Primary software: Home assistant

Home Assistant stands as a highly popular open-source software for smart homes, developed in Python. It boasts an active and supportive community, offering an extensive range of integrations, including Philips Hue, MQTT, Sonos, among others. Additionally, the Home Assistant Community Store (HACS) provides access to an even wider array of integrations.

Home Assistant
Open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first. Powered by a worldwide community of tinkerers and DIY enthusiasts. Perfect to run on a Raspberry Pi or a local server.

Database: PostgreSQL

Home Assistant is compatible with numerous databases. However, this guide will focus on using the PostgreSQL database for data storage. For storing long-term data, an alternative such as InfluxDB, which is better suited for historical data storage, can be considered. Yet, the primary emphasis here will be on the basic setup.

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From Homeassistant website:
Home Assistant uses databases to store events and parameters for history and tracking. The default database used is SQLite.
PostgreSQL
The world’s most advanced open source database.

Zigbee to MQTT bridge: Zigbee2Mqtt

It acts as a bridge between Zigbee devices and MQTT brokers such as Mosquitto. Zigbee2MQTT is compatible with major brands and is continually being enhanced to support an even broader range of devices.

Home | Zigbee2MQTT
Zigbee to MQTT bridge, get rid of your proprietary Zigbee bridges

Broker: MQTT Broker Mosquitto

Mosquitto is an open-source project that facilitates message handling between Home Assistant and Zigbee2MQTT. Its lightweight nature makes it ideal for small devices, such as the Raspberry Pi.

Eclipse Mosquitto
Eclipse Mosquitto is an open source (EPL/EDL licensed) message broker that implements the MQTT protocol versions 5.0, 3.1.1 and 3.1. Mosquitto is lightweight and is suitable for use on all devices

Automation software: Appdaemon

For software developers looking to automate their homes, AppDaemon comes highly recommended. It allows you to craft your automation scripts in Python, offering endless possibilities and an easy learning curve.

Alternatively, Node-RED provides a low-code programming environment, making it particularly accessible for those without a programming background.

Welcome to AppDaemon’s documentation! — AppDaemon 4.4.3 documentation

for programmers

Node-RED

low code programming

Reverse proxy : Synology or Nginx proxy manager

This software enables Home Assistant to be accessible over the internet through a straightforward web interface. Setting up SSL certificates with LetsEncrypt for added security is a seamless process. Additionally, integrating Cloudflare can enhance security further.

Nginx Proxy Manager
Docker container and built in Web Application for managing Nginx proxy hosts with a simple, powerful interface, providing free SSL support via Let’s Encrypt

Website protection: Cloudflare

Routing your application's data through Cloudflare before it reaches your primary server enhances its security, efficiency, and stability.

By masking the IP address of your origin server, Cloudflare shields it from potential cyber threats and filters out malicious traffic upstream.

Additionally, Cloudflare's integrated DDoS protection mechanisms actively defend against security vulnerabilities, providing a fortified and resilient online infrastructure.

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