Homebridge 2.0 arrives with Matter support and a bigger role in Apple Home

Homebridge 2.0

Homebridge 2.0 has officially launched with the project’s first Matter groundwork, giving the long-running Apple Home bridge a clearer path to expose newer device types like robot vacuums and to extend beyond HomeKit over time.

# Homebridge 2.0 arrives with Matter support and a bigger role in Apple Home

## Opening summary

Homebridge has officially launched version 2.0, and the important change is not just a cleanup release. The update adds the project’s first Matter implementation work, which gives the long-running bridge a path to expose newer device types more naturally in Apple Home and, over time, in other Matter ecosystems too.

## Main article

The release notes make clear that Homebridge 2.0 is a major platform reset. The project has moved to ESM, dropped support for Node.js 18 and 20, renamed and upgraded key dependencies, and flagged a long list of breaking changes for plugin developers. That matters because it turns the release into more than a feature bump. It is a new base for what Homebridge can do next.

The most notable addition is the new Matter implementation. In the project’s own notes, Homebridge 2.0 now includes initial Matter support and a string of early fixes around Matter device behavior, teardown logic, and device-type handling. The Verge tied that shift to a very practical user benefit: categories like robot vacuums can eventually show up in Apple Home as real device types instead of awkward stand-ins like switches or lights.

That is why Matter does not automatically make Homebridge obsolete. In theory, the standard should reduce the need for bridge software. In practice, Apple still handles some newer categories through Matter rather than classic HomeKit, manufacturers are uneven in how fast they adopt the standard, and power users still want richer controls than first-party apps always expose. Homebridge sits in that gap.

The project is also careful not to oversell the change. Plugin support will need to expand over time, and some of the broader cross-platform benefits are still a longer-term target. But the launch is concrete enough now to support a publish decision: there is a formal v2.0 release, a clearly documented technical shift, and a strong explanation of why the update matters to real smart-home users.

## Why it matters

Homebridge 2.0 matters because it shows bridge software is not just surviving the Matter transition. It is adapting to it. For Apple Home users, that could mean better support for categories that would otherwise lag behind, which is a stronger product story than treating Matter as a magic compatibility fix on its own.

## Source notes

- Verified against the official Homebridge releases page, which now includes a dated v2.0 release entry with explicit Matter implementation notes and breaking changes. - The Verge provided the clearest user-facing explanation of why Matter support matters, especially for categories like robot vacuums and broader ecosystem bridging. - Claims were kept bounded to initial Matter groundwork and gradual plugin-level rollout rather than universal day-one compatibility.