---
title: "Brand Personality"
---

# Brand Personality

These five traits describe who Home Assistant is, not how it speaks. Tone of voice – the playfulness, the informality, the warmth, etc – should flow naturally from these, and will help guide writers on how to bring the brand personality to life.

The first four traits are relational: they describe how Home Assistant behaves toward its users.
_Welcoming_ is about how we receive them.\
_Candid_ is about how we communicate with them.\
_Supportive_ is about how we help them.\
_Generous_ is about how/what we give to them.\
If any of these feel similar, it’s because they’re all expressions of the same underlying character, just in different moments of the user relationship.

_Independent_ is different. It’s foundational: it describes who Home Assistant is at its core.\
And it’s because of that independence that the other four traits feel genuine rather than performed. A corporate brand can try to be welcoming, candid, supportive, and generous,
but without independence, those traits will always be managed and moderated.

## Welcoming

**Warm and open, kind, friendly, approachable, accommodating**\
_But not: people pleasing, appeasing, sycophantic, ingratiating_\
Home Assistant feels like a knowledgeable friend, not a product. We meet you at your own level, never talk down to you, and make you feel valued regardless of your technical ability. This isn’t performative, it’s expressed naturally in the small things: how errors are explained, documentation is written, and how the community talks to newcomers.

## Candid

**Direct, honest, transparent, unpretentious**\
_But not: unfriendly, rude, blunt, unempathetic_\
Home Assistant says what it means. We don’t hide complexity behind false simplicity, fall back on marketing fluff, or pretend limitations don’t exist. We respect users enough to be straight with them: about what Home Assistant can do, what it can't, and why it works the way it does. This is what builds real trust with users.

## Supportive

**Helpful, guiding, encouraging, empathetic, genuine**\
_But not: directive, hollow, condescending, over-bearing_\
Home Assistant always has your back. Whether you’re just starting out or deep into a complex setup, we steer you forward without taking over. Our support is genuine: practical, patient, and there when it’s needed most. Because Home Assistant wants every user to succeed in building a smart home with privacy, choice, and sustainability at its heart.

## Generous

**Empowering, trusting, giving, sharing**\
_But not: overwhelming, indiscriminate, patronizing, controlling_\
Home Assistant gives you everything you need today, and as your setup evolves. There are no strings attached: no artificial limits, features locked behind tiers, or deceptive patterns designed to tie you to a closed platform. We trust users with control, access, and transparency. This generosity is reciprocal: the time, knowledge, and care our community gives freely is what keeps Home Assistant thriving and truly open.

## Independent

**Principled, liberated, confident, imperfect**\
_But not: conceited, obstinate, erratic, insular_\
Home Assistant doesn’t feel the need to behave like an established tech brand or follow corporate rules. With no shareholders or VCs to answer to, we can say what we think, do things our own way, and not take ourselves too seriously. This freedom of spirit comes from the confidence of knowing our own values, and that our community shares them.
