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Get started with NetDaemon app development

1. Choose deployment method​

Before you get started we recommend thinking about how you want to develop and deploy your NetDaemon apps. We have two different options. Select the workflow and capabilities that best fits your needs.

Deploy compiled assemblies and configurations​

With this option you use the default NetDaemon project template as a start. This is the default and recommended option. This option offers:

  • Ready to run NetDaemon runtime including apps, dependencies and configuration in one package that you can deploy in any available hosting option (add-on, Docker container, custom).
  • Use external nuget packages.
  • Add your own DI that will get injected in your apps

Deploy source files and configurations​

With this option you can deploy the actual source and NetDaemon will compile them and use it dynamically. This option offers:

  • Easy access and editing your apps with integrated editor like VS Code server.
  • Limited DI support.
  • Does not support custom nuget packages.

Deployment is done by copying source code and config files under your apps folder (.cs and .yaml ) to the destination. The provided debug project should never be copied.

2. Get the project template​

We recommend using the dotnet cli tool to get the NetDaemon project template. Watch Eugene go through how to do use it in the video below.

Use dotnet cli tool​

The recommended way to get the application template is to install the dotnet cli tool.

Use the default compiled deployment template​

dotnet new --install NetDaemon.Templates.Project
mkdir NetDaemonApps
cd NetDaemonApps
dotnet new nd-project

Use the source code deployment template​

dotnet new --install NetDaemon.Templates.Project
mkdir NetDaemonApps
cd NetDaemonApps
dotnet new nd-src-project

Clone the the project template from repo​

We are deprecating the use of the app template repo. Please use any of the dotnet cli templates.

2. Configure your development tool​

We support most popular options. We strongly recommend using containers to run and debug your apps but local compilation and debugging is also supported. We provide a Docker file in the project template to use as a start and a dev container for VSCode.

2.1 Visual Studio​

You should be all set, so skip to step 3.

2.2 Visual Studio Code​

Dev Containers are the preferred way to develop your apps. This also requires Docker to be installed. You can also develop and debug directly on your dev machine without Docker.

  1. Install Remote Development extension in VS Code if you have not already.
  2. Open folder, the newly cloned template
  3. Run task: Dev Containers: Open Folder in Container.... Wait until it fully opened

2.3 JetBrains Rider​

Just as with Visual Studio it is ready to go for local compile and debugging of your apps.

Rider supports debugging of containerized ASP.Net Core apps from version 2018.2.

Open the netdaemon_app folder in Rider and it should be able to build the projects immediately. A default execute and debug profile will be created however these will be executed as local processes. The preferred way to develop your app is to use a container, which requires Docker to be installed. To configure a container, perform the following steps:

  1. Locate Dockerfile in the Solution Explorer window
  2. Right click and select Debug Dockerfile
  3. This will create a new profile called "DOCKERFILE"
  4. To view progress, located "Docker" in the "Services" tab and double-click it
  5. Like all container apps, the first build may take a few minutes - watch the progress in the "Services / Docker" tab

Ensure that the "DOCKERFILE" profile is selected in the toolbar and then Run and Debug will execute within the container.

2.4 Studio Code Server Addon​

Setup​

  1. In Home Assistant go to Configurations -> Add-ons, Backups & Supervisor -> Add-on Store -> Menu -> Repositories

  2. Add the repository: https://github.com/hassio-addons/repository

  3. Install the Studio Code Server Addon (a0d7b954_vscode)

  4. In the Addon Configuration Tab add the following config:

    init_commands:
      - >-
        wget
        https://packages.microsoft.com/config/debian/12/packages-microsoft-prod.deb
        -O packages-microsoft-prod.deb
      - dpkg -i packages-microsoft-prod.deb
      - rm packages-microsoft-prod.deb
      - apt-get update
      - apt-get install -y apt-transport-https
      - apt-get update
      - apt-get install -y dotnet-sdk-8.0
      - dotnet tool install -g NetDaemon.HassModel.CodeGen
    packages: []
    log_level: info
    config_path: /

    --> The part in the init_commands will install .NET SDK 6.0 only in the Studio Code Server Addon (Docker Container)

  5. Now you can start the Studio Code Server Addon by going the Addon's Info Tab and pressing OPEN WEB UI.

HINTS:

  • It is recommended to install the C# Extensions (ms-dotnettools.csharp) in Studio Code Server to get Semantic Highlighting and IntelliSense.
  • Open only the folder where the solution/project is located to ensure that the C# Extension works properly.

Usage​

NetDaemon development environment needs to be configured to connect to Home Assistant. Minimal config is: hostname/ip, port and access token. If you did not already provide this information when creating the new project using the cli tool you can edit the appsettings.json file.

Edit the values in the appsettings.json. The following settings are mandatory:

  • Host, the ip or hostname, (port defaults to 8123)
  • Token, the long lived access token

Example appsettings.json file

{
   "Logging": {
      "LogLevel": {
         "Default": "Debug",     // Set the log level
         "Microsoft": "Warning"
      },
      "ConsoleThemeType": "Ansi" // The theme, Ansi or System
   },
   "HomeAssistant": {
      "Host": "your ip",         // IP or hostname to Home Assistant 
      "Port": 8123,              // Port of Home Assistant (default 8123)
      "Ssl": false,              // True if using SSL to connect to Home Assistant
      "Token": "Your token",     // Home Assistant security token
      "InsecureBypassCertificateErrors": false // True at your own risk if you want to use self-signed certs
   },
   "NetDaemon": {
         "ApplicationConfigurationFolder": "./apps" // Only change if you change the app folder
   }
}

Develop and debug your apps​

Now properly configured you can develop your application. The template shows examples of developing and testing your apps. A sample app has been provided for you: src/apps/HassModel/HelloWorld/HelloWorld.cs.

Debug and run your apps and view log output for errors.

Deploy your apps​

After you have developed and tested your apps it is time to deploy and run the apps in the production environment. The two different deployment options have different deployment methods.

Compiled assemblies and configurations​

Use dotnet publish -c Release -o [your output directory] and copy all content from [your output directory] to /config/netdaemon5 if you are using add-on, or the destination folder you chose in the other hosting options.

See installation docs for how to configure different hosting options.

Source files and configurations​

Do not copy project files. Only copy the contents under the apps folder! Copy the content from the apps folder to to /config/netdaemon5 if you are using add-on (note that you might have changed the destination in add-on config), or the destination folder you chose in the other hosting options. Do not copy project files. Only copy the contents under the apps folder!

See installation docs for how to configure different hosting options.

Keep your dependencies and tools up-to-date​

In the template projects we provided a convenient powershell script that will update NetDaemon and dependent packages to the latest versions: update_all_dependencies.ps1.