see in your home automation software. I for one am very happy with the community provided support for Zigbee and Shelly. I don't really need anything else.

[Thorgal789]

Care to explain why it is ‘just a joke’? When setup correctly, devices will be discovered and created automatically when Domoticz sees them. You have other/different expectations of Auto Discovery?

Sorry, I don't want to critic the "Auto Discovery" feature on domoticz, but It's realy far away the fonction on HA.
On HA you just install the application, and the application will detect (almost) all your hardwares, for exemple your internet box, your audio system, your connected heat pump, your USB device, ect ... And automatically purpose you plugin to install or direclty install it.
On domoticz if I m right it just scan the MQTT server, so not usefull if you don't use it, or for all hardwares that don't use it. And you need to already have a MQTT server running, working, and all your hardware already configured to use it.
It's not just something that detect new device in an hardware and set in domoticz, this already exist since age on some python plugins.

Another thing about the domoticz community, I prefer it, because users are generaly more "skilled". Perhaps to compensate the fact that the application is less accessible. I never have to explain how to use SSH to an user from Domoticz, NodeRed or OpenHab, but I have 2 users ATM on HA that are not able to connect them, idk if they are doing something bad, or if the OS is so much complicated, but even something so basic is a pain.

[bkbartje]

Hello,
An HA user here,
Previously I have used domoticz, but at that point I only used a couple of entities, Then I gave HA a try and basically choose that one because of the interface.
In the end the goal is to use to product, not configure/develop. So the main reason was the interface.
I can tell you HA is a lot heavier, a little too heavy if you ask me. the lightweight part on Domoticz is way better.
On the other hand in domoticz I had to configure quite a lot to get a simple tasmota MQTT entity working. In HA this just works once you have configured MQTT.

Both have advantages and disadvantages, The lightweight and stability is a pro for domoticz.
User XP and easy to implement is a pro for HA.
I have never developed integrations for either. but if you do this for HA you should take a look at HACS, then you do not need to modify core components and you can just sideload them.

[azonneveld]

In HA creating the basics is super-easy, if you want something a bit different then it is super difficult.
In DZ the startup is a bit more difficult, but then it is more easy if you want something different.

These rules basically apply for all software packages.

[RedEarth]

I've been using Domoticz for several years now, but I've only just started dipping my toes into HA. For now Domoticz is definitely my preferred solution, which may be a lot due to being more familiar with it. True, HA has a nicer looking interface but it takes a lot of effort to get something looking really nice. Domoticz is less flexible in that respect, but what it does offer in terms of UI works pretty well out-of-the-box. HA supports a lot more integrations, but it's annoying that so many of them need to be configured in configuration.yaml, whereas everything that Domoticz offers as standard can be configured in the GUI. Finally, I don't think that HA's Autodiscovery v.s Domoticz's mqtt Autodiscovery is really a fair like-for-like comparison, they're just not the same thing and they're not trying to be the same thing.

[lost]

Finally, I don't think that HA's Autodiscovery v.s Domoticz's mqtt Autodiscovery is really a fair like-for-like comparison...

Never used HA and I appreciate Domoticz well designed scripting features. Depends on each one needs, but home automation is mostly about... automation! Presentation is for sure important but not my #1 choice criteria.

In recent evolution, I regret loosing more&more the "all in one" nature of Domoticz that made user install/integration/debug easier: Always better when everything runs under the same orchestrator.

Issue is really with new zwave integration that brings MQTT as another mandatory external orchestrator (but on same localhost for 99% users!) for this protocol. And the direction for the future may be to have all protocols management out of domoticz?

At the time, we may feel having a foot in each camp: Some protocols still 100% handled internally (like enocean) or out but still easy to kick-in through plugins (zigbee4domoticz), others 100% out through MQTT hassle.

IMO the design strategy should be clarified: If the will is to go for MQTT, that's IMO an important information for those spending time do develop plugin based HW/protocol management for instance. And maybe the MQTT server side should then be built in Domoticz to avoid as much as possible user versions issues between these 2 main components of their system for now separated.

[v40jlt4]

I've been using domoticz for over 8 years. I'm baffled by the great amount of people calling it stable.
4 out of 5 updates resulted in a crash and complete reinstall. (not much work with a recent .db file, but still, always afraid to update).
Once a failed zwave switch destroyed my whole config.
Domoticz refuses to properly work with safari and tells me it's down at least once a day.
The python/bullseye issue took its sweet time to get solved.

I'm in the middle of migrating to HA. The integrations are awesome. There's so much that works immediately. It looks much better.
I don't know how many updates there have been, all flawless.

Having said that. Automations are horrible in HA. I sincerely HATE (yes, capitals) YAML.Blocky is soo much easier.
You want a fan to switch on at a certain temp and switch off at another temp, good luck.

But for me, stability is the reason to move to HA.

[Thuis]

Okay, so also for stability, i'll stick to Domoticz then. :-p

[madpatrick]

I'm using Domoticz a few years and it is very stable.
Recently tried HA, just to see what is is capable off.
Definetaly is looks nice and the integration off the discovery off device and the default availabilty of some hardware (and JsWave) makes it good.
The flexibility is a nightmare. Making a simple script is undoable.

So both a there back and forths, but Domoticz wins with the flexlibilty
Hopely a cosmetic upgrade comes sometimes which makes it a bit fresher.
The Machinon theme was good approach but also this has stopped with development and that si of course the risk of open-souce
A mix of both would be the best

[lwolf]

I was able to run Domoticz on an OpenWRT router with 16MB flash and 64MB RAM.... if anyone can do the same with a Home Assistant, please share how.

[lost]

I was able to run Domoticz on an OpenWRT router with 16MB flash and 64MB RAM.... if anyone can do the same with a Home Assistant, please share how.

Not even in dreams!

But now, I fear the direction taken towards MQTT and all that can hide behind will no more allow this on Domoticz too, or you'll have to stick to what's 100% embedded inside domoticz as home management protocols (no more zwave now for instance). Even a python plugin will be too much for such host!

[lwolf]

I was able to run Domoticz on an OpenWRT router with 16MB flash and 64MB RAM.... if anyone can do the same with a Home Assistant, please share how.

Not even in dreams!

But now, I fear the direction taken towards MQTT and all that can hide behind will no more allow this on Domoticz too, or you'll have to stick to what's 100% embedded inside domoticz as home management protocols (no more zwave now for instance). Even a python plugin will be too much for such host!

With embedded MQTT Autodiscovery hardware in Domoticz there are several options. Like Shelly, Tasmota and other DIY stuff. However I admit zwave is now a little problematic. And yep, python is too much for such a lowend host.
But a Raspberry Zero W 1Ghz/512MB ram will also run Domoticz (this is my current server), and able to serve any python plugin also, this magnificent device consumes 5W average... but its still weak for HA.

[JuanUil]

I just LOVE domoticz allready for many yearrs!