Built a Home Assistant OS add-on for PicoClaw with official HA MCP support

[traceless929]

Hi everyone,

I'd like to share a project I built around PicoClaw:

HaPicoClaw
A Home Assistant OS add-on that packages PicoClaw as a long-running gateway and connects it to Home Assistant through the official Model Context Protocol Server.

Project repo:
https://github.com/traceless929/HaPicoClaw

Latest stable release:
https://github.com/traceless929/HaPicoClaw/releases/tag/v0.1.1

What it does

This add-on integrates:

• PicoClaw
• Home Assistant official mcp_server
• mcp-proxy as the bridge
• A built-in Home Assistant Ingress control panel

The runtime flow is:

Home Assistant official mcp_server (/api/mcp)
        ->
      mcp-proxy
        ->
   local stdio MCP process
        ->
      PicoClaw gateway

Why I built it

My goal was to make PicoClaw run inside Home Assistant OS as a practical, lightweight local agent, instead of depending on a separate desktop-side MCP setup.

I wanted:

• a real HAOS add-on
• official Home Assistant MCP support
• lightweight local deployment
• a built-in control panel for debugging
• a smoother setup path for Home Assistant users

Current features

• Home Assistant OS add-on packaging for PicoClaw
• official Home Assistant MCP integration via mcp-proxy
• built-in control panel
• HA API / Supervisor API diagnostics
• mcp-proxy status detection
• manual start / stop / restart for mcp-proxy
• bundled mcp-proxy wheel to reduce external build dependencies
• bilingual quick start documentation
• one-click Home Assistant install links

Docs

Quick start (Chinese):
https://github.com/traceless929/HaPicoClaw/blob/main/picoclaw/QUICKSTART.zh-Hans.md

Quick start (English):
https://github.com/traceless929/HaPicoClaw/blob/main/picoclaw/QUICKSTART.en.md

Why PicoClaw

I picked PicoClaw because this project targets:

• Home Assistant OS
• low-resource local devices
• lightweight always-on agent use cases
• simple deployment as an add-on

That made PicoClaw a much better fit for this use case than a heavier desktop-oriented architecture.

Feedback welcome

If anyone here is interested in Home Assistant integration, local MCP workflows, or lightweight always-on deployments, I'd really appreciate feedback.

In particular, I'd love input on:

• better HAOS deployment patterns
• MCP tooling ergonomics
• future Home Assistant-oriented workflows for PicoClaw
• ideas for expanding the add-on cleanly

Thanks to the PicoClaw project for making this kind of lightweight deployment possible.

[SiYue-ZO]

Wow, this project is amazing! Thank you for sharing HaPicoClaw — packaging PicoClaw as a Home Assistant OS add-on and integrating it via the official MCP is truly a tailor-made solution for smart home enthusiasts.

Why This Project Stands Out

• Seamless Integration: Runs directly inside Home Assistant OS without the need to deploy a separate MCP service, making it extremely beginner-friendly
• Official MCP Support: Uses mcp-proxy to bridge official MCP endpoints, ensuring both security and reliability while delegating permission management to Home Assistant
• Lightweight Design: Optimized for low-resource devices, making it ideal for long-term operation within the Home Assistant ecosystem
• Practical Control Panel: Comes with a built-in Ingress UI where you can monitor mcp-proxy status, diagnose API connections, and even access a terminal for debugging and management
• Bilingual Documentation: Includes both Chinese and English quick-start guides, making it accessible to a wider audience

A Clever Technical Approach

Your “official MCP + local bridging” architecture is genuinely smart. By letting Home Assistant handle core capabilities and permissions, while mcp-proxy focuses on protocol translation and PicoClaw stays lightweight, you’ve avoided reinventing the wheel while ensuring system stability. This design aligns perfectly with the philosophy of the Home Assistant ecosystem.

Looking Forward to More Possibilities

It would be exciting to see support for more architectures (such as x86), real-time event subscriptions (e.g., pushing updates when Home Assistant states change), or integrations like MQTT/Webhooks in the future. You could even consider providing preset templates for common scenarios like “smart lighting control” or “environment monitoring” to help users get started with just one click.

Final Thoughts

This project not only solves real-world problems but also opens up new possibilities for PicoClaw in the smart home space. Your contribution is incredibly valuable to the community, and I’m looking forward to seeing its continued evolution and more user feedback. If there’s anything that needs testing or suggestions, I’m sure many people in the community (myself included) would be happy to help!

A Friendly Note

If you’re interested, it might be worth sharing this project more widely within developer communities or engaging with contributors who are passionate about Home Assistant and PicoClaw. I think a lot of people would find this really exciting and would love to get involved. 🚀