Get started with Yale Locks

Learn how to connect and control your Yale lock with the Seam API.

Overview

Seam provides a universal API to connect and control many brands of smart locks. This guide provides a rapid introduction to connecting and controlling your Yale lock using the Seam API. Note that this guide is intended for Yale locks connected via the Yale wifi bridge and Yale access app. For Z-Wave Yale devices, head over to our guide for SmartThings.

To learn more about other smart lock brands supported by Seam such as August, Schlage, and Salto, head over to our integration page.

1 — Install Seam SDK

Seam provides client libraries for many languages, such as JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP, and others, as well as a Postman collection and OpenAPI spec.

JavaScript / TypeScript (npm, GitHub)
Python (pip, GitHub)
Ruby Gem (rubygem, GitHub)
PHP (packagist, GitHub)
Java (GitHub)
C# (nuget, GitHub)
Go (GitHub)

npm i seam

Gradle:

// build.gradle
dependencies {
    implementation 'io.github.seamapi:java:0.x.x'
}

Maven:

<!-- pom.xml -->
<dependency>
    <groupId>io.github.seamapi</groupId>
    <artifactId>java</artifactId>
    <version>0.x.x</version>
</dependency>

Once installed, sign-up for Seam to get your API key, and export it as an environment variable:

$ export SEAM_API_KEY=seam_test2ZTo_0mEYQW2TvNDCxG5Atpj85Ffw

This guide uses a Sandbox Workspace. Only virtual devices can be connected. If you need to connect a real Yale Lock, use a non-sandbox workspace and API key.

2 — Link Yale Account with Seam

To control your Yale lock via the Seam API, you must first authorize your Seam workspace against your Yale account. To do so, Seam provides Connect Webviews: pre-built UX flows that walk you through authorizing your application to control your Yale lock.

Note that yale_access or yale_home are now deprecated in favor of justyale which will work with whichever version of the Yale backend.

Request a Connect Webview

from seam import Seam

seam = Seam()

webview = seam.connect_webviews.create(accepted_providers=["yale"])

assert webview.login_successful is False

# Send the webview URL to your user
print(webview.url)

import { Seam } from 'seam'

const seam = new Seam()

const { connect_webview: connectWebview } = await seam.connectWebviews.create({
  accepted_providers: ['yale'],
})

console.log(connectWebview.login_successful) // false

// Send the webview URL to your user
console.log(connectWebview.url)

require "seamapi"

seam = Seam::Client.new(api_key: "MY_API_KEY")

webview = seam.connect_webviews.create(
  accepted_providers: ["yale"]
)

puts webview.login_successful # false

# Send the webview URL to your user
puts webview.url

Authorize Your Workspace

Navigate to the URL returned by the Webview object. Since you are using a sandbox workspace, complete the login flow by entering the Yale sandbox test accounts credentials below:

email: [email protected]
password: 1234
2-factor-auth: 123456

Confirm the Connect Webview was successful by querying its status:

updated_webview = seam.connect_webviews.get(webview.connect_webview_id)

assert updated_webview.login_successful # true

3 — Retrieve Yale Lock Devices

After a Yale account is linked with Seam, you can retrieve devices for this Yale account. The Seam API exposes most of the device's properties such as battery level or door lock status.

all_locks = seam.locks.list()

some_lock = all_locks[0]

assert some_lock.properties["online"] is True
assert some_lock.properties["locked"] is True

print(some_lock)
# Device(
#   device_id='b013d947-cef1-4dfe-8aa2-1e452eca5262',
#   device_type='yale_lock',
#   location=None,
#   properties={
#     'locked': True,
#     'online': True,
#     'door_open': False,
#     'manufacturer': 'august',
#     'battery_level': 0.9999532347993827,
#     'august_metadata': {...},
#     'name': 'BACK DOOR'},
#     capabilities_supported=['access_code', 'lock']
#     )

const allLocks = await seam.locks.list()

const someLock = allLocks[0]

console.log(someLock.properties.online) // true
console.log(someLock.properties.locked) // true

console.log(someLock)
/*
{
  device_id: 'b013d947-cef1-4dfe-8aa2-1e452eca5262',
  device_type: 'yale_lock',
  capabilities_supported: [ 'access_code', 'lock' ],
  properties: {
    locked: true,
    online: true,
    door_open: false,
    manufacturer: 'august',
    battery_level: 0.9999532347993827,
    august_metadata: {
      lock_id: 'lock-2',
      lock_name: 'BACK DOOR',
      has_keypad: true,
      house_name: 'My House'
    },
    name: 'BACK DOOR'
  },
  location: null,
  connected_account_id: '2a860181-dba7-49aa-9d5e-a66ff585dc08',
  workspace_id: 'd7418ff3-a476-4f48-9a4b-211d1d21a03d',
  created_at: '2022-12-16T00:52:16.975Z',
  errors: [],
  warnings: []
}
*/

some_lock = seam.locks.list.first

puts some_lock.properties['online'] # true
puts some_lock.properties['locked'] # true

puts some_lock #   warnings=[]> #   errors=[] #   created_at=2022-12-16 00:52:16.975 UTC #   } #     "name"=>"BACK DOOR" #     "august_metadata"=>{...},  #     "battery_level"=>0.9999532347993827,  #     "manufacturer"=>"august",  #     "door_open"=>false,  #     "online"=>true,  #     "locked"=>true,  #   properties={ #   device_type="yale_lock" #   device_id="b013d947-cef1-4dfe-8aa2-1e452eca5262" # <Seam::Device:0x00960

4 — Locking & Unlocking a Door

Next, you can perform the basic action of locking and unlocking the door.

post

Lock a Door

Body

device_idstringOptional

Responses

200

Returns a pending action result

No content

post

/locks/lock_door

POST /locks/lock_door HTTP/1.1
Content-Type: application/json
Accept: */*
Content-Length: 20

{
  "device_id": "text"
}

200

Returns a pending action result

No content

Unlock a door

POST https://connect.getseam.com/locks/unlock_door

Request Body

Name

Type

Description

device_id

String

# lock the door
seam.locks.lock_door(some_lock)
updated_lock = seam.locks.get(some_lock.device_id)
assert updated_lock.properties["locked"] is True

# Now unlock the door
seam.locks.unlock_door(some_lock)
updated_lock = seam.locks.get(some_lock.device_id)
assert updated_lock.properties["locked"] is False

// lock the door
await seam.locks.lockDoor(someLock.device_id)
const updatedLock = await seam.locks.get(someLock.device_id)
console.log(updatedLock.properties.locked) // true

// unlock the door
await seam.locks.unlockDoor(someLock.device_id)
updatedLock = await seam.locks.get(someLock.device_id)
console.log(updatedLock.properties.locked) // false

# lock the door
seam.locks.lock_door(some_lock)
updated_lock = seam.locks.get(some_lock.device_id)
puts updated_lock.properties['locked'] # true

# unlock the door
seam.locks.unlock_door(some_lock)
updated_lock = seam.locks.get(some_lock.device_id)
puts updated_lock.properties['locked'] # false

5 — Setting Access Code on Yale Lock

Most Yale locks come with a keypad built-in to program access codes. These codes can then be entered to unlock a Yale lock.

The Seam API makes it easy to program both ongoing codes and timebound codes on a Yale lock. You can find out more about Yale lock access code in our core concept section on access codes.

# create an ongoing code
seam.access_codes.create(
    device=some_lock, code="123456", name="Personal Access Code"
)

# create a timebound code
seam.access_codes.create(
    device=some_lock,
    code="888888",
    name="My Temp Access Code",
    starts_at="2028-08-12T19:23:42+0000",
    ends_at="2028-08-13T19:23:42+0000"
)

# you can use a device or a device_id as the "device" parameter
seam.access_codes.list(device=some_lock)
# [
#   AccessCode(
#     access_code_id='af5272b1-2a49-4eb5-9388-2447fc7b5bd1',
#     type='ongoing',
#     code='123459'
#   ),
#   AccessCode(
#     access_code_id='8c2db4da-b137-4c08-a2c3-d611e6ff91b3',
#     type='timebound',
#     code='888888',
#     starts_at='2028-08-12T19:24:00.000Z',
#     ends_at='2028-08-13T19:24:00.000Z',
#   )
# ]

// create an ongoing code
await seam.accessCodes.create({
  device_id: someLock.device_id,
  code: '123456',
  name: 'Personal Access Code',
})

// create a timebound code
await seam.accessCodes.create({
  device_id: someLock.device_id,
  code: '888888',
  name: 'My Temp Access Code',
  starts_at: '2028-11-12T19:23:42+0000',
  ends_at: '2028-11-13T19:23:42+0000',
})

// use a device_id as the "device_id" parameter
await seam.accessCodes.list({
  device_id: someLock.device_id,
})

/*
[
  {
    code: '1988',
    type: 'ongoing',
    status: 'setting',
    created_at: '2022-08-26T12:50:17.858Z',
    access_code_id: '26d6138c-6524-4f3c-ac96-43cc3bea0a8d'
  },
  {
    type: 'timebound',
    code: '888888',
    starts_at: '2028-08-12T19:24:00.000Z',
    ends_at: '2028-08-13T19:24:00.000Z',
    access_code_id: '8c2db4da-b137-4c08-a2c3-d611e6ff91b3',
  }
]
*/

# create an ongoing code
seam.access_codes.create(
  device_id: some_lock.device_id, code: '123456', name: 'Personal Access Code'
)

# create a timebound code
seam.access_codes.create(
  device_id: some_lock.device_id,
  code: '888888',
  name: 'My Temp Access Code',
  starts_at: '2028-08-12T19:23:42+0000',
  ends_at: '2028-08-13T19:23:42+0000'
)

# you can use a device or a device_id as the "device" parameter
seam.access_codes.list(some_lock)

# [<Seam::AccessCode:0x00730
#   code="888888"
#   name="My Temp Access Code"
#   type="time_bound"
#   errors=[]
#   warnings=[]
#   access_code_id="ce2c298c-364f-4b13-aa12-712f3976288e"
#   ends_at=2028-08-13 19:24:00 UTC
#   starts_at=2028-08-12 19:24:00 UTC>, <Seam::AccessCode:0x00758
#   code="123456"
#   name="Personal Access Code"
#   type="ongoing"
#   errors=[]
#   warnings=[]
#   access_code_id="75f49550-fc9b-481a-a158-5bc53ac9bb34">, <Seam::AccessCode:0x00780
#   code="086355"
#   name="some-code2"
#   type="ongoing"
#   errors=[]
#   warnings=[]
#   access_code_id="5243e5f3-528a-4378-ba3c-21447bf844a8">, <Seam::AccessCode:0x007a8
#   code="376525"
#   name="some-code"
#   type="ongoing"
#   errors=[]
#   warnings=[]
#   access_code_id="91a08a3d-a0bb-4ff0-bfb4-ced164353988">]

Next Steps

Now that you've completed this guide, you can try to connect a real Yale device. To do so, make sure to switch to a non-sandbox workspace and API key as real devices cannot be connected to sandbox workspaces.

In addition, if you'd like to explore other aspects of Seam, here is a list of helpful resources:

If you have any questions or want to report an issue, email us at [email protected].

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hashtagOverview

hashtag1 — Install Seam SDK

hashtag2 — Link Yale Account with Seam

hashtagRequest a Connect Webview

hashtagAuthorize Your Workspace

hashtag3 — Retrieve Yale Lock Devices

hashtag4 — Locking & Unlocking a Door

hashtagUnlock a door

hashtagRequest Body

hashtag5 — Setting Access Code on Yale Lock

hashtag

hashtagNext Steps