Think Tinkercad Arduino. Fantastic for trying stuff out.
At the moment i have to try to set up an automation/script/button control etc, run between all the hardware to see what worked, come back to the pc and inevitably fiddle it, go and check again…
What about a handful of, graphical, virtual entites. A picture of a lightbulb that responds as a real life entity, a switch that can be turned on/off, a binary on/off sensor that can be flipped, a timer, a numerical sensor that can be adjusted +/- etc… That way simple automations/linkages can be set up ‘from the desk’ and (in theory) all you need to do once they’re working is sub in your correct devices and entites.
Seems like a fine idea to me!