homekit

name	homekit
description	Control HomeKit smart home accessories and view home events via homeclaw-cli. Use when the user asks to control lights, locks, thermostats, fans, blinds, scenes, check device/sensor status, or view recent home activity/events. Examples: "turn off the stairs lights", "lock the front door", "what's the temperature", "run the movie scene", "close the blinds", "is the garage door open", "what happened at home today", "when was the front door last unlocked"
metadata	{"openclaw":{"emoji":"house","os":["darwin"],"homepage":"https://github.com/omarshahine/HomeClaw","requires":{"bins":["homeclaw-cli"]},"install":[{"kind":"download","id":"homeclaw","label":"Install HomeClaw.app from TestFlight or build from source","url":"https://github.com/omarshahine/HomeClaw","bins":["homeclaw-cli"]}]}}

HomeKit Control

Golden Rule: Device Map First

Before your first HomeKit action in a session, read memory/homekit-device-map.json.

This compact device map has every device as a flat list with display_name, id (UUID), room, type (semantic category), controls (writable characteristics), and state. It's optimized for fast LLM scanning and disambiguation.

Refresh the cache periodically or when devices may have changed:

homeclaw-cli device-map --format agent -o memory/homekit-device-map.json

Resolving What the User Means

1. Match user's words against display_name and room from the cached map
2. Use type to disambiguate — lighting devices support brightness; power devices are on/off only. A "Closet Light" with type: power cannot dim.
3. If ambiguous, prefer the device in the most likely room (main living areas > bedrooms > outdoor)
4. If still ambiguous, ask
5. Always use UUIDs for write operations — many devices share names (9 "Overhead" lights, multiple "Blinds"). Use display_name for reading, id (UUID) for set, import-scene, and automations create commands
6. Check controls before sending a command — if brightness isn't in controls, don't try to set it
7. If no match found, refresh the cache first — devices may have been added/renamed:

   homeclaw-cli device-map --format agent -o memory/homekit-device-map.json
   

   Then retry the match. Only tell the user "device not found" if it's still missing after refresh.

Commands

# Discovery
homeclaw-cli device-map --format agent   # LLM-optimized flat list (default cache format)
homeclaw-cli device-map --format json      # Full detail with aliases, manufacturer
homeclaw-cli device-map --format md        # Markdown tables by room
homeclaw-cli search "<query>" --json       # Search by name/room/category
homeclaw-cli get "<name-or-uuid>" --json   # Full detail on one device
homeclaw-cli list --room "Kitchen" --json  # All devices in a room

# Control — always use UUID for reliability
homeclaw-cli set "<uuid>" power true                   # On/off
homeclaw-cli set "<uuid>" brightness 50                # Lights (0-100)
homeclaw-cli set "<uuid>" target_temperature 72        # Thermostat
homeclaw-cli set "<uuid>" target_heating_cooling auto  # HVAC: off/heat/cool/auto
homeclaw-cli set "<uuid>" lock_target_state locked     # Locks: locked/unlocked
homeclaw-cli set "<uuid>" target_position 100          # Blinds (0=closed, 100=open)

# Scenes
homeclaw-cli scenes --json              # List all scenes
homeclaw-cli get-scene "<name>" --json  # Full detail: all actions (accessory, room, characteristic, value)
homeclaw-cli trigger "<scene-name>"     # Run a scene
homeclaw-cli import-scene scene.json --dry-run   # Preview scene import
homeclaw-cli import-scene scene.json              # Create scene from JSON
echo '{"name": "...", "actions": [...]}' | homeclaw-cli import-scene -   # Read JSON from stdin (works from any directory, sandbox-safe)
homeclaw-cli delete-scene "<name-or-uuid>" --dry-run   # Preview deletion
homeclaw-cli delete-scene "<name-or-uuid>"             # Delete a scene

# Room assignment — supports UUID for duplicate names
homeclaw-cli assign-rooms rooms.json --dry-run    # Preview room assignments
homeclaw-cli assign-rooms rooms.json              # Assign accessories to rooms
echo '[{"accessory": "...", "room": "..."}]' | homeclaw-cli assign-rooms -   # stdin also works here
# JSON format: bare array [{"uuid": "...", "room": "..."} or {"accessory": "...", "room": "..."}]
#              (or the same array wrapped as {"assignments": [...]})
# Use "uuid" when multiple accessories share the same name (e.g., ceiling fan + light)

# Management — rename, rooms, zones
homeclaw-cli rename "<name-or-uuid>" "<new-name>"           # Rename accessory
homeclaw-cli rename "<name-or-uuid>" "<new-name>" --dry-run # Preview rename
homeclaw-cli rename-room "<name-or-uuid>" "<new-name>"      # Rename room
homeclaw-cli create-room "<name>"                            # Create room
homeclaw-cli remove-room "<name-or-uuid>"                    # Remove room
homeclaw-cli remove-accessory "<name-or-uuid>"               # Remove accessory
homeclaw-cli create-zone "<name>"                            # Create zone
homeclaw-cli remove-zone "<name-or-uuid>"                    # Remove zone
homeclaw-cli add-room-to-zone "<room>" "<zone>"              # Add room to zone
homeclaw-cli remove-room-from-zone "<room>" "<zone>"         # Remove room from zone

# Automations (button programming)
homeclaw-cli automations list --json                          # List all automations
homeclaw-cli automations get "<name-or-uuid>" --json          # Detail view
homeclaw-cli automations delete "<name-or-uuid>" [--dry-run]
homeclaw-cli automations enable "<name-or-uuid>"
homeclaw-cli automations disable "<name-or-uuid>"

# Create with inline actions (creates a scene named after the automation)
# ALWAYS use UUIDs for target accessories to avoid name collisions
homeclaw-cli automations create --name "Sarah's Room Open" \
  --accessory "Office Button" \
  --action "BE21C139-413A-50F9-B97F-B9BDA06302A8:power:true" \
  --action "52195C6F-6FAA-5E52-AA56-840A6605EEAA:target_position:100" \
  --press single --service-index 1

# Create with a named scene
homeclaw-cli automations create --name "Movie Mode" \
  --accessory "Remote Button" \
  --scene "Movie Time" \
  --press single

# Press types: single (0), double (1), long (2)
# --action format: "UUID:property:value" (repeatable, UUID strongly preferred over names)
# --scene and --action are mutually exclusive
# Use --service-index for multi-button accessories (e.g., Aqara in fast mode)
# Note: inline actions create a visible scene (Apple uses a private API for hidden ones)

# Export to file (any format)
homeclaw-cli device-map --format agent -o memory/homekit-device-map.json
homeclaw-cli device-map --format md -o device-map.md

Device Types and What They Accept

The type field in the compact map tells you what a device IS. The controls array tells you exactly what you CAN set. Key distinctions:

Type	What It Is	Typical Controls
lighting	Dimmable light	power, brightness, sometimes hue, saturation, color_temperature
power	On/off switch or smart plug	power only — no brightness
climate	Thermostat, heater, fireplace	target_temperature, target_heating_cooling (off/heat/cool/auto)
door_lock	Lock	lock_target_state (locked/unlocked)
window_covering	Blinds, shades	target_position (0=closed, 100=open)
sensor	Temp, humidity, motion, contact, leak	Read-only — no writable controls
security	Cameras, water shutoff	Varies: active, power

Critical: A device named "Closet Light" or "Under Cabinet" with type: power is a relay switch. Sending brightness 50 will fail. Always check controls first.

Event Log

HomeClaw logs all HomeKit events (characteristic changes, scene triggers, control actions) to disk. Query the event log to understand what happened recently:

# Recent events (default: last 50)
homeclaw-cli events --json

# Events from the last hour
homeclaw-cli events --since 1h --json

# Only characteristic changes (e.g. lights turning on/off)
homeclaw-cli events --type characteristic_change --json

# Last 200 events
homeclaw-cli events --limit 200 --json

Event types: characteristic_change, scene_triggered, accessory_controlled, homes_updated

Use events to answer questions like "what changed recently?", "when was the front door last unlocked?", or "what scenes were triggered today?".

Webhook Integration

HomeClaw pushes HomeKit events to OpenClaw via webhooks, enabling a dedicated AI agent to observe, classify, and react to real-world events — a door unlocking, a leak sensor triggering, or a scene activating.

Known Issue: OpenClaw 2026.3.1/2026.3.2 has a bug where /hooks/wake silently drops events (#33271). HomeClaw uses mapped webhooks (/hooks/homeclaw) which route through hooks.mappings and are not affected.

Mapped Webhook Architecture

HomeClaw always POSTs to a single mapped endpoint: /hooks/homeclaw (configurable via webhookEndpoint in config.json). OpenClaw's hooks.mappings config resolves the "homeclaw" key and routes the event to the dedicated HomeClaw agent.

This means HomeClaw doesn't need to know about agentId, channel, deliver, model, or sessionKey — all routing intelligence lives in the OpenClaw config. HomeClaw just sends events; OpenClaw decides what to do with them.

Payload: {"text": "[label] event text", "mode": "now|next-heartbeat"} with Authorization: Bearer <token>, X-Request-ID (UUID), and X-Event-Timestamp (ISO8601) headers.

How Events Flow

Home app / physical switch / Siri / manufacturer app
        |
        v
HomeKit (HMAccessoryDelegate push notification)
        |
        v
HomeClaw event logger (writes to events.jsonl)
        |
        +-- Battery event? --> Logged to disk only (never sent via webhook)
        |
        +-- Trigger matches? --> POST /hooks/homeclaw
        |
        +-- No trigger --> Logged to disk only (no webhook sent)

        v  (trigger matched)
OpenClaw gateway validates Bearer token
        |
        v
hooks.mappings resolves "homeclaw"
        |
        v
HomeClaw Agent (dedicated)
        +-- Classifies: CRITICAL / NOTABLE / AMBIENT
        +-- If CRITICAL/NOTABLE: a2a message to main agent (Lobster)
        +-- If AMBIENT: log to agent memory only

HomeClaw subscribes to HomeKit push notifications for all interesting characteristics. Events fire for changes from any source — Home app, physical switches, Siri, manufacturer apps, and the CLI.

Dedicated HomeClaw Agent

A dedicated HomeClaw agent receives all webhook events and acts as an intelligent filter between your smart home and your main AI assistant:

• Event classification — categorizes each event as CRITICAL (immediate alert), NOTABLE (worth reporting), or AMBIENT (log only)
• Pattern correlation — correlates sequences of events (e.g., garage door + front door = arrival)
• Memory building — learns your home's patterns over time (typical schedules, normal behaviors)
• Read-only — the agent never controls devices, only observes and reports

Workspace files live in openclaw/agents/homeclaw/:

File	Purpose
AGENTS.md	Agent registration and capabilities
IDENTITY.md	Agent persona and behavioral guidelines
SOUL.md	Event classification rules and triage logic
TOOLS.md	Available tools (read-only HomeKit queries via homeclaw-cli)

Install the agent workspace:

openclaw agents install homeclaw /path/to/openclaw/agents/homeclaw

OpenClaw Configuration

Add the hooks block with a mappings entry to ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:

"hooks": {
  "enabled": true,
  "token": "${HOMECLAW_WEBHOOK_TOKEN}",
  "mappings": {
    "homeclaw": {
      "agentId": "homeclaw",
      "sessionKey": "hook:homeclaw",
      "deliver": true,
      "channel": "last",
      "allowUnsafeExternalContent": true
    }
  },
  "internal": {
    "enabled": true,
    "entries": {
      "audit-logger": { "enabled": true }
    }
  }
}

Field	Purpose
agentId	Routes to the dedicated HomeClaw agent
sessionKey	All events share a persistent hook:homeclaw session
deliver	Agent responses are delivered to a messaging channel
channel	"last" uses the most recent active channel
allowUnsafeExternalContent	Permits HomeKit event text in agent prompts

The mappings approach replaces the old defaultSessionKey + per-trigger action model. All routing decisions live in OpenClaw config, not in HomeClaw triggers.

End-to-End Setup

Step 1: Install the Agent Workspace

openclaw agents install homeclaw /path/to/openclaw/agents/homeclaw

Verify the agent is registered:

openclaw agents list

Step 2: Configure OpenClaw Hooks + Mappings

Add the hooks block (shown above) to ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json.

Generate a token and add it to ~/.openclaw/.env:

# Generate a secure token
openssl rand -base64 24 | tr '+/' '-_' | tr -d '='

# Add to .env
echo 'HOMECLAW_WEBHOOK_TOKEN=<generated-token>' >> ~/.openclaw/.env

Restart the gateway: openclaw gateway restart

Step 3: Configure HomeClaw Webhook

homeclaw-cli config --webhook-url "http://127.0.0.1:18789" \
                    --webhook-token "<same-token>" \
                    --webhook-enabled true

Or use HomeClaw Settings > Webhook. Toggle Enable, enter the base URL, and paste the token.

The webhookEndpoint defaults to /hooks/homeclaw. HomeClaw appends this to your base URL automatically.

Step 4: Create Triggers

Open HomeClaw Settings > Webhook. Check the scenes and accessories you want to fire webhooks. Start with security accessories (locks, garage doors, leak sensors) and a few lights to verify.

Triggers can also be managed via the CLI:

# List current triggers
homeclaw-cli triggers

# Add a trigger for all state changes on an accessory
homeclaw-cli triggers add --label "Garage Door" --accessory-id "<uuid>"

# Add a trigger for a specific characteristic only
homeclaw-cli triggers add --label "Mailbox Open" --accessory-id "<uuid>" --characteristic contact_state

# Update a trigger's delivery mode
homeclaw-cli triggers update "<trigger-id>" --wake-mode now

# Remove a trigger
homeclaw-cli triggers remove "<trigger-id>"

Note: Battery-related characteristics (battery_level, low_battery) are automatically excluded from webhooks. They are still logged to the event log and cached for status queries, but never fire webhook triggers.

Step 5: Verify

# Check webhook health
homeclaw-cli status

# Toggle a light from the Home app, then check
homeclaw-cli events --since 5m

# Check delivery logs
log show --predicate 'process == "HomeClaw" AND category == "webhook"' --last 5m --style compact

Look for a System: line in the OpenClaw TUI, or check that the HomeClaw agent session (hook:homeclaw) shows incoming events.

Scenario Cookbook

Arrival Detection (Garage + Front Door Sequence)

Create triggers for both the garage door and front door. The HomeClaw agent correlates the sequence — garage opens, then front door unlocks within minutes — and reports an arrival to the main agent.

homeclaw-cli triggers add --label "Garage Door" --accessory-id "<garage-uuid>"
homeclaw-cli triggers add --label "Front Door" --accessory-id "<lock-uuid>" --characteristic lock_current_state

The agent sees both events in its persistent session and recognizes the arrival pattern.

Suspicious Unlock Alert (Door Unlocked at 2am)

The HomeClaw agent classifies door unlocks by time of day. An unlock at 2am is CRITICAL; the same unlock at 6pm is NOTABLE. No special trigger config needed — the agent's classification logic handles it.

homeclaw-cli triggers add --label "Front Door" --accessory-id "<lock-uuid>" --characteristic lock_current_state --value unlocked

Water Leak Emergency

Leak sensors should always fire immediately. The agent classifies any leak event as CRITICAL and sends an a2a alert to the main agent right away.

homeclaw-cli triggers add --label "Kitchen Leak" --accessory-id "<leak-uuid>" --characteristic leak_detected --wake-mode now

Mailbox Opened

A contact sensor on the mailbox fires when opened. The agent classifies this as NOTABLE and reports it.

homeclaw-cli triggers add --label "Mailbox" --accessory-id "<mailbox-uuid>" --characteristic contact_state

Bedtime Pattern (Good Night Scene)

Scene triggers capture when someone runs the Good Night scene. The agent logs it as AMBIENT and uses it to learn bedtime patterns over time.

homeclaw-cli triggers add --label "Good Night" --scene-name "Good Night" --wake-mode now

Daily Activity Summary

The agent builds a daily summary from all events in its session. No special trigger config — just ensure your key accessories have triggers enabled. The agent can be prompted to summarize via a2a from the main agent.

Trigger Fields Reference

Field	Type	Default	Description
wake_mode	string	"next-heartbeat"	"now" (immediate) or "next-heartbeat" (batched, default)
label	string	—	Human-readable name shown in webhook payload
accessory_id	string	—	UUID of the accessory to watch
characteristic	string	—	Specific characteristic to filter (omit for all)
value	string	—	Only fire when characteristic equals this value
scene_name	string	—	Scene name to watch (alternative to accessory triggers)
critical	bool	false	Bypasses circuit breaker when true

Deprecated fields (removed): action, agent_id, agent_prompt, agent_name, agent_deliver. These are no longer needed — all routing is handled by OpenClaw's hooks.mappings config.

Circuit Breaker

State	After	Behavior	Recovery
Normal	—	All webhooks delivered	—
Soft Open	5 failures	Non-critical paused 5 min	Auto-resumes
Hard Open	3 soft trips	All non-critical stopped	Toggle webhook off/on in Settings

Critical triggers (critical: true) always bypass the circuit breaker.

Tips

• Default delivery mode is next-heartbeat. Events batch into the next heartbeat cycle. Set wake_mode: "now" on triggers that need immediate delivery (leak sensors, door locks, scene triggers).
• Start small. Enable triggers for a few key accessories first. Verify events appear in the HomeClaw agent session before adding more.
• Use critical: true sparingly. It bypasses the circuit breaker. Reserve it for events that must never be silently dropped (leaks, security events). Overusing it defeats the circuit breaker's protection.
• Triggers are additive. Multiple triggers can match the same event (e.g., an accessory trigger + a characteristic trigger). Each matched trigger fires its own webhook.
• No catch-all. Only events matching a configured trigger fire webhooks. Untriggered events are logged to disk but not pushed.
• Scene triggers match by name or UUID. Use scene UUID for precision, scene name for convenience (case-insensitive).
• Characteristic + value filtering. A trigger with characteristic: "lock_current_state" and value: "unlocked" only fires on unlock, not on lock. Omit value to fire on any state change.
• Check homeclaw-cli status --json for webhook health: circuit_state, last_success, last_failure, total_dropped.
• The agent is read-only. It observes and reports but never controls devices. All device control goes through the main agent or direct CLI commands.

Agent-Friendly CLI

The CLI follows AI-agent best practices:

• Auto-JSON: When stdout is not a TTY (piped or called by an agent), all commands output JSON automatically — no --json flag needed.
• OUTPUT_FORMAT=json: Set this environment variable to force JSON output in all contexts.
• --dry-run on mutations: set --dry-run validates the accessory, characteristic, and value without writing to the device. delete-scene --dry-run confirms the scene exists without deleting.
• Input validation: Control characters (ASCII < 0x20) are rejected from all string arguments to defend against hallucinated inputs.

# Dry run: validate without actuating
homeclaw-cli set "Front Door" lock_target_state locked --dry-run

# Force JSON from any context
OUTPUT_FORMAT=json homeclaw-cli status

Important Notes

• Temperature values come back formatted: "71F". Set with plain numbers.
• --json on read commands gives parseable output. Always use it when processing results.
• Unreachable devices have "unreachable": true in the compact map.
• If CLI fails with "HomeClaw is not running", the app needs to be launched first.
• On-disk event log: ~/Library/Containers/com.shahine.homeclaw/Data/Library/Application Support/HomeClaw/events.jsonl
• HomeClaw subscribes to HomeKit push notifications for all interesting characteristics on reachable accessories. Both Home app toggles and physical/external changes fire characteristic_change events.

Batch Operations

The compact map is flat — no nested traversal needed:

# Find all reachable lights
python3 -c "
import json
d = json.load(open('memory/homekit-device-map.json'))
for dev in d['devices']:
    if dev['type'] == 'lighting' and not dev.get('unreachable'):
        print(dev['id'], dev['display_name'], dev['state'])
"

Then homeclaw-cli set "<uuid>" power false for each.