---
layout: page
title: "RESTful Binary Sensor"
description: "Instructions how to integrate REST binary sensors into Home Assistant."
date: 2015-12-17 19:10
sidebar: true
comments: false
sharing: true
footer: true
logo: restful.png
ha_category: Binary Sensor
ha_release: "0.10"
ha_iot_class: "Local Polling"
---


The `rest` binary sensor platform is consuming a given endpoint which is exposed by a [RESTful API](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representational_state_transfer) of a device, an application, or a web service. The binary sensor has support for GET and POST requests.

The JSON messages can contain different values like `1`, `"1"`, `TRUE`, `true`, `on`, or `open`. If the value is nested then use a [template](/docs/configuration/templating/#processing-incoming-data).

```json
{
    "name": "Binary sensor",
    "state": {
        "open": "true",
        "timestamp": "2016-06-20 15:42:52.926733"
    }
}
```

To enable this sensor, add the following lines to your `configuration.yaml` file for a GET request:

```yaml
# Example configuration.yaml entry
binary_sensor:
  - platform: rest
    resource: http://IP_ADDRESS/ENDPOINT
```

or for a POST request:

```yaml
# Example configuration.yaml entry
binary_sensor:
  - platform: rest
    resource: http://IP_ADDRESS/ENDPOINT
    method: POST
```

{% configuration %}
resource:
  description: The resource or endpoint that contains the value.
  required: true
  type: string
  default: string
method:
  description: The method of the request.
  required: false
  type: string
  default: GET
name:
  description: Name of the REST binary sensor.
  required: false
  type: string
  default: REST Binary Sensor
device_class:
  description: "The [type/class](/components/binary_sensor/) of the sensor to set the icon in the frontend."
  required: false
  type: string
value_template:
  description: "Defines a [template](/docs/configuration/templating/#processing-incoming-data) to extract the value."
  required: false
  type: template
payload:
  description: The payload to send with a POST request. Usually formed as a dictionary.
  required: false
  type: string
verify_ssl:
  description: Verify the certification of the endpoint.
  required: false
  type: boolean
  default: True
authentication:
  description:  Type of the HTTP authentication. `basic` or `digest`.
  required: false
  type: string
username:
  description: The username for accessing the REST endpoint.
  required: false
  type: string
password:
  description: The password for accessing the REST endpoint.
  required: false
  type: string
headers:
  description: The headers for the requests.
  required: false
  type: list, string
{% endconfiguration %}

<p class='note warning'>
Make sure that the URL exactly matches your endpoint or resource.
</p>

## {% linkable_title Examples %}

In this section you find some real life examples of how to use this sensor.

### {% linkable_title aREST sensor %}

Instead of using an [aREST](/components/binary_sensor.arest/) binary sensor, you could retrieve the value of a device supporting aREST directly with a REST binary sensor.

```yaml
binary_sensor:
  - platform: rest
    resource: http://192.168.0.5/digital/9
    method: GET
    name: Light
    device_class: light
    value_template: {% raw %}'{{ value_json.return_value }}'{% endraw %}
```

### {% linkable_title Accessing an HTTP authentication protected endpoint %}

The REST sensor supports HTTP authentication and customized headers.

```yaml
binary_sensor:
  - platform: rest
    resource: http://IP_ADDRESS:5000/binary_sensor
    username: ha1
    password: test1
    authentication: basic
    headers:
      User-Agent: Home Assistant
      Content-Type: application/json
```

The headers will contain all relevant details. This will also give you the ability to access endpoints that are protected by tokens. 

```bash
Content-Length: 1024
Host: IP_ADDRESS1:5000
Authorization: Basic aGExOnRlc3Qx
Accept-Encoding: identity
Content-Type: application/json
User-Agent: Home Assistant
```
