Home Automation Cookbook

A comprehensive guide for home automation enthusiasts

This repository contains the source for the Home Automation Cookbook website, built with Jekyll and hosted on GitHub Pages.

Live site

Visit the live site at: https://www.homeautomationcookbook.com

About

The Home Automation Cookbook is a community-driven documentation project that helps people:

• Get started with home automation
• Choose the right platform and devices
• Create effective automations
• Secure their smart homes
• Troubleshoot common issues

Development

Prerequisites

• Ruby 2.7 or higher
• Bundler
• Git

Local Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/madskristensen/HomeAutomationCookbook.git
   cd HomeAutomationCookbook
   

2. Install dependencies:

   bundle config set --local path 'vendor/bundle'
   bundle install
   

3. Run the local server:

   bundle exec jekyll serve --source docs --port 4001 --host 0.0.0.0
   

4. Open your browser to http://localhost:4001

Quick Run Script

For convenience, you can use the provided batch file:

run-site.cmd

Troubleshooting local development

• Port conflict (wrong site appears):

  Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 4001 | Select-Object LocalAddress, LocalPort, State, OwningProcess
  

• Use a different port for one run:

  bundle exec jekyll serve --source docs --port 4002 --host 0.0.0.0
  

• Generated folders are ignored by Git: _site/ and docs/_site/
• If those folders were tracked previously, untrack them once:

  git rm -r --cached _site docs/_site
  

Contributing

We welcome contributions! Here's how you can help:

1. Add Content: Create new guides or improve existing ones
2. Fix Errors: Spot a mistake? Submit a PR
3. Share Experience: Add your automation recipes
4. Improve Navigation: Help organize content better

Content Structure

• docs/ - Main documentation folder
  • getting-started/ - Beginner guides
  • automation/ - Automation recipes
    • lighting/
    • daily-routines/
    • climate/
    • entertainment/
    • appliances/
    • security/
    • notifications/
  • faq/ - Frequently asked questions

Writing Guidelines

• Use clear, concise language
• Include code examples where applicable
• Add images/diagrams to explain complex concepts
• Follow the existing document structure
• Test your changes locally before submitting

Deployment

The site automatically deploys to GitHub Pages when changes are pushed to the main branch via GitHub Actions.

Setting Up GitHub Pages

1. Go to repository Settings → Pages
2. Source: GitHub Actions
3. Custom domain: Add your domain in the CNAME file

Custom Domain Setup

1. Update docs/CNAME with your domain
2. Configure DNS records:
   • Type: A → Points to GitHub Pages IPs
   • Type: CNAME → Points to yourusername.github.io
3. Enable "Enforce HTTPS" in repository settings

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Community

• Issues: Report bugs or request features
• Discussions: Share ideas and get help
• Pull Requests: Contribute directly

Contact

Questions? Open an issue or start a discussion!

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Built by the home automation community