About capabilities

A Capability is a Device object property that describes its features, what it's capable of. Each device is described by at least one capability, provided it has no properties. Yandex Smart Home doesn't limit the providers in their choice of device capabilities, so users may have devices with a non-standard device_type:capability pair (for example, a TV can have the “temperature” function).

The smart home platform has a specific list of supported capabilities. If the provider's response to the request of Information about user devices contains unknown capabilities, invalid format, or invalid values, the user will not be able to control the device.

Tip

To check the validity of parameters and view validation errors, use the Testing section in the developer console.

Voice assistant Alice and the Home with Alice app use capabilities to build the device control model: Alice selects the appropriate voice control scenarios, and the  Home with Alice app displays the corresponding controls and screens.

Depending on the operation performed, different sets of fields are passed in the Capability object:

  1. The device capability description is used in the Information about user devices operation:

    {
    "type": {string},
    "retrievable": {boolean},
    "reportable": {boolean},
    "parameters": {CapabilityParameterObject}
}

  2. State of the device capability is used in the operations Information about the states of user devices, Notification about device state change:

    {
    "type": {string},
    "state": {
        "instance": {string},
        "value": {InstanceValue}
    }
}

  3. Commands to control device capabilities are used in the Change device state operation:

    {
    "type": {string},
    "state": {
        "instance": {string},
        "value": {InstanceValue}
    }
}

Types of capabilities

Type of capability

Description

on_off

Remote device on/off (similar to pressing the power button on the device or its remote control). This is a basic capability for most devices.

color_setting

Color control for device lighting elements. The device may have one or more of the following functions:

  • Changing the color of its lighting elements to any color from the HSV or RGB model.
  • Changing the color temperature of its lighting elements.
  • Playing back different visual effects.

mode

Switching device operation modes (for example, switching between air conditioner temperature modes: “Cooling”, “Heating”, or “Auto”).

range

Control of device parameters that have a range of values. For example, the brightness of a lamp, the volume of sound, or the temperature of a heater.

toggle

Control of device parameters that can only be in one of two states. For example, buttons, toggles, and similar controls that enable or disable an additional function of the device.
Previous
washing_machine
Next
On_off