Node-RED
Low-code programming for event-driven applications. Connect hardware devices, APIs, and online services with a visual flow editor.
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Visual flow programming tool to connect hardware, APIs, and services without writing code.
Core Features
- Browser-based drag-and-drop flow editor
- Thousands of community nodes for IoT, APIs, databases, AI, etc.
- One-click deploy and real-time monitoring
- Runs on Raspberry Pi, servers, containers, and cloud
- Event-driven: react to MQTT, HTTP, timers, GPIO, and more
What It Can't Do
- •For production, use Docker or systemd to avoid npm permission issues. 2. Default security is open; configure authentication and HTTPS. 3. Monitor memory/CPU under heavy flows; consider cluster mode. 4. Compared to n8n, Node-RED is lighter but lacks enterprise scheduling; compared to Home Assistant, it's more generic but less polished UI.
Use Cases
- IoT: read sensor data, trigger alerts or control actuators
- Automation: fetch weather → transform → push to Slack/email
- Data pipeline: MQTT → parse → store in InfluxDB
- Smart home: replace or extend Home Assistant flows
Detailed Introduction
Node-RED is a flow-based, low-code development tool originally created by IBM for wiring together hardware devices, APIs, and online services. It provides a browser-based visual editor where users can drag and drop nodes to create flows, deploy them with one click, and monitor their execution in real time. Built on Node.js, Node-RED is lightweight, highly extensible, and can run on edge devices like Raspberry Pi as well as in the cloud. The ecosystem includes thousands of community-contributed nodes covering IoT protocols, databases, messaging queues, AI services, and more. Its event-driven nature makes it ideal for building automations, data pipelines, and integration solutions without writing traditional code.
Troubleshooting & FAQ (1)
TroubleshootingWhy are Monaco editor search controls wrapping in Node-RED?
Node-RED's global CSS applies a margin-left to elements with class .controls, which interferes with Monaco's built-in find bar, causing its controls to wrap. To resolve this, add a custom CSS rule in your Node-RED setup (e.g., via settings.js or a UI theme): .monaco-editor .controls { margin-left: revert !important; }. This overrides the problematic style only within Monaco editor instances.
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Getting Started
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Install the software
Double-click the downloaded installer and follow the prompts
Step 1: Install Node.js (LTS recommended)
Step 2: Run 'sudo npm install -g --unsafe-perm node-red'
Step 3: Run 'node-red', open http://localhost:1880
- Step 1: Install Node.js (LTS recommended)
- Step 2: Run 'sudo npm install -g --unsafe-perm node-red'
- Step 3: Run 'node-red', open http://localhost:1880
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Global uninstall: 'npm uninstall -g node-red'. For Docker/Homebrew users, follow respective package manager removal.
No Extra Dependencies
Ready to use after download. No additional runtime required.
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