Automations: Configure in Frontend or Automations.yaml?

Configuration
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1

I’m new to Home Assistant but I like it so far and I am working to understand as much of it as possible. I’m beginning to explore advanced automations using templates. To date I have been configuring automations using the frontend editor. I got an automation working using templates to synchronize the brightness level of two lights using some minor plagiarism from the forums, but only by creating a new automation in the frontend editor and then directly editing it to meet my needs in the Automation.yaml file. When I go back to the frontend the template portion of the automation is not visible.

So now my question: Is the frontend not meant to be used for template based automations? Is there a point where one must decide if they will manage automations via the frontend or the .yaml file? Is there a hybrid solution?

2

You’ve found it and are using it.

3

Quick validation of approach. I have been keeping my automations in a folder, and using the following in my configuration.yaml:
automation: !include_dir_merge_list automation

Now, I tried adding a webhook automation via the front-end UI, and it placed it into new automations.yaml.

Am I at the point where I’m best to move all automations back into one file?

Thanks for any guidance.

~Bryan

4

I appreciate automations residing in their own file. It keeps configuration.yaml shorter and easier to manage. By that same logic, many people (and I’m soon to be one) separate out all of their sensors, switches, and cameras into separate included yaml files.