Beyond categories: presenting devices based on what visitors are trying to achieve

[matthiasdebaat]

The device database currently organises devices by what they are: a contact sensor, a smart plug, a motion sensor. That is the right foundation. But I want to explore whether the front end should eventually also present devices based on what a visitor is trying to accomplish.

The inspiration comes from a pattern that emerged in e-commerce marketplaces a few years ago: separating what a product is (a fixed fact filled in by the seller) from where a buyer expects to find it (dynamically computed by the platform based on context and intent). A pair of sport shoes is both a sport accessory and a fashion item depending on who is looking and why.

I think the same logic applies here. A contact sensor is a contact sensor. But it is also a building block for a smart fridge monitor, a door alert, a leak detection setup, or an energy efficiency workflow, depending on what the visitor is trying to do.

What this could look like

• Use cases as a browse entry point alongside device categories. Instead of only filtering by device type, visitors could navigate by goal: "monitor my energy use," "secure my doors and windows," "automate my climate." Each use case surfaces a mix of relevant device types.
• A "used for" section on device detail pages, showing the goals or setups this device commonly appears in. This would be computed from real-world co-usage patterns rather than manually maintained.
• Search that understands intent. Searching "fridge" or "front door" surfaces relevant devices across categories, not just devices with those words in their name.
• Lightweight collections showing devices commonly used together for a specific goal, derived from co-occurrence data in Home Assistant installations.

To explore

• Does this resonate with how you actually look for devices? Do you start from a device type or from a goal you want to achieve?
• Are there use cases or goals you would have expected to find on a device database?
• On the data side: do we already have co-usage or co-occurrence signals that could power this?
• Where would you draw the line between the device database and a "smart home guide"? Should this site stay close to device facts, or is goal-based discovery within scope?

This is early thinking and the preview edition will not go here yet. But I want to understand whether this direction is worth shaping into a concrete feature, and the community is the right place to pressure-test it.