Test if float: float

The float test checks whether a value is a floating-point number. It returns true if the value is of float type and false for any other type, including integers and numeric strings.

This is useful when you need to verify the exact type of a numeric value. In Home Assistant, calculations often produce floats, and some entityAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more] attributes are specifically floating-point values. This test lets you distinguish between integers and floats when the difference matters for your template logic.

Usage

Here’s how to use this template function. Copy any example and adjust it to your setup.

{% if 21.5 is float %}
  It is a float
{% endif %}

It is a float

Function signature

The signature is a technical summary of this template function. It shows the name of the function, the values (called parameters) it accepts, and what type of data each parameter expects (for example, a piece of text or a number).

Function parameters that have a = with a value after them are optional. If you leave them out, the default value shown is used automatically.

Function parameters without a = are usually required. A few optional parameters have no default value, so the signature shows them without a = as well. To check whether a parameter is required, look at the parameter list below the signature. Each parameter is marked as Required or Optional.

The most common optional parameter without a default value is default. The default parameter sets the value a function returns when the function can’t produce a result, for example, when float gets text that isn’t a number. If you leave out default, there is no fallback value, so most functions raise an error and the template fails. The parameter list of each function says what happens. If you set default, the function returns your value instead.

round(
    value: Any,
    precision: int = 0,
    method: str = "common",
    default: Any,
) -> float | int | Any

float(
    value: Any,
) -> bool

Function parameters

The following parameters can be provided to this test.

Good to know

• Only true float values pass. Integers, numeric strings, and booleans do not.
• To accept any numeric input, use the number test instead.

Try it yourself

Ready to test this? Open Settings > Tools > Template, paste the example into the Template editor, and watch the result update on the right. Edit the values to see how the function adapts to your own entitiesAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more].

More examples

Real scenarios where this function comes up in automations and templates. Copy any example and adapt it to your setup.

Distinguish float from integer

Check whether a numeric value is a float rather than an integer.

{{ 21.5 is float }}
{{ 42 is float }}
{{ "21.5" is float }}

true
false
false

Check calculation result type

Verify the type of a calculation result before formatting it.

{% set result = 10 / 3 %}
{% if result is float %}
  Result: {{ result | round(2) }}
{% endif %}

Result: 3.33

Still stuck?

The Home Assistant community is quick to help: join Discord for real-time chat, post on the community forum with your template and expected result, or share on our subreddit /r/homeassistant.

Related template functions

These functions work well alongside this one:

• Convert to float: float - Converts a value to a floating-point number, with an optional default if conversion fails.

• Get the type of a value: typeof - Returns the type name of a value as a string.