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Node-RED
nodered.org
What it is
Node-RED is a free, open-source tool for building event-driven applications with flow-based programming. It is designed to collect, transform and visualize data, and its listed capabilities include workflow orchestration, real-time sync and API management. In the browser-based editor, users connect nodes into flows and deploy them to the runtime. Core nodes support triggering, inspecting, changing, routing and templating messages. The lightweight runtime is built on Node.js and is intended for use on low-cost edge hardware or in the cloud. More than 5,000 nodes and flows are available through the community Flow Library. Flows are stored as JSON for importing, exporting and sharing, and projects use Git for version control and collaboration through remote repositories. Node-RED can run on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, self-hosted systems and the web, among other listed installation options. Its editor is unsecured by default: anyone with access to its IP address can access it and deploy changes. The project points users to its community forum and Slack for help.
Spec sheet
- What it does
- Node-RED is a low-code, flow-based tool for collecting, transforming and visualizing real-time data in event-driven applications.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Purpose
- Node-RED is a low-code flow-based programming tool for building event-driven applications that collect, transform, and visualize data.Read 11 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Integrations
- Official getting-started material covers local computers, Docker, Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone, Android through Termux, AWS and Microsoft Azure.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Support
- The project points users to its community forum and Slack for help and discussion.Read 11 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- License
- Node-RED core is licensed under Apache 2.0; third-party nodes may use different licenses.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Founded
- 2013Read 28 Sep 2026 · nodered.org
- Admin HTTP API
- The runtime exposes an HTTP Admin API used by the editor and command-line admin tool.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Android support caveat
- The official Android guide uses Termux and warns that the Play Store version of Termux may not be maintained; the Node-RED team does not support Termux.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- API capabilities
- Admin endpoints cover authentication, settings, diagnostics, flows, runtime state and node-module installation or management.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- API management
- YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · nodered.org
- Community ecosystem
- The project site reports more than 5,000 community Nodes and Flows.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Company facts
- FlowFuse, the commercial company built around Node-RED, is listed on LinkedIn as founded in 2021, headquartered in San Francisco and employing 11–50 people.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
- Core features
- Core nodes include Inject, Debug, Function, Change, Switch, and Template nodes for triggering, inspecting, transforming, routing, and templating messages.Read 11 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Credential security
- The Projects guide strongly recommends encrypting credential files before sharing a project, with the encryption key kept outside the project.Read 11 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Data transformation
- YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · nodered.org
- Documentation
- The documentation includes installation guides, platform instructions, user guides, API references, node-creation material and security guidance.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Editor
- Its browser-based flow editor lets users wire nodes into flows and deploy them to the runtime with one click.Read 11 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Extensibility APIs
- Hooks, storage, logging, context-store, library-store, editor and module APIs support custom runtime behavior, plugins and embedding in Node.js applications.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Flow portability
- Flows are stored as JSON and can be imported and exported for sharing.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Flow sharing
- Flows are stored as JSON and can be imported, exported, and shared through the online Flow Library.Read 11 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Funding news
- FlowFuse announced a $7.25 million funding round on 10 June 2025.Read 14 Oct 2026 · flowfuse.com
- Google Play availability
- A third-party Node-RED Client Editor listing shows 10K+ downloads, in-app purchases and a last update of 1 March 2021.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
- Hardware limitation
- The Raspberry Pi guide says Node.js 24 has no 32-bit builds, so ARMv6 Raspberry Pi devices are no longer supported with that setup.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Installation platforms
- The getting-started guide lists local computers, Raspberry Pi, Docker, BeagleBone boards, Android via Termux, AWS, and Microsoft Azure as ways to run Node-RED.Read 11 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- JavaScript functions
- The editor includes a rich text editor for creating JavaScript functions inside flows.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Legal and funding facts
- Crunchbase identifies FlowFuse's legal name as FlowForge Inc, lists two seed rounds and six investors, and names WestWave Capital and Uncorrelated Ventures among them.Read 14 Oct 2026 · crunchbase.com
- Limit: dashboards
- A G2 reviewer reports that the dashboard experience is still not optimal.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
- Limit: documentation
- A G2 reviewer says documentation is not detailed enough for some concepts and beginners.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
- Limit: memory and complexity
- G2 reviewers mention a relatively high memory footprint and flows becoming difficult to interpret when many nodes are used.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
- Maker and origin
- Node-RED began as an IBM Emerging Technology Services project in early 2013 and is now hosted by the OpenJS Foundation.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Node packaging
- Additional nodes can be developed as npm modules and installed locally during development.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Praise: ease and visual programming
- G2 reviewers repeatedly praise the drag-and-drop interface, quick prototyping, simple automation and low coding barrier.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
- Praise: integrations and community
- G2 reviewers highlight broad device and service integration plus a large, helpful community.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
- Projects and Git
- Projects package flows and related files in Git repositories for version control and collaboration.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Rating on G2
- 4.5 out of 5 from 25 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
- Rating on GetApp
- 4.8 out of 5 from 4 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
- Rating on TrustRadius
- No overall score; 3 reviews and ratingsRead 14 Oct 2026 · trustradius.com
- Real-time sync
- YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · nodered.org
- Release news
- Node-RED 5.0 was released on 9 June 2026 with a modernized editor and features including pausing the Debug sidebar and bundled npm dependency.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Release policy
- The project targets an annual major release aligned with Node.js, with maintenance and security updates for older streams.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Reusable assets
- A built-in library stores reusable functions, templates and flows.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Runtime
- The lightweight runtime is built on Node.js and is designed to run on low-cost edge hardware such as Raspberry Pi or in the cloud.Read 11 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Runtime architecture
- The runtime is built on Node.js and uses its event-driven, non-blocking model for edge devices and cloud deployments.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Runtime limit
- A core Inject node interval can be set up to a maximum of 596 hours, and the docs recommend a scheduler node for longer intervals that must handle outages and restarts.Read 11 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Security controls
- HTTPS, username/password authentication and OAuth/OpenID authentication can be configured for the editor and Admin API.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Security default
- By default the editor is unsecured, allowing anyone who can reach its IP address to deploy changes.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Security limitation
- By default, the editor is unsecured, so anyone who can access its IP address can access it and deploy changes; the security guide describes HTTPS and authentication options.Read 11 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Supported Node.js
- Node-RED 5.x requires Node.js 22 or newer and the project recommends Node.js 24.x as of June 2026.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Version control
- Projects use Git to version control flow files and support collaboration through remote repositories.Read 11 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Visual editor
- Its browser editor lets users wire together nodes and deploy flows to the runtime with one click.Read 14 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Windows support
- The local installation guide provides Windows installation instructions and requires a supported version of Node.js.Read 11 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
- Workflow orchestration
- YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · nodered.org
Plans and prices
Free Free Open-source Node-RED runtime · self-hosted deployment Read 14 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Node-RED Free Open-source project; no paid plans or usage limits stated Read 11 Oct 2026 · nodered.org
Strong points and limits
Strong points
- Open-source and listed as free.
- Browser-based editor deploys flows to the runtime.
- Community Flow Library has more than 5,000 nodes and flows.
- Git-based projects support version control and collaboration.
- Runs on a range of listed platforms.
Limits
- The editor is unsecured by default.
- Credential files should be encrypted before project sharing.
- Inject node intervals are limited to 596 hours.
Who it suits
Node-RED suits people building event-driven applications that collect, transform or visualize data. It is also relevant to users who want to create flows with a browser editor and run them on local, edge or cloud systems.
Verdict
Node-RED offers a free flow-based approach to event-driven applications, with a large community library and multiple runtime options. Secure the editor and credential files before sharing or exposing a project.
Where Specifiction places it
- Integration Platform as a Service Software#26 of 1138.6
- Task Automation Software#9 of 358.5
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