After years in beta, Homebridge 2.0 brings support for even more devices to Apple Home, as well as other Matter platforms. Here's what's new.
Homebridge launched in 2015 with the simple goal of bridging unsupported devices into Apple Home. With plugins, this locally-run server would allow many devices like Dyson fans or Ring cameras to work in the Apple Home app.
In 2018, AppleInsider created a helpful tutorial on how you could make your very own HomeKit Secure Video-enabled camera. This was a time when supported models were few and far between.
Homebridge is an open-source Node.js project that you could run off a Mac or even a Raspberry Pi. With this update, its functionality is greatly expanded beyond just Apple Home.
Homebridge 2.0 is not only an Apple Home bridge, but a Matter bridge. Devices added via Homebridge plugin can work in Apple Home or, thanks to Matter, in Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Home Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings.
For Apple users specifically, the support for Matter was necessary. New device categories, like vacuums, aren't native Apple Home categories, but added through Matter.
If Homebridge continued to only support Apple Home, vacuums and other categories wouldn't work as expected. We're currently waiting for Apple to add many new Matter categories, such as appliances, cameras, and more.
Existing Homebridge users are not required to update just yet. It's an optional upgrade path and users can download the new files from the Homebridge website or Github repo.
