Node-RED is a flow-based programming tool that connects hardware devices, APIs, and online services through a visual editor by wiring together nodes. It simplifies building event-driven applications, automations, and data processing flows using a low-code approach, making it accessible to a wide range of users for purposes from home automation to industrial control systems. The tool is open-source, built on Node.js, and can be run on various hardware like a Raspberry Pi or in the cloud.
How it works
- Nodes: Pre-built “nodes” represent different functions, such as an input from a sensor, a function to process data, or an output to a device.
- Flows: You build applications by dragging these nodes onto a workspace and visually connecting them with “wires” to create a flow.
- Deploying: Once the flow is complete, you hit “deploy” to make it active.
- Example: A simple flow might connect a “motion sensor” node to a “delay” node, which then connects to a “lights on” node, all within a graphical interface.
Key features and uses
- Low-code: Its visual and low-code nature allows users of all skill levels to build applications without extensive traditional programming.
- Event-driven: It’s ideal for building event-driven applications, reacting to events as they happen.
- Data processing: It’s used for collecting, transforming, and visualizing real-time data.
- Integration: It excels at bridging systems by connecting different devices and services, whether they are physical machines on a factory floor or different cloud services.
- Wide applicability: It’s used for everything from home automation to industrial IoT and edge computing.
- Open-source: It is an open-source project, initially developed by IBM, and is now part of the OpenJS Foundation.
- Scalability: It can run on low-cost hardware like a Raspberry Pi, making it suitable for edge computing, or it can be deployed in the cloud.