Hello All,
Brand new to all this - so just saying hello and giving a wave. Been watching lots on YouTube and decided to get the Home Assistant Green box. I have been using HomeKit.
If anyone has any suggestions on what to do and what not to do - all greatfully achived
Please forgive any really stupid questions I may ask. I’d like to thank you now for any patience you show.
Cheers,
Rob .
Welcome from a fellow recent convert 
Regarding HomeKit, keep in mind that you can use both systems in parallel and do a “best of both worlds”. Like, controlling one of those cheap “Alexa-only” smart plugs with Siri all of a sudden.
Hey Rob.
My suggestion would be to set up an automation to backup daily. Multiple times a day if you have time/propensity to fiddle with HA throughout the day. Especially if, like me, you find yourself often mumbling to yourself, "I should have backed up before installing/tweaking [whatever it was I installed/deleted/tweaked]. If you’re primarily using Zigbee (ZHA) devices, get more than a few Tuya repeaters and USB power adapters to make the most of spreading connectivity to your devices.
It’s been about 8 months with my HAGreen, while we still use HomeKit for app & voice control, it’s nice to host the automations and such solely in HA. I’m proud of how far I’ve come, but don’t mistake me for someone that knows enough to guide another with their trials and tribulations. It doesn’t stop me from trying to contribute, but mostly I lurk here hoping someone else has or will post about something I might understand. 
Welcome to here.
I am a HomeKit person - Just trying to do slightly more complex automations than i think HomeKit will allow - hoping HA is the way to go - purchased an HA Green box that arrived today. Plugged in and starting to find out what I can do.
My only issue is that none of my Matter devices over Thread have shown up. I am sure I am doing something wrong. I have the weekend off so plan to dive head first in then, fingers crossed 
rob
Welcome! Ask lots of questions… when you think you have asked too many, ask more.
Hi Rob, welcome to the forum.
Tip: don’t rely to much on videos, definitely not outdated ones since HA is evolving at a high pace.
thanks - I can see its fast paced - hope I can keep up. Already hit a stumbling block with what to do with all my homepods and that none of the matter/thread devices.
Reading needs to be done
Check out the cookbook list. Lots of information in here some of us have pulled together .
That is painting with a broad brush, and doing OP a disservice.
Welcome. Feel free to ask questions if you get stuck.
My only issue is that none of my Matter devices over Thread have shown up. I am sure I am doing something wrong.
Probably not. HA’s claim that all your HomeKit devices will magically show up in HA is a bit exaggerated. Yes, your Apple devices will show up. Other devices that you have already added to HomeKit - not necessarily.
For Matter specifically, you’ll have to add them to HA manually. See Matter (BETA) - Home Assistant
I would politely disagree. @Nick4 is providing sound advice that will benefit folks in the long term. Sourcing from this forum vs YT provides the most current information/resolutions. My view is to assume positive intent when posted replies focus on educating folks.
While what you say may be accurate in terms of most current information, sourcing from this forum also includes a LOT of noise and misinformation from well-intentioned “helpers” who barely understand the question being asked, let alone the “solution” they are offering. It seems to be the trend that many “regulars” only focus on questions/posts that do not yet have any replies, and leave the “busy” threads alone - even if the information in the “busy” thread is wildly inaccurate.
At least by watching someone implement the solution in real-time you can actually see what is being done rather than having to attempt to decipher a bunch of misused technical terms.
Regardless the above, no matter the source, some level of base knowledge is required in order to determine if the “information” you are getting is accurate and relevant - the source of said information is irrelevant. You may be reading a 100% factually correct piece of documentation from a vendor, but if you don’t understand what you’re reading, it may well be for a part of the system wholly unrelated to the issue you’re having, and thus, may as well be incorrect for how useless it will be towards resolution.
If your goal is education, as you state, then the source of that education should be of little consequence - otherwise, you come across as simply promoting the forum while simultaneously denigrating all other valid sources of information. That is the opposite of education.