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home-assistant-mcp

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TypeScript
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List Home Assistant helpers

ha_list_helpers
Read-only

List Home Assistant helpers (input_boolean, counter, timer, etc.) created via UI or ha_set_helper; excludes configuration.yaml helpers.

Instructions

List the helpers Home Assistant stores — input_boolean, input_number, counter, timer and the rest. These are the ones created through the UI (or by ha_set_helper); helpers defined in configuration.yaml are not returned here, because Home Assistant keeps those separately and they cannot be edited at runtime.

They are kept separately but they are NOT independent: both kinds share one id namespace and one entity-registry slot per id. A row listed here can therefore be a phantom whose entity actually belongs to a configuration.yaml helper of the same id — see ha_delete_helper.

Omit 'kind' to list every type. Types: input_boolean, input_number, input_text, input_select, input_datetime, input_button, counter, timer, schedule.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
kindNoOne helper type to list. Omit for all of them.
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.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. First observedv0.10.0

TDQS

A4.1/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Annotations only cover readOnlyHint and openWorldHint, so the description carries the rest. It discloses a genuinely non-obvious behavioral trait: UI-created and config.yaml helpers share one id namespace and entity-registry slot, so a listed row can be a phantom. It does not describe return format or pagination.

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

Conciseness4/5

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

Front-loads the scope and the crucial exclusion immediately, and the type list is compact. Slight redundancy across the 'kept separately' sentences costs a point but nothing is padding.

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

Completeness4/5

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

For a read-only list tool with no output schema, the description covers scope, filtering, and the id-namespace gotcha an agent needs to interpret results. Return-field details are left unspecified, which is the main remaining gap.

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

Parameters3/5

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

Schema description coverage is 100%, and the description's kind/instance_id remarks (omit for all; refused on mismatched home) essentially restate what the schema already documents. Baseline 3 is appropriate since the schema does the heavy lifting.

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?

States a specific verb (list) and resource (helpers), enumerates the concrete helper kinds, and sharply distinguishes the scope from siblings like ha_get_config by stating that configuration.yaml helpers are NOT returned. An agent can tell this apart from ha_list_entities without opening a schema.

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

Usage Guidelines4/5

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

Gives clear usage context: omit 'kind' to list every type, and routes the agent to ha_delete_helper for the phantom-row case. It does not explicitly say when to prefer this over ha_list_entities or ha_get_entity_registry, so it falls short of full when/when-not guidance.

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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