PokyPow

PokyPow Documentation is Live

While waiting for parts I worked on the PokyPow documentation and implement flashing via the browser. An overview of the tech I used.

Andrej Friesen

30 Mar 2025 — 2 min read

docs.pokypow.com is live!

Since I am waiting for parts and other things regarding the PokyPow, I thought: Why not start with documentation?

So that is what I did. Here is the website:

The Tech Stack

I decided to go with a static site generator. I decided to go with Material for MkDocs.

I really like the default design and have seen it in different projects. I bought myself a PiKVM and Home Buttons and those docs were made with Material for MkDocs as well.

Flashing via Browser

My goal was to use the ESP Web Tools:

Connect the PokyPow
Go to docs.pokypow.com
Click connect and start the flashing procedure
Then, a dialog should pop up to configure the WiFi for the device
In the end, you can directly set up the device in Home Assistant
done ✅

That way, users do not need to install tools for flashing and also do not need the ESPHome Device Builder Home Assistant Add-on. You still can, but you do not need to. Here a gif on how it looks like to flash:

ToDo

I can build the site locally and push it to my server via rsync. That is enough for now. Later on, build a pipeline so that when people find mistakes in the docs, a PR is created, and I get notified.

I also want to add a pipeline to build with the latest ESPHome version. That way, users and I can check if changes are needed.

Another thing I want to add is OTA updates from GitHub. Instead of copying and pasting new changes to the yaml and building the firmware yourself and flashing it, it is possible to create an update URL, and the device can check that URL for a new binary. That way, you do not even need the ESPHome Builder Add-Ons in Home Assistant. Just update like other devices.

But that is for later.