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# Glossary

Quick reference for terms used throughout the documentation.

## A

**API Token**
: Your personal access key from Tibber. Get it at [developer.tibber.com](https://developer.tibber.com/settings/access-token).

**Attributes**
: Additional data attached to each sensor (timestamps, statistics, metadata). Access via `state_attr()` in templates.

## B

**Best Price Period**
: Automatically detected time window with favorable electricity prices. Ideal for scheduling dishwashers, heat pumps, EV charging.

**Binary Sensor**
: Sensor with ON/OFF state (e.g., "Best Price Period Active"). Used in automations as triggers.

## C

**Config Entry ID** (also: `entry_id`)
: A unique identifier assigned by Home Assistant to each configured integration instance. When this integration is used with multiple Tibber homes, each home gets its own Config Entry ID. All actions (`get_chartdata`, `get_apexcharts_yaml`, etc.) require this value as the `entry_id` parameter so that Home Assistant knows which home to query.
  - **In the Action UI**: The field appears as a dropdown — select your home and HA fills in the ID automatically.
  - **In YAML**: Go to **Settings → Devices & Services**, find the **Tibber Prices** card, open the **⋮** menu, and choose **"Copy Config Entry ID"**.

**Currency Display Mode**
: Configurable setting for how prices are shown. Choose base currency (€, kr) or subunit (ct, øre). Smart defaults apply: EUR → subunit, NOK/SEK/DKK → base.

**Coordinator**
: Home Assistant component managing data fetching and updates. Polls Tibber API every 15 minutes.

## D

**Dynamic Icons**
: Icons that change based on sensor state (e.g., battery icons showing price level). See [Dynamic Icons](dynamic-icons.md).

## F

**Flex (Flexibility)**
: Configuration parameter controlling how strict period detection is. Higher flex = more periods found, but potentially at higher prices.

## I

**Interval**
: 15-minute time slot with fixed electricity price (00:00-00:15, 00:15-00:30, etc.).

## L

**Level**
: Price classification within a day (LOWEST, LOW, NORMAL, HIGH, HIGHEST). Based on daily min/max prices.

## M

**Min Distance**
: Threshold requiring periods to be at least X% below daily average. Prevents detecting "cheap" periods during expensive days.

## P

**Peak Price Period**
: Time window with highest electricity prices. Use to avoid heavy consumption.

**Price Info**
: Complete dataset with all intervals (yesterday, today, tomorrow) including enriched statistics.

## Q

**Quarter-Hourly**
: 15-minute precision (4 intervals per hour, 96 per day).

## R

**Rating**
: Statistical price classification (VERY_CHEAP, CHEAP, NORMAL, EXPENSIVE, VERY_EXPENSIVE). Based on 24h averages and thresholds.

**Relaxation**
: Automatic loosening of period detection filters when target period count isn't met. Ensures you always get usable periods.

## S

**State**
: Current value of a sensor (e.g., price in ct/kWh, "ON"/"OFF" for binary sensors).

**State Class**
: Home Assistant classification for long-term statistics (MEASUREMENT, TOTAL, or none).

## T

**Trailing Average**
: Average price over the past 24 hours from current interval.

**Leading Average**
: Average price over the next 24 hours from current interval.

**Trend**
: Directional price movement indicator. Simple trends compare current price to future averages (1h–12h). Current trend represents the ongoing price direction using a 3-hour outlook. Uses a 5-level scale: strongly_falling, falling, stable, rising, strongly_rising.

**Trend Hysteresis**
: Stability mechanism for trend change prediction. Requires 2 consecutive intervals confirming a different trend before reporting a change. Prevents false alarms from single-interval price spikes.

## V

**V-Shaped Day** (also: U-Shaped Day)
: Informal term for a day where prices dip to a minimum in the middle and rise again on both sides. Both V-shaped (sharp, brief dip) and U-shaped (broad, extended plateau) days are classified as **`valley`** by the [Day Pattern sensor](sensors-price-phases.md#day-pattern-sensors). The Best Price Period covers only the absolute minimum, but favorable conditions may last much longer. See [V-Shaped Days](concepts.md#v-shaped-and-u-shaped-price-days).

**Volatility**
: Measure of price stability (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH). High volatility = large price swings = good for timing optimization.

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💡 **See Also:**
- [Core Concepts](concepts.md) - In-depth explanations
- [Sensors Overview](sensors-overview.md) - How sensors use these concepts
- [Period Calculation](period-calculation.md) - Deep dive into period detection