LHA

LHA is a lightweight, single-process home automation engine written in Lua. It provides a scheduler, an embedded HTTP server and an extensions system to connect gateways, record sensor history and compose automations using Blockly or Lua scripts.

Key Features

• Single-process Lua engine with built-in scheduler and HTTP server
• Exposes Thing Description JSON API (Web of Things) for device descriptions
• Blockly visual scripting plus Lua extensions for advanced automations
• Web-based UI built with Vue, includes dashboards and charts for historical data
• Supports gateways and protocols such as Hue/ConBee and Z-Wave (via Z-Wave JS) and integrates with MQTT
• Records device property values into time-based log files for history and charting
• Extension system to add device mappings and protocol adapters
• Very small footprint (~5 MB) and runs on small boards (Raspberry Pi) or general Linux/Windows systems

Use Cases

• Bridge and orchestrate devices across ZigBee, Z-Wave and Hue ecosystems in a single UI
• Build custom automations using Blockly or Lua to react to sensor data and control actuators
• Collect and visualize time-series sensor data locally for home monitoring and analysis

Limitations and Considerations

• Uses file-based time logs rather than a full database, which may be less convenient for very large datasets
• Device support depends on extension mapping files; adding or adapting some devices may require editing JSON mappings or writing extensions
• Single-process architecture and minimal footprint are geared toward small to medium deployments; very large, high-throughput installations may face performance constraints

LHA is suitable for users who want a compact, extensible home automation engine with local control, scripting flexibility and support for common gateway integrations. Its small size and Lua-based extension model make it easy to run on low-power hardware and to customize for specific device sets.