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home-assistant-mcp

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TypeScript
Remote

Delete a helper

ha_delete_helper
Destructive

Delete a stored Home Assistant helper by id, after checking the id is not shared with a configuration.yaml helper. Blocked unsafe deletes can be forced with a confirmation flag.

Instructions

Delete a stored Home Assistant helper by id (from ha_list_helpers). The entity disappears immediately, and anything referencing it — automations, dashboards, template sensors — will start reporting an unknown entity, so check what uses it first.

A helper defined in configuration.yaml can be destroyed by this. Stored helpers and YAML helpers share one id namespace and one entity-registry slot, and Home Assistant deletes by that slot. Deleting a stored helper whose id matches a YAML helper's key removes the YAML entity's registry entry as well, and the entity goes with it. Reloading will NOT bring it back — a reload sees an id it already has and changes nothing. Only a full restart recreates the entity. This tool checks for that before deleting and refuses when it finds it; pass confirm_shared_id to go ahead anyway.

An id that is not in ha_list_helpers is refused: a helper defined only in configuration.yaml is removed by editing that file and restarting.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
kindYesHelper type: input_boolean, input_number, input_text, input_select, input_datetime, input_button, counter, timer, schedule.
helper_idYesHelper id from ha_list_helpers.
instance_idNoOptional: the instance you mean (as listed by vomehome_list_instances). When given, the call is refused if this session is targeting a different home, instead of answering from it.
confirm_shared_idNoDelete even though the id looks shared with a configuration.yaml helper. Only after checking that file: the YAML entity will need a full Home Assistant restart to come back.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. First observedv0.10.0

TDQS

A4.9/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Far exceeds the destructiveHint annotation by disclosing the immediate effect on referencing entities, the shared-id registry collision that can destroy a YAML-defined helper, that a reload will not restore it and only a full restart will, and the built-in refusal plus the confirm_shared_id override. This is exactly the non-obvious failure mode an agent needs before calling.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loads the core action and immediate consequence in the first sentence, then escalates to the shared-id hazard and the refusal/override behaviour. Long but every sentence carries distinct, decision-relevant information.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

No output schema exists, but none is needed for a delete tool. The description covers the mutation effect, the destructive edge case, the guard and its override, and the alternative path for YAML-only helpers, leaving nothing an agent needs to call it safely.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3. The description goes further by explaining the reasoning behind confirm_shared_id (overriding the shared-id refusal and the restart consequence) and the origin of helper_id, which materially deepens the schema's text. instance_id's cross-instance guard is left to the schema, so not a full 5.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Specific verb (Delete) plus specific resource (a stored Home Assistant helper by id), with the id's provenance named as ha_list_helpers. It is clearly separable from siblings like ha_set_helper, ha_list_helpers and ha_remove_entity.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

States when to use it (stored helper id from ha_list_helpers) and explicitly when it cannot be used (an id not in ha_list_helpers, i.e. a configuration.yaml-only helper, which must be removed by editing the file and restarting). It also directs the caller to check referencing automations/dashboards/template sensors first.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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