Hive Home

Control and query Hive Home (UK) smart heating, hot water, lights and devices via the unofficial API. Use when the user mentions Hive, Hive Home, Hive thermostat, smart heating, Hive app, British Gas Hive, or wants to automate or script Hive devices.

Hive Home (UK)

Control Hive thermostats, hot water, lights and other devices programmatically. Hive does not provide a public API; this skill uses the community Pyhiveapi library, which talks to the same backend as the Hive app.

Prefer the bundled scripts for common actions. Run scripts/hive_control.py from the skill directory (or {baseDir}/scripts/hive_control.py when the agent has the skill path). Only generate custom Pyhiveapi code when the user needs something the scripts do not support (e.g. lights, multi-zone by name, or custom logic).

Important: The API is unofficial. Never hardcode credentials or 2FA codes in prompts, logs or code. Use environment variables or a secure secret store.

Bundled scripts

From the skill root (e.g. hivehome/ or the skill directory loaded by your agent):

bash

# Status (heating + hot water)
python scripts/hive_control.py status

# Heating
python scripts/hive_control.py set-temp 21
python scripts/hive_control.py mode heat
python scripts/hive_control.py mode schedule
python scripts/hive_control.py boost 30 21    # 30 min at 21°C
python scripts/hive_control.py boost-off

# Hot water
python scripts/hive_control.py hotwater-boost 30
python scripts/hive_control.py hotwater-boost-off
python scripts/hive_control.py hotwater-mode schedule
python scripts/hive_control.py hotwater-mode off

# Multiple zones (default zone 0)
python scripts/hive_control.py --zone 1 set-temp 20

Requires HIVE_USERNAME, HIVE_PASSWORD; for non-interactive use (e.g. agent runs) set HIVE_DEVICE_GROUP_KEY, HIVE_DEVICE_KEY, HIVE_DEVICE_PASSWORD after one interactive first-time login.

Credentials

Required env vars: HIVE_USERNAME, HIVE_PASSWORD. For automation (no 2FA each run): HIVE_DEVICE_GROUP_KEY, HIVE_DEVICE_KEY, HIVE_DEVICE_PASSWORD.

Where to set them:

• Generic / Cursor / CLI: Set in your shell (export HIVE_USERNAME=...) or in a local .env file that is not committed. Run the script in an environment where these are set.
• OpenClaw: Set in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json under skills.entries.hivehome.env. OpenClaw injects these into the process for the agent run; they are not put in prompts or logs.
• Other agents: Use that agent’s recommended way to inject env vars or secrets so the skill’s scripts see them at runtime.

Agent instruction: If credentials are missing, do not ask the user to paste passwords or keys in chat. Tell them to set the required environment variables (or configure the skill in their agent’s config) and run the script again. See references/CREDENTIALS.md for platform-specific notes.

When to use this skill

• User asks to control Hive heating, thermostat, or hot water.
• User wants to script or automate Hive devices (heating, lights, plugs).
• User mentions Hive, British Gas Hive, or the Hive app in the context of automation or code.

Prerequisites

• Python 3 with pyhiveapi>=1.0.0 (session API): pip install "pyhiveapi>=1.0.0". If you see attribute or method errors, run pip install -U pyhiveapi and try again.
• Hive account (UK; my.hivehome.com). First-time login requires SMS 2FA; subsequent logins can use device credentials to avoid 2FA.

Authentication

First-time login (username + password + 2FA)

Hive enforces two-factor authentication. After initial login, capture device credentials for future runs so the user does not need to enter a 2FA code every time.

python

import os
from pyhiveapi import Hive, SMS_REQUIRED

username = os.environ.get("HIVE_USERNAME")
password = os.environ.get("HIVE_PASSWORD")
if not username or not password:
    raise SystemExit("Set HIVE_USERNAME and HIVE_PASSWORD")

session = Hive(username=username, password=password)
login = session.login()

if login.get("ChallengeName") == SMS_REQUIRED:
    code = input("Enter 2FA code from SMS: ")
    session.sms2fa(code, login)

# Save these for next time (e.g. to env or a secure store)
device_data = session.auth.getDeviceData()
print("Store for device login:", device_data)

session.startSession()
# Now use session.heating, session.hotwater, session.light, etc.

Device login (no 2FA after first time)

Use after the user has run first-time login and stored device credentials. Set HIVE_DEVICE_GROUP_KEY, HIVE_DEVICE_KEY, HIVE_DEVICE_PASSWORD (or pass them another secure way).

python

import os
from pyhiveapi import Hive

session = Hive(
    username=os.environ["HIVE_USERNAME"],
    password=os.environ["HIVE_PASSWORD"],
    deviceGroupKey=os.environ["HIVE_DEVICE_GROUP_KEY"],
    deviceKey=os.environ["HIVE_DEVICE_KEY"],
    devicePassword=os.environ["HIVE_DEVICE_PASSWORD"],
)
session.deviceLogin()
session.startSession()

Device lists

After session.startSession(), devices are in session.deviceList by type:

python

heating = session.deviceList["climate"]
water_heaters = session.deviceList["water_heater"]
lights = session.deviceList["light"]
switches = session.deviceList["switch"]
sensors = session.deviceList["sensor"]
binary_sensors = session.deviceList["binary_sensor"]

Use the first (or chosen) device when calling the methods below.

Heating (thermostat)

python

if heating:
    zone = heating[0]
    # Read
    session.heating.getMode(zone)
    session.heating.getState(zone)
    session.heating.getCurrentTemperature(zone)
    session.heating.getTargetTemperature(zone)
    session.heating.getBoostStatus(zone)
    session.heating.getBoostTime(zone)
    session.heating.getOperationModes()  # e.g. SCHEDULE, HEAT, OFF

    # Write
    session.heating.setMode(zone, "SCHEDULE")
    session.heating.setMode(zone, "HEAT")
    session.heating.setTargetTemperature(zone, 21)
    session.heating.setBoostOn(zone, 30, 21)   # 30 min at 21°C
    session.heating.setBoostOff(zone)

Hot water

python

if water_heaters:
    hw = water_heaters[0]
    session.hotwater.getMode(hw)
    session.hotwater.getState(hw)
    session.hotwater.getBoost(hw)
    session.hotwater.setMode(hw, "OFF")
    session.hotwater.setMode(hw, "SCHEDULE")
    session.hotwater.setBoostOn(hw, 30)
    session.hotwater.setBoostOff(hw)

Lights

python

if lights:
    light = lights[0]
    session.light.getState(light)
    session.light.getBrightness(light)
    session.light.getColorTemp(light)
    session.light.getColor(light)
    # Set state (exact method names depend on pyhiveapi version; see reference)

Quick reference

• Modes (heating): SCHEDULE, HEAT, OFF (and others per getOperationModes()).
• Temperatures: Use integers (e.g. 21 for 21°C). Check session.heating.getMinTemperature(zone) / session.heating.getMaxTemperature(zone) for limits.
• Boost: Heating boost takes (minutes, target_temp); hot water boost takes (minutes) only.

Additional resources

• Full API surface, auth flow diagram and links: references/REFERENCE.md
• Pyhiveapi: GitHub, Session examples
• Home Assistant Hive integration (same backend): home-assistant.io/integrations/hive

External endpoints

This skill ships scripts (scripts/hive_control.py) that call the Pyhiveapi Python library. The agent should run these scripts for common actions. When the user needs unsupported behaviour (e.g. lights), the agent may generate Pyhiveapi code. In all cases, only the following endpoints are used. No direct HTTP is made from the skill; Pyhiveapi encapsulates it.

Purpose	Endpoint / host	Data sent
Login (first time)	beekeeper.hivehome.com / api.prod.bgchprod.info (via Pyhiveapi)	Hive username, password; after 2FA, device registration
Device login	Same	Username, password, device group key, device key, device password
Device control (heating, hot water, lights, etc.)	Same	Session token; device IDs and command payloads (e.g. target temperature, mode)

Credentials and 2FA codes must be supplied via environment variables or user input; the skill never contains or logs them. The bundled script includes a SECURITY MANIFEST header (env vars and endpoints used).

Security and privacy

• What leaves the machine: Hive account credentials (username, password, and optionally device keys) and API requests (device state, setpoints, mode changes) are sent to Hive’s backend (Centrica/British Gas). The skill does not send data elsewhere.
• What stays local: Credentials should be stored only in the user’s environment or secret store; the skill instructs the agent never to hardcode or log them.
• Autonomous invocation: When this skill is enabled, the agent may suggest or generate code that calls the Hive API when the user asks about heating, thermostats, or Hive. The user controls whether to run that code and what credentials to provide.

Trust statement

By using this skill, you send your Hive account credentials and device commands to Hive’s servers (beekeeper.hivehome.com / api.prod.bgchprod.info). Only install and use this skill if you trust that infrastructure and the Pyhiveapi library. This skill is not affiliated with Hive or British Gas.