Node-RED
 | |
| Original author(s) | IBM Emerging Technology • Nick O'Leary • Dave Conway-Jones |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | JS Foundation |
| Initial release | 2013[1] |
| Stable release | 4.0.2
/ July 1, 2024[2] |
| Repository | |
| Written in | JavaScript |
| Operating system | Cross-platform |
| Platform | Node.js |
| Type | Flow-based programmingfor wiring theInternet of things |
| License | Apache License 2.0 |
| Website | nodered |
Node-REDis aflow-based,low-codedevelopment tool forvisual programmingdeveloped originally byIBMfor wiring together hardware devices,APIsandonline servicesas part of theInternet of things.[3]
Node-RED provides aweb browser-based flow editor, which can be used to createJavaScriptfunctions. Elements of applications can be saved or shared for re-use. The runtime is built onNode.js.The flows created in Node-RED are stored usingJSON.Since version 0.14,MQTTnodes can make properly configuredTLSconnections.[4]
In 2016, IBM contributed Node-RED as anopen sourceOpenJS Foundationproject.[5][6][7]
Node-RED projects
[edit]The Node-RED project has a number of components:
- Node-RED, the visual designer tool
- Node-RED Dashboard, a dashboarduser interfacefor Node-RED
- Node generator, acommand-line toolto generate Node-RED node modules from several various sources, includingOpen API documentand function node's source
- Node-RED Command Line Tool, a command-line tool that allows for remotely administering a Node-RED instance
Flows
[edit]Node-RED Flow refers to the connection and sequencing of various input, output, and processing nodes within the Node-RED platform. Each node within a flow performs a unique and specific task. When data is transmitted to a node, the node processes it according to its designated function, before passing it on to the subsequent node in the flow. This system allows for the controlled execution and regulation of a wide range of operations, offering significant flexibility in creating real-time applications. Node-RED flows represent the main mechanism of this visual programming tool.
Adoption
[edit]Node-RED has gained significant traction in theindustrial internet of things(IIoT) andedge computingsectors.[8][9][10]Node-RED's open-source nature and large community have led to the creation of over 4000 connectors[11]supporting a wide range of data sources and protocols such asModbus,OPC-UA,Siemens S7,andMQTT.SeveralPLCand IoT vendors[12]have adopted Node-RED as a standard.
Community survey
[edit]The 2023 Node-RED Community Survey[13]provided valuable insights into the usage patterns, preferences, and feedback from 780 individuals who are part of the Node-RED community. The survey, conducted in March 2023, revealed that Node-RED's usage extends beyond DIY home automation, with a growing trend towards professional use in a variety of industries. Over half of the respondents have been using Node-RED for over two years, indicating a well-established community. Notably, the most common messaging technologies used in conjunction with Node-RED are MQTT and HTTP, whileInfluxDBemerged as the most popular database within the community. The survey also shed light on perceived barriers to adoption, pointing towards the perception of Node-RED as a proof of concept tool and the lack of certain key features. Despite these challenges, the survey highlighted a high level of satisfaction within the community, with over two-thirds of respondents rating Node-RED a 5 out of 5.
Commercial offerings
[edit]FlowFuse[14](former known as FlowForge[15]) is an open-core company investing in Node-RED. Nick O’Leary, co-creator of Node-RED is FlowFuse co-founder and CTO. FlowFuse adds to Node-RED collaborative development, management of remote deployments, support for DevOps delivery pipelines and the ability to host Node-RED applications on FlowFuse Cloud. FlowFuse is the DevOps platform for Node-RED application development and delivery.
Apivis[16]offers a Node-RED self-deployment service. This service includes a one-click deployment on Render, customizable setup, DDoS protection, and persistent storage. It also features fully managed TLS certificates, a proxy server with IP whitelisting, and the option to disable the admin dashboard for enhanced security.
See also
[edit]
- Dataflow programming
- Visual programming language
- Yahoo! Pipes
- Matter (standard)
- Thread (network protocol)
References
[edit]- ^nodered.org
- ^O'Leary, Nick."Releases".GitHub.RetrievedMay 28,2024.
- ^Heath, Nick (March 13, 2014)."How IBM's Node-RED is hacking together the Internet of things".techrepublic.CBS Interactive.RetrievedJanuary 16,2017.
- ^Community staff writer (June 14, 2016)."Version 0.14 released".nodered.org/blog.Node-RED. p. 1.RetrievedJuly 6,2016.
MQTT with TLS support
- ^Diaz, Angel Luis (October 17, 2016)."IBM and partners launch JS Foundation - Cloud computing news".IBM.RetrievedOctober 20,2017.
- ^Powers, Calvin; Watson, Todd; Lewis, Ashley (October 17, 2016)."Node-RED Joins the JS Foundation".IBM developerWorks TV/video channel.YouTube.RetrievedOctober 20,2017.
- ^Lewis, Karen (October 17, 2016)."Node-RED visual programming for the Internet of Things (IoT) is now a JS Foundation Project".IBM Internet of Things blog.IBM.RetrievedFebruary 7,2017.
- ^"Node-RED in Industrial IoT: a growing standard".UMH Learning Center.2021-07-13.Retrieved2023-10-21.
- ^GmbH, TeDo Verlag (2022-03-30)."Node-Red im Industrial IoT - IT&Production".it-production(in German).Retrieved2023-10-21.
- ^"#38 Visuelle Programmierung mit Node-RED | Die Open-Source Low-Code-Plattform | Teil 1 von 2 by Einfach Komplex - Der Podcast für Software- und IT-Laien".Spotify for Podcasters.Retrieved2023-10-21.
- ^"Library - Node-RED".flows.nodered.org.Retrieved2023-07-14.
- ^"Node-RED: The Integration Platform for IIoT Edge Computing & PLCs • FlowFuse".flowfuse.Retrieved2023-10-21.
- ^"2023 Node-RED Community Survey: Node-RED".nodered.org.Retrieved2023-07-02.
- ^"FlowForge • DevOps for Node-RED".flowforge.Retrieved2023-07-02.
- ^"FlowForge is now FlowFuse • FlowFuse".flowfuse.Retrieved2023-09-06.
- ^"Apivis • Node-RED self-deployment service".apivis.Retrieved2024-08-26.