ESPHome Configuration Helper

Rapid ESPHome configuration generation and troubleshooting skill with ready-to-use templates, GPIO reference guides, and validation utilities.

Purpose

This skill accelerates ESPHome device configuration by providing:

Quick-start templates for common device types
GPIO pinout references to prevent conflicts
Common sensor configurations with wiring diagrams
Error message lookup and solutions
Configuration validation workflow

Use this skill for general ESPHome configuration tasks. For ESP32-S3-BOX-3 specific implementations, use the esphome-box3-builder skill instead.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

Starting a new ESPHome device configuration
Adding sensors, switches, or displays to existing configs
Troubleshooting compilation or runtime errors
Determining safe GPIO pins for components
Validating configuration before flashing

Delegate to specialized ESPHome agents for:

Deep technical questions (esphome-core, esphome-components, etc.)
Complex automation logic (esphome-automations agent)
Network troubleshooting (esphome-networking agent)
ESP32-S3-BOX-3 projects (esphome-box3 agent)

Configuration Templates

Available Templates

Located in templates/ directory:

basic-device.yaml - Minimal ESP32 starter
- ESP32 platform with WiFi and API
- OTA updates enabled
- Logger and web server
- Use as foundation for custom projects
sensor-node.yaml - Temperature/humidity sensor node
- DHT22 sensor on GPIO4
- WiFi with fallback AP
- Home Assistant integration
- Use for environmental monitoring
relay-switch.yaml - 4-channel relay controller
- GPIO control for 4 relays (GPIO23, GPIO22, GPIO21, GPIO19)
- Physical button inputs with interlocks
- Switch entities for Home Assistant
- Use for home automation switching
display-node.yaml - Display with sensors
- SSD1306 OLED display (128x64, I²C)
- DHT22 temperature/humidity
- Display lambda showing sensor readings
- Use for visual sensor displays

Using Templates

To use a template:

Read the appropriate template file
Customize device name, WiFi credentials, GPIO pins
Add or remove components as needed
Validate configuration (see Validation Workflow below)

Template Workflow:

# 1. Read template
cat .claude/skills/esphome-config-helper/templates/sensor-node.yaml

# 2. Copy to project
cp .claude/skills/esphome-config-helper/templates/sensor-node.yaml my-device.yaml

# 3. Edit with device-specific values
# - Update device name
# - Set WiFi credentials (use secrets.yaml)
# - Adjust GPIO pins if needed
# - Customize sensor names

# 4. Validate (see Validation Workflow)

GPIO Pin Reference

Quick GPIO Lookup

For detailed GPIO pinouts and safe pin selection, consult:

references/gpio-pinouts.md - Complete ESP32 and ESP8266 GPIO reference
- Safe pins for each platform
- Strapping pins to avoid
- I²C/SPI/UART default pins
- Input-only vs output-capable pins
- Boot failure pins (GPIO0, GPIO2, GPIO15)

Quick Safe Pins:

ESP32: GPIO4, GPIO5, GPIO12, GPIO13, GPIO14, GPIO16, GPIO17, GPIO18, GPIO19, GPIO21, GPIO22, GPIO23, GPIO25-27, GPIO32, GPIO33
ESP8266: GPIO4 (D2), GPIO5 (D1), GPIO12 (D6), GPIO13 (D7), GPIO14 (D5)

Avoid (strapping/boot pins):

ESP32: GPIO0, GPIO2, GPIO5, GPIO12, GPIO15 (use with caution)
ESP8266: GPIO0, GPIO2, GPIO15

Common Sensor Configurations

Sensor Selection Guide

For detailed sensor configurations with wiring diagrams, consult:

references/common-sensors.md - Top 20 sensor configurations
- Temperature/humidity sensors (DHT22, BME280, SHT3x)
- Motion sensors (PIR, mmWave)
- Light sensors (BH1750, TSL2561)
- Distance sensors (HC-SR04, VL53L0X)
- Gas sensors (MQ-series, SGP30)
- Complete wiring diagrams and platform selection

Quick Sensor Recommendations:

Temperature/Humidity: BME280 (I²C, more reliable than DHT22)
Motion: HC-SR501 PIR (GPIO binary sensor)
Light: BH1750 (I²C, accurate lux measurements)
Distance: HC-SR04 (ultrasonic, 2-400cm range)
Air Quality: BME680 (I²C, temp/humidity/pressure/gas)

Basic Sensor Patterns

I²C Sensor (BME280 example):

i2c:
  sda: GPIO21
  scl: GPIO22
  scan: true

sensor:
  - platform: bme280
    temperature:
      name: "Temperature"
    humidity:
      name: "Humidity"
    pressure:
      name: "Pressure"
    address: 0x76
    update_interval: 60s

GPIO Sensor (DHT22 example):

sensor:
  - platform: dht
    pin: GPIO4
    model: DHT22
    temperature:
      name: "Temperature"
    humidity:
      name: "Humidity"
    update_interval: 60s

Binary Sensor (PIR motion):

binary_sensor:
  - platform: gpio
    pin: GPIO14
    name: "Motion Sensor"
    device_class: motion

Troubleshooting Guide

Error Lookup

For complete error message lookup table and solutions, consult:

references/troubleshooting.md - Comprehensive error message reference
- Compilation errors (unknown platform, GPIO conflicts, dependency issues)
- Runtime errors (WiFi failures, sensor timeouts, OTA problems)
- Configuration errors (YAML syntax, invalid pins, missing components)
- Hardware issues (sensor not detected, relay not switching)

Common Error Quick Reference:

| Error Message | Quick Fix | |---------------|-----------| | "Unknown platform" | Check component name spelling, ensure platform supported | | "GPIO already in use" | Check GPIO pin assignments, avoid duplicates | | "Could not compile" | Check YAML syntax, verify indentation (2 spaces) | | "WiFi connection failed" | Verify SSID/password, check signal strength, use static IP | | "Sensor not found" | Check I²C address (use scan: true), verify wiring | | "OTA upload failed" | Check device reachable, verify OTA password, restart device |

Troubleshooting Workflow

When encountering errors:

Check YAML syntax: Verify indentation (2 spaces, no tabs)
Validate GPIO pins: Ensure no conflicts, use safe pins
Check component platform: Verify platform name and configuration
Review logs: Use esphome logs device.yaml to see runtime errors
Consult references: Check references/troubleshooting.md for specific error
Validate config: Run validation workflow (see below)

Validation Workflow

Using the Validation Script

The validation utility provides quick configuration checks:

Script: scripts/validate-config.sh

Usage:

# Validate configuration
./.claude/skills/esphome-config-helper/scripts/validate-config.sh my-device.yaml

# The script runs:
# 1. esphome config my-device.yaml  (syntax check)
# 2. esphome compile my-device.yaml (compilation test)

Validation Steps:

Syntax validation: esphome config my-device.yaml
- Checks YAML syntax
- Validates component configuration
- Reports missing requirements
- Shows final configuration
Compilation test: esphome compile my-device.yaml
- Downloads required libraries
- Compiles firmware
- Reports errors and warnings
- Confirms configuration works
Fix errors: If validation fails:
- Review error messages
- Check GPIO conflicts
- Verify component platforms
- Consult references/troubleshooting.md
- Re-validate after fixes

Pre-Flash Checklist

Before flashing device:

[ ] Configuration validates without errors
[ ] WiFi credentials correct (use secrets.yaml)
[ ] Device name unique on network
[ ] GPIO pins verified safe
[ ] OTA password set (for future updates)
[ ] API encryption key configured (2026.1.0+)

Configuration Best Practices

YAML Structure

Organize configuration in logical sections:

# 1. Core platform
esphome:
  name: device-name
  friendly_name: Device Name

esp32:
  board: esp32dev
  framework:
    type: arduino

# 2. Network
wifi:
  ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
  password: !secret wifi_password

api:
  encryption:
    key: !secret api_encryption_key

ota:
  - platform: esphome
    password: !secret ota_password

# 3. Logging
logger:
web_server:

# 4. Components (sensors, switches, etc.)
sensor:
  # ...

binary_sensor:
  # ...

Secrets Management

Use secrets.yaml for sensitive data:

secrets.yaml:

wifi_ssid: "MyNetwork"
wifi_password: "MyPassword123"
api_encryption_key: "base64-generated-key"
ota_password: "SecureOTAPassword"

Reference in config:

wifi:
  ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
  password: !secret wifi_password

Naming Conventions

Follow consistent naming:

Device names: lowercase-with-hyphens (e.g., bedroom-sensor)
Entity names: Title Case with Spaces (e.g., "Bedroom Temperature")
IDs: lowercase_with_underscores (e.g., temp_sensor)

Example:

sensor:
  - platform: dht
    pin: GPIO4
    temperature:
      name: "Living Room Temperature"
      id: living_room_temp
    humidity:
      name: "Living Room Humidity"
      id: living_room_humidity

Integration with Other Skills and Agents

When to Use Other Resources

ESP32-S3-BOX-3 projects: Use esphome-box3-builder skill
- Audio pipeline (I²S, ES7210, ES8311)
- Display lambda rendering (ILI9xxx)
- Touch interaction (GT911)
- Voice assistant integration
Deep technical questions: Delegate to ESPHome agents
- Core concepts → esphome-core agent
- Component selection → esphome-components agent
- Automation logic → esphome-automations agent
- Network issues → esphome-networking agent
- HA integration → esphome-homeassistant agent
Complex projects: Combine resources
- Start with template (this skill)
- Customize with agent guidance
- Validate with scripts (this skill)
- Deploy and troubleshoot (this skill + agents)

Additional Resources

Reference Files

For detailed information, consult:

references/gpio-pinouts.md - Complete ESP32/ESP8266 GPIO reference with safe pins, strapping pins, and pin capabilities
references/common-sensors.md - Top 20 sensor configurations with wiring diagrams, platform selection, and usage examples
references/troubleshooting.md - Comprehensive error message lookup table with solutions for compilation, runtime, and hardware issues

Template Files

Working configuration examples in templates/:

basic-device.yaml - Minimal ESP32 foundation
sensor-node.yaml - DHT22 temperature/humidity node
relay-switch.yaml - 4-channel relay controller
display-node.yaml - OLED display with sensors

Utility Scripts

Validation and testing tools in scripts/:

validate-config.sh - ESPHome configuration validation wrapper

Quick Start Workflow

For new ESPHome device:

Select template based on device type (sensor, switch, display, or basic)
Copy template to project directory
Customize configuration:
- Update device name
- Set WiFi credentials in secrets.yaml
- Adjust GPIO pins using references/gpio-pinouts.md
- Add/remove components as needed
Validate configuration using scripts/validate-config.sh
Fix any errors using references/troubleshooting.md
Flash device with validated configuration
Monitor logs and troubleshoot if needed

For adding to existing config:

Consult references for component configuration
Check GPIO availability in references/gpio-pinouts.md
Add component to configuration
Validate before flashing
Update and monitor

This skill provides rapid configuration generation for common ESPHome use cases. For specialized hardware (ESP32-S3-BOX-3) or deep technical questions, use the appropriate specialist skills and agents.