Rejoice, Home Assistant's compact header is making a comeback

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Ah, the “forehead” conundrum – a familiar frustration for Home Assistant aficionados who prefer to keep their controls at their fingertips, quite literally. If you've found yourself mourning the discontinuation of the popular Custom Header component, you can now breathe a sigh of relief. The era of the dreaded big forehead is coming to an end, as Home Assistant has taken note of the pleas from the mobile-savvy among us.

The compact header shown in the Home Assistant Dashboard.

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The Compact Header revolution: Home Assistant's rise to mobile-friendly excellence

In a move akin to a software phoenix rising from the ashes, the much-anticipated compact header is officially being integrated into Home Assistant. The clunky, space-consuming default header will soon be a relic of the past, and mobile users can rejoice as they regain precious screen real estate. This development showcases Home Assistant's commitment to listening to its user base and adapting to the needs of an increasingly mobile world. As we move forward, it's clear that the company is not only focused on functionality, but also on the ever-important user experience.

In short, the Home Assistant Compact Header is here to stay, and mobile users can finally bid adieu to the cumbersome forehead that once plagued their screens. Cheers to a sleeker, more mobile-friendly future!

Embracing the Change

The newly minted compact header may not boast the same level of customization as its custom component predecessor, at least not in the beginning. However, it promises to deliver the essence of what users have been craving – a harmonious marriage of buttons and tabs in a compact form. Not only will this change impact the web dashboard, but the app's header will also undergo a transformation. By shrinking the header to the tab size, both the in-app and Lovelace views will enjoy a more generous allocation of space.

Although the compact header feature is still a work in progress, it's poised to make its grand entrance into Home Assistant in the foreseeable future. For now, users will need to exercise a smidgen of patience, as the non-compact header – or the “big forehead”, if you will – stays put for a little longer.

Rest assured, this official incarnation of the compact header is set to enjoy a more stable future than its previous counterpart. So, brace yourselves, Home Assistant enthusiasts, for a more seamless and visually pleasing experience awaits.

A portrait photo oif Liam Alexander Colman, the author, creator, and owner of Home Assistant Guide wearing a suit.

About Liam Alexander Colman

is an experienced Home Assistant user who has been utilizing the platform for a variety of projects over an extended period. His journey began with a Raspberry Pi, which quickly grew to three Raspberry Pis and eventually a full-fledged server. Liam's current operating system of choice is Unraid, with Home Assistant comfortably running in a Docker container.
With a deep understanding of the intricacies of Home Assistant, Liam has an impressive setup, consisting of various Zigbee devices, and seamless integrations with existing products such as his Android TV box. For those interested in learning more about Liam's experience with Home Assistant, he shares his insights on how he first started using the platform and his subsequent journey.

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