Add documentation for new camera_sensor component

content/components/_index.md

@@ -1040,6 +1040,7 @@ ESPHome to cellular networks. **Does not encompass Wi-Fi.**
 
 {{< imgtable >}}
 "Camera Encoder","components/camera/camera_encoder","camera.svg","dark-invert"
+"Camera Sensor","components/camera/camera_sensor","camera.svg","dark-invert"
 "ESP32 Camera","components/esp32_camera","camera.svg","dark-invert"
 "Exposure Notifications","components/exposure_notifications","exposure_notifications.png",""
 "GPS","components/gps","crosshairs-gps.svg","dark-invert"

content/components/camera/camera_sensor.md

@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+---
+description: "Instructions for setting up the camera_sensor component in ESPHome."
+title: "Camera Sensor"
+params:
+  seo:
+    description: Instructions for setting up the camera_sensor component in ESPHome.
+    image: camera.svg
+---
+
+The ``camera_sensor`` component represents the first stage in the camera pipeline in ESPHome.
+It provides a unified interface for camera sensor implementations, allowing both software
+and hardware sensors to produce images for the rest of the camera pipeline.
+
+ESPHome includes an initial software-based camera sensor which can be used for testing,
+visualization of data, thermal cameras, or situations where no physical camera is available.
+
+```yaml
+# Example configuration entry
+camera_sensor:
+    type: software
+    width: 256
+    height: 256
+    image_format: RGB565
+```
+
+## Configuration variables
+
+- **type** (*Optional*): ``software``
+
+## Software Options
+
+- **width** (**Required**, int): Width of the generated image.
+- **height** (**Required**, int): Height of the generated image.
+- **format** (**Required**, enum): Pixel format of the image. Options are:
+  - ``GRAYSCALE``: Each pixel is one byte representing grayscale values.
+  - ``RGB565``: Two bytes per pixel, encoded as 5-6-5 for red, green, and blue.
+{{< note >}}
+When combining camera sensors with encoders, it may be necessary to perform little-endian to big-endian
+transformations. This can easily be spotted if not only red and blue are swapped but also some static
+appears in the image.
+{{< /note >}}
+  - ``BGR888``: Three bytes per pixel; the first byte is blue, followed by green and red.
+
+- **buffer** (*Optional*, int): Number of allocated frame buffers. Using 2 framebuffers allows
+  the pipeline to start processing of the second buffer before the first one is entirely completed,
+  which can slightly improve throughput.
+  Valid values: ``1``–``2``. Default: ``1``.
+
+- **clear** (*Optional*, boolean): If the framebuffer should be cleared to zeros before processing
+  starts. This can be convenient to avoid manual clearing via automations; however,
+  skipping this can save time if the entire framebuffer is written anyway.
+  - Default: ``True``.
+
+## See Also
+
+- {{< apiref "camera/sensor.h" "camera/sensor.h" >}}
+- {{< apiref "camera_sensor/software_sensor.h" "camera_sensor/software_sensor.h" >}}