Make API ConnectRequest optional for passwordless connections (#9445)

esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp

@@ -1435,6 +1435,24 @@ bool APIConnection::try_send_log_message(int level, const char *tag, const char
   return this->send_buffer(buffer, SubscribeLogsResponse::MESSAGE_TYPE);
 }
 
+void APIConnection::complete_authentication_() {
+  // Early return if already authenticated
+  if (this->flags_.connection_state == static_cast<uint8_t>(ConnectionState::AUTHENTICATED)) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  this->flags_.connection_state = static_cast<uint8_t>(ConnectionState::AUTHENTICATED);
+  ESP_LOGD(TAG, "%s connected", this->get_client_combined_info().c_str());
+#ifdef USE_API_CLIENT_CONNECTED_TRIGGER
+  this->parent_->get_client_connected_trigger()->trigger(this->client_info_, this->client_peername_);
+#endif
+#ifdef USE_HOMEASSISTANT_TIME
+  if (homeassistant::global_homeassistant_time != nullptr) {
+    this->send_time_request();
+  }
+#endif
+}
+
 HelloResponse APIConnection::hello(const HelloRequest &msg) {
   this->client_info_ = msg.client_info;
   this->client_peername_ = this->helper_->getpeername();
@@ -1450,7 +1468,14 @@ HelloResponse APIConnection::hello(const HelloRequest &msg) {
   resp.server_info = App.get_name() + " (esphome v" ESPHOME_VERSION ")";
   resp.name = App.get_name();
 
+#ifdef USE_API_PASSWORD
+  // Password required - wait for authentication
   this->flags_.connection_state = static_cast<uint8_t>(ConnectionState::CONNECTED);
+#else
+  // No password configured - auto-authenticate
+  this->complete_authentication_();
+#endif
+
   return resp;
 }
 ConnectResponse APIConnection::connect(const ConnectRequest &msg) {
@@ -1463,23 +1488,14 @@ ConnectResponse APIConnection::connect(const ConnectRequest &msg) {
   // bool invalid_password = 1;
   resp.invalid_password = !correct;
   if (correct) {
-    ESP_LOGD(TAG, "%s connected", this->get_client_combined_info().c_str());
-    this->flags_.connection_state = static_cast<uint8_t>(ConnectionState::AUTHENTICATED);
-#ifdef USE_API_CLIENT_CONNECTED_TRIGGER
-    this->parent_->get_client_connected_trigger()->trigger(this->client_info_, this->client_peername_);
-#endif
-#ifdef USE_HOMEASSISTANT_TIME
-    if (homeassistant::global_homeassistant_time != nullptr) {
-      this->send_time_request();
-    }
-#endif
+    this->complete_authentication_();
   }
   return resp;
 }
 DeviceInfoResponse APIConnection::device_info(const DeviceInfoRequest &msg) {
   DeviceInfoResponse resp{};
 #ifdef USE_API_PASSWORD
-  resp.uses_password = this->parent_->uses_password();
+  resp.uses_password = true;
 #else
   resp.uses_password = false;
 #endif

esphome/components/api/api_connection.h

@@ -273,6 +273,9 @@ class APIConnection : public APIServerConnection {
   ProtoWriteBuffer allocate_batch_message_buffer(uint16_t size);
 
  protected:
+  // Helper function to handle authentication completion
+  void complete_authentication_();
+
   // Helper function to fill common entity info fields
   static void fill_entity_info_base(esphome::EntityBase *entity, InfoResponseProtoMessage &response) {
     // Set common fields that are shared by all entity types

esphome/components/api/api_server.cpp

@@ -219,8 +219,6 @@ void APIServer::dump_config() {
 }
 
 #ifdef USE_API_PASSWORD
-bool APIServer::uses_password() const { return !this->password_.empty(); }
-
 bool APIServer::check_password(const std::string &password) const {
   // depend only on input password length
   const char *a = this->password_.c_str();

esphome/components/api/api_server.h

@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ class APIServer : public Component, public Controller {
   bool teardown() override;
 #ifdef USE_API_PASSWORD
   bool check_password(const std::string &password) const;
-  bool uses_password() const;
   void set_password(const std::string &password);
 #endif
   void set_port(uint16_t port);