01 / What this path means
Compatibility is a chain, not a badge.
For ESPHome, the useful question is not whether a product says “smart”. It is whether the physical light, controller or driver, network path and integration expose the behavior your project needs.
Start with the exact light engine, voltage, channels or LED IC. Then match the firmware, controller, coordinator or gateway and record what was actually tested.
Questions to answer before purchase
- Is control local, cloud-based or gateway-dependent?
- Which exact firmware, app, coordinator or integration version is in scope?
- Which entities, channels or effects are exposed, and which remain unavailable?
- What happens after a restart, a lost network or a factory reset?
Evidence language
Tested: a published test record exists for the stated setup. Documented: the setup path is described, but the exact installation still needs the stated checks.
Community config: the path is useful with community configuration and is not factory-supported. Planned: a possible future route and is not a buying promise. Unsupported: the current record does not support this path.
