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name: virtual_hub description: Overview of the Virtual Hub design pattern used to manage shared settings centrally across multiple GasBuddy station configurations.

Virtual Hub Architecture

The custom component implements a Virtual Hub config entry (unique_id = "hub") to hold global settings shared across individual station entries.

Keys Shared Centrally

• solver: The FlareSolverr URL used to bypass Cloudflare.
• timeout: Request timeout in milliseconds.
• brand_adjustments: Price adjustments per brand configured as a YAML block.

How it works in code

1. Dynamic Settings Resolution

The update coordinator resolves settings using self._get_hub_setting(key, default). This helper automatically checks for an active "hub" config entry first and returns its options. If not found, it falls back to the individual station's config:

def _get_hub_setting(self, key: str, default: Any = None) -> Any:
    for entry in self.hass.config_entries.async_entries(DOMAIN):
        if entry.unique_id == "hub":
            val = entry.options.get(key) or entry.data.get(key)
            if val is not None:
                return val
    return self._config.options.get(key) or self._config.data.get(key, default)

2. Device Registry Nesting

The Hub config entry registers a central device in the Home Assistant device registry. Station sensors specify via_device=(DOMAIN, "hub") in their device_info to visually group the stations under the main Hub card in the UI.

3. Automatic Settings Migration

When the Hub entry is set up, a routine automatically imports and merges the solver, timeout, and brand adjustments from any existing station entries into the Hub, and removes those options from the stations to prevent stale duplicates.