alt Hacker NewsWLED is the clear answer here. I got a simple USB controller (usb just for power) so it can’t run a a massive strand of lights (at least at full brightness) but it was perfect to dip my toes in and try out.
The Home Assistant integration works great as well.
The fact that you can install the WLED firmware _from the website_ is the cherry on top. It’s a fantastic piece of software.