Home Assistant integration (labelle-web-hacs, separate repo)

[szrudi]

What

A Home Assistant HACS integration that connects to a running Labelle Web server over the network, so users can print labels from automations / dashboards. Lives in a separate repo (`labelle-web-hacs`, not yet created) — the labelle-web server stays standalone and HA is just a network client.

Why

• Common use case: print labels triggered by HA automations (package-on-doorbell, scheduled chore stickers, asset tagging for inventory).
• Labelle Web already runs as a long-lived service on a Pi; exposing it via HA is a natural extension that doesn't require any new on-device hardware.
• The relevant HTTP surface already exists: `/api/printers`, `/api/preview`, `/api/print`, `/api/batch-print`, `/api/health` (for connectivity monitoring).

Scope

On the HA side (new repo)

• HACS-compatible custom component, Python.
• Config flow: user enters the Labelle Web server URL; validate via `GET /api/health`.
• Services:
  • `labelle.print_label` — accepts widgets + settings, POSTs to `/api/print`.
  • `labelle.preview` — returns a PNG preview as a binary attachment / camera entity image.
  • (Optional) `labelle.batch_print` — streams progress via SSE, surfaces as a long-running task.
• Entities (one set per printer):
  • Sensor: online / offline (from `/api/health` + `/api/printers` polling).
  • Button: quick-print a preconfigured label template.
• Lovelace card (optional, can be a follow-up): text input + template picker + preview + print button.

On this side (labelle-web)

• Probably nothing required — the API is already sufficient. Worth double-checking once the HACS side is being built that:
  • `/api/health` is enough for HA's connectivity monitoring.
  • CORS allows the HA origin if HA ever calls the API from the browser side.
  • Auth: currently zero auth (LAN-only assumption). If HA is exposed to the internet, the HACS integration would need to pass credentials — but adding auth to labelle-web is a separate, larger discussion.

Reference

• Inspiration: how the official ESPHome / Tasmota integrations work — Python REST client + entity registry.
• HACS docs: https://hacs.xyz/docs/publish/start
• HA dev docs: https://developers.home-assistant.io/docs/creating_integration_manifest

Owner

Nobody yet. The labelle-web server is ready to be consumed; just needs someone with HA-integration experience to write the HACS side.

[dariusrotaru]

Yo, this looks very cool! I'd love to help out with the integration, never worked with anything like this before but I used Home Assistant A LOT lately and would love to learn how to create integrations as well!

[szrudi]

Yo, this looks very cool! I'd love to help out with the integration, never worked with anything like this before but I used Home Assistant A LOT lately and would love to learn how to create integrations as well!

Hey! That would be great! I started to draft something up like 2 months ago, but I don't think I have much, I can check in a few day. I have some busy days ahead so won't have much time but would love to check out what you get to or help later on.

I never created a hacs addon either btw, but you gotta start somewhere 😄

[dariusrotaru]

Hey again! As it turns out making a bare bone manual installation addon is not that hard, I could get it going with just a few python scripts and it managed to connect to the labelle web in the docker running on my windows machine. I got it to tell me how many printers are connected (virtual printers that is) and exporting a png label works! But i can't actually test the powering on and off function because my server's ssd recently got fried lol. I also first got excited cause I would be able to test it myself since I rememberd I had an old dymo label printer allowed, but it's a letratag 100h with no way to connect neither with bluetooth nor usb so rip. Imma try to make some more time (i'm furiously working on my bachelor's degree paper rn as well lol ) to tidy it up a bit and send the repo to you since you can actually test it with real printers.

[szrudi]

Hey @dariusrotaru Good to see you had nice progress! Make sure you focus on your paper, that has a deadline and this project can wait! :D

In the meantime I realised I had a repo open for the hacs part already:
https://github.com/szrudi/labelle-web-hacs