How to Download and Install Node-RED on Windows
If you are looking for a low-code programming tool for creating event-driven applications, you might want to try Node-RED. Node-RED is a browser-based tool that lets you wire together hardware devices, APIs, and online services in new and interesting ways. In this article, we will show you how to download and install Node-RED on Windows, and how to run it and create your first flow.
What is Node-RED and Why Use It?
Node-RED is a programming tool for wiring together hardware devices, APIs and online services in new and interesting ways. It provides a browser-based editor that makes it easy to wire together flows using the wide range of nodes in the palette that can be deployed to its runtime in a single-click.
download node red for windows
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Node-RED Features
Some of the key features of Node-RED are :
Browser-based flow editing: Node-RED provides a browser-based flow editor that makes it easy to wire together flows using the wide range of nodes in the palette. Flows can be then deployed to the runtime in a single-click. JavaScript functions can be created within the editor using a rich text editor. A built-in library allows you to save useful functions, templates or flows for re-use.
Built on Node.js: The light-weight runtime is built on Node.js, taking full advantage of its event-driven, non-blocking model. This makes it ideal to run at the edge of the network on low-cost hardware such as the Raspberry Pi as well as in the cloud. With over 225,000 modules in Node's package repository, it is easy to extend the range of palette nodes to add new capabilities.
Social Development: The flows created in Node-RED are stored using JSON which can be easily imported and exported for sharing with others. An online flow library allows you to share your best flows with the world.
Node-RED Benefits
Some of the benefits of using Node-RED are :
No reinventing the wheel: tons of pre-built functionality available in the node palette and the online flow library.
Huge community: with solutions to many common problems available and active support channels.
Easy to extend: with custom functionality for your use case using JavaScript or Node.js modules.
Simplification: of complex tasks such as sending data using MQTT, Modbus/TCP, or email.
Efficiency: of development time and resources by using a low-code approach.
Visualization: of the network edge and application logic using flow-based programming.
Open source: with a permissive Apache 2.0 license that allows you to use it for any purpose.
Node-RED Use Cases
Node-RED can be used for a variety of use cases, such as :
IoT applications: connecting sensors, actuators, gateways, cloud platforms, and other IoT devices and services.
Data processing and analysis: transforming, aggregating, filtering, and visualizing data from various sources.
Web development: creating web applications, APIs, dashboards, chatbots, Outline of the article: - H1: How to Download and Install Node-RED on Windows - H2: What is Node-RED and Why Use It? - H3: Node-RED Features - H3: Node-RED Benefits - H3: Node-RED Use Cases - H2: How to Download Node-RED on Windows - H3: Prerequisites - H3: Downloading Node.js - H3: Installing Node-RED as a Global Module - H2: How to Run Node-RED on Windows - H3: Using the Node-RED Command - H3: Accessing the Node-RED Editor - H3: Creating Your First Flow - H2: Conclusion - H2: FAQs Article with HTML formatting: How to Download and Install Node-RED on Windows
If you are looking for a low-code programming tool for creating event-driven applications, you might want to try Node-RED. Node-RED is a browser-based tool that lets you wire together hardware devices, APIs, and online services in new and interesting ways. In this article, we will show you how to download and install Node-RED on Windows, and how to run it and create your first flow.
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What is Node-RED and Why Use It?
Node-RED is a programming tool for wiring together hardware devices, APIs and online services in new and interesting ways. It provides a browser-based editor that makes it easy to wire together flows using the wide range of nodes in the palette that can be deployed to its runtime in a single-click.
Node-RED Features
Some of the key features of Node-RED are :
Browser-based flow editing: Node-RED provides a browser-based flow editor that makes it easy to wire together flows using the wide range of nodes in the palette. Flows can be then deployed to the runtime in a single-click. JavaScript functions can be created within the editor using a rich text editor. A built-in library allows you to save useful functions, templates or flows for re-use.
Built on Node.js: The light-weight runtime is built on Node.js, taking full advantage of its event-driven, non-blocking model. This makes it ideal to run at the edge of the network on low-cost hardware such as the Raspberry Pi as well as in the cloud. With over 225,000 modules in Node's package repository, it is easy to extend the range of palette nodes to add new capabilities.
Social Development: The flows created in Node-RED are stored using JSON which can be easily imported and exported for sharing with others. An online flow library allows you to share your best flows with the world.
Node-RED Benefits
Some of the benefits of using Node-RED are :
No reinventing the wheel: tons of pre-built functionality available in the node palette and the online flow library.
Huge community: with solutions to many common problems available and active support channels.
Easy to extend: with custom functionality for your use case using JavaScript or Node.js modules.
Simplification: of complex tasks such as sending data using MQTT, Modbus/TCP, or email.
Efficiency: of development time and resources by using a low-code approach.
Visualization: of the network edge and application logic using flow-based programming.
Open source: with a permissive Apache 2.0 license that allows you to use it for any purpose.
Node-RED Use Cases
Node-RED can be used for a variety of use cases, such as :
IoT applications: connecting sensors, actuators, gateways, cloud platforms, and other IoT devices and services.
Data processing and analysis: transforming, aggregating, filtering, and visualizing data from various sources.
Web development: creating web applications, APIs, dashboards, chatbots,. - H3: Automation and integration: orchestrating workflows and tasks across different systems and services.
How to Download Node-RED on Windows
Now that you have learned what Node-RED is and why you should use it, let's see how to download and install it on Windows. The process is quite simple and straightforward, but you need to have some prerequisites before you start.
Prerequisites
To download and install Node-RED on Windows, you need to have the following :
Windows 10: Node-RED can run on any version of Windows, but Windows 10 is recommended for the best experience.
Node.js: Node-RED is built on Node.js, so you need to have it installed on your system. The latest LTS (Long Term Support) version of Node.js is recommended.
npm: npm is the package manager for Node.js, and it is used to install Node-RED and other modules. npm is included with Node.js, so you don't need to install it separately.
A web browser: Node-RED provides a browser-based editor that you can use to create and deploy your flows. You can use any modern web browser, such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari.
Downloading Node.js
If you don't have Node.js installed on your system, you need to download it from the official website. You can choose the installer for your platform (Windows, macOS, Linux) and architecture (x86, x64). For Windows, you can download the .msi file and run it to install Node.js. You can also use the .zip file and extract it to a folder of your choice.
During the installation process, you can choose the default options or customize them according to your preferences. Make sure to check the option to add Node.js to your PATH environment variable, so that you can run it from any command prompt. You can also choose to install additional tools such as Chocolatey, Visual Studio Code, or Windows Build Tools.
Installing Node-RED as a Global Module
Once you have installed Node.js, you can install Node-RED as a global module using npm. To do that, open a command prompt and type the following command :
npm install -g --unsafe-perm node-red
This will download and install Node-RED and its dependencies on your system. The -g flag means that the module will be installed globally, so that you can run it from any folder. The --unsafe-perm flag is needed to avoid permission issues on some platforms.
You should see a message like this when the installation is complete:
+ node-red@2.1.4 added 368 packages from 338 contributors in 41.594s
Congratulations! You have successfully downloaded and installed Node-RED on Windows.
How to Run Node-RED on Windows
Now that you have installed Node-RED on your system, let's see how to run it and access its editor. You will also learn how to create your first flow using Node-RED.
Using the Node-RED Command
To run Node-RED on Windows, you need to use the node-red command from a command prompt. You can open a command prompt by pressing Windows + R, typing cmd, and hitting Enter. Alternatively, you can search for "Command Prompt" in the Start menu and click on it.
In the command prompt, type the following command and hit Enter:
node-red
This will start the Node-RED runtime and display some information about it, such as the version number, the port number, the user directory, and the flows file. You should see something like this:
Welcome to Node-RED =================== 21 Jun 23:12:34 - [info] Node-RED version: v2.1.4 21 Jun 23:12:34 - [info] Node.js version: v14.18.1 21 Jun 23:12:34 - [info] Windows_NT 10.0.19043 x64 LE 21 Jun 23:12:37 - [info] Settings file : C:\Users\user\.node-red\settings.js 21 Jun 23:12:37 - [info] Context store : 'default' [module=memory] 21 Jun 23:12:37 - [info] User directory : C:\Users\user\.node-red 21 Jun 23:12:37 - [warn] Projects disabled : editorTheme.projects.enabled=false 21 Jun 23:12:37 - [info] Flows file : C:\Users\user\.node-red\flows_DESKTOP-1234.json 21 Jun 23:12:37 - [info] Server now running at 21 Jun 23:12:37 - [warn] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Your flow credentials file is encrypted using a system-generated key. If the system-generated key is lost for any reason, your credentials file will not be recoverable, you will have to delete it and re-enter your credentials. You should set your own key using the 'credentialSecret' option in your settings file. Node-RED will then re-encrypt your credentials file using your chosen key the next time you deploy a change. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 21 Jun 23:12:37 - [info] Starting flows 21 Jun 23:12:37 - [info] Started flows
The Node-RED runtime will keep running until you stop it by pressing Ctrl + C in the command prompt. You can also use the node-red-stop command to stop it.
Accessing the Node-RED Editor
Once you have started the Node-RED runtime, you can access the Node-RED editor from your web browser. The editor is where you can create and deploy your flows using the nodes in the palette. The default URL for the editor is where localhost is the name of your computer and 1880 is the port number that Node-RED uses. You can also use which is another way of referring to your local machine.
If you open the editor URL in your browser, you should see something like this:
The Node-RED editor consists of three main parts:
The palette: on the left side, you can see a list of nodes that you can use to build your flows. Nodes are grouped by categories, such as input, output, function, dashboard, etc. You can also search for nodes by name or keyword using the filter box at the top of the palette.
The workspace: in the middle, you can see a grid where you can drag and drop nodes from the palette and wire them together to create your flows. You can have multiple tabs (called sheets) in your workspace, each containing a different flow. You can switch between tabs by clicking on their names at the top of the workspace.
The sidebar: on the right side, you can see a panel that provides additional information and options for your nodes and flows. The sidebar has several tabs, such as info, debug, dashboard, config, etc. You can switch between tabs by clicking on their icons at the top of the sidebar.
Creating Your First Flow
To get familiar with Node-RED, let's create a simple flow that injects a timestamp every second and displays it on a debug window. This flow will use two nodes: an inject node and a debug node.
To create this flow, follow these steps:
Drag an inject node from the palette to the workspace: find the inject node under the input category in the palette, and drag it to an empty spot in the workspace.
Edit the inject node properties: double-click on the inject node to open its edit dialog. Here you can change its properties, such as name, payload, topic, repeat interval, etc. For this example, leave everything as default except for the name. Change the name to "Timestamp" and click "Done".
the workspace, near the inject node.
Edit the debug node properties: double-click on the debug node to open its edit dialog. Here you can change its properties, such as name, output, and target. For this example, leave everything as default except for the name. Change the name to "Debug" and click "Done".
Wire the inject node to the debug node: hover your mouse over the right edge of the inject node until you see a small gray circle. Click and hold on the circle, and drag a wire to the left edge of the debug node. Release the mouse button to connect the nodes.
Deploy the flow: click on the red "Deploy" button at the top right corner of the editor. This will save your flow and start it running in the Node-RED runtime. You should see a green dot under each node indicating that they are active.
Test the flow: click on the small blue square on the left edge of the inject node. This will manually trigger the node to inject a timestamp as its payload. You should see a message appear in the debug window on the right sidebar, showing the timestamp value and some other information. You can also see that the inject node is set to repeat every second, so you should see a new message every second in the debug window.
Congratulations! You have created your first flow using Node-RED.
Conclusion
In this article, we have learned how to download and install Node-RED on Windows, and how to run it and create your first flow. We have also learned what Node-RED is and why you should use it for your projects. Node-RED is a powerful and easy-to-use tool for creating event-driven applications using a low-code approach. You can use it to connect hardware devices, APIs, and online services in new and interesting ways. You can also extend its functionality with custom nodes or modules from the Node.js ecosystem.
If you want to learn more about Node-RED, you can visit its official website, where you can find documentation, tutorials, examples, and more. You can also join its community forum, where you can ask questions, share your ideas, and get help from other users. You can also check out its online flow library, where you can find hundreds of flows created by other users that you can import and use in your own projects.
We hope you enjoyed this article and found it useful. Happy coding with Node-RED!
FAQs
What are nodes in Node-RED?
Nodes are the basic building blocks of flows in Node-RED. They are pre-defined functions that can perform various tasks, such as input, output, processing, logic, etc. Nodes have inputs and outputs that can be wired together to create flows. Nodes also have properties that can be configured to change their behavior or appearance.
How do I install new nodes in Node-RED?
You can install new nodes in Node-RED using the Manage Palette option in the menu at the top right corner of the editor. This will open a dialog where you can search for nodes by name or keyword, and install them with a single click. You can also install nodes using npm from a command prompt, by typing npm install .
How do I export and import flows in Node-RED?
You can export and import flows in Node-RED using the Import/Export option in the menu at the top right corner of the editor. This will allow you to copy or paste flows as JSON strings, or download or upload them as files. You can also export and import flows using the Projects feature, which allows you to manage your flows using version control tools such as Git.
How do I create a dashboard in Node-RED?
You can create a dashboard in Node-RED using the Dashboard nodes, which are available in the palette after installing the node-red-dashboard module. You can drag and drop the Dashboard nodes to your workspace and wire them to your data sources or logic nodes. You can also configure the layout, style, and theme of your dashboard using the Dashboard tab in the right sidebar. You can access your dashboard from your browser by appending /ui to your Node-RED URL, such as
How do I debug my flows in Node-RED?
You can debug your flows in Node-RED using the Debug nodes, which are available in the palette under the output category. You can drag and drop the Debug nodes to your workspace and wire them to any node that you want to inspect. You can also configure the Debug nodes to show different types of output, such as payload, topic, full message, etc. You can see the output of the Debug nodes in the Debug window on the right sidebar. You can also use the Debug tab to filter, clear, or copy the debug messages. 44f88ac181
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