Node-RED¶

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.

Note

For this guide you should be familiar with the basic concepts of

Node.js and its package manager npm
supervisord
web backends

Prerequisites¶

We’re using Node.js in the stable version 12:

[isabell@stardust ~]$ uberspace tools version use node 12
Using 'Node.js' version: '12'
Selected node version 12
The new configuration is adapted immediately. Patch updates will be applied automatically.
[eliza@dolittle ~]$

Your domain needs to be setup:

[isabell@stardust ~]$ uberspace web domain list
isabell.uber.space
[isabell@stardust ~]$

Installation¶

Use npm to install node-red globally.

[isabell@stardust ~]$ npm install -g --unsafe-perm node-red
[...]
+ node-red@1.3.3
added xx package in yys

Configuration¶

Setup daemon¶

Create ~/etc/services.d/node-red.ini with the following content:

[program:node-red]
command=node-red
autostart=yes

After creating the configuration, tell supervisord to refresh its configuration and start the service:

[isabell@stardust ~]$ supervisorctl reread
SERVICE: available
[isabell@stardust ~]$ supervisorctl update
SERVICE: added process group
[isabell@stardust ~]$ supervisorctl status
SERVICE                            RUNNING   pid 26020, uptime 0:03:14
[isabell@stardust ~]$

If it’s not in state RUNNING, check your configuration.

Configure web server¶

Note

Node-RED is running on port 1880. Additionally, the --remove-prefix parameter is needed if you want to run Node-RED under a sub URI like /nodered instead of the root URI /.

To make the application accessible from the outside, configure a web backend:

[isabell@stardust ~]$ uberspace web backend set / --http --port <port>
Set backend for / to port <port>; please make sure something is listening!
You can always check the status of your backend using "uberspace web backend list".
[isabell@stardust ~]$

Node-RED can now be accessed via https://isabell.uber.space/.

Securing¶

Note

By default, Node-RED is accessible by everyone without a password!

At least, an admin and editor password should be set as described in the Node-RED documentation (https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/runtime/securing-node-red#editor–admin-api-security). The configuration file is located at ~/.node-red/settings.js.

After changing the configuration, restart Node-RED to reload configuration:

[isabell@stardust ~]$ supervisorctl restart node-red
node-red: stopped
node-red: started
[isabell@stardust ~]$ supervisorctl status
node-red                         RUNNING   pid 21665, uptime 0:00:22
[isabell@stardust ~]$

Updates¶

Use npm update Node-RED:

[isabell@stardust ~]$ npm update -g node-red
[...]
+ node-red@1.3.4
updated 7 packages in 29.546s

Then restart the service:

[isabell@stardust ~]$ supervisorctl restart node-red
node-red: stopped
node-red: started
[isabell@stardust ~]$ supervisorctl status
node-red                         RUNNING   pid 4711, uptime 0:00:42
[isabell@stardust ~]$

Tested with Node-RED 1.3.4, Uberspace 7.11.0.0

Written by: Sven <mail@klomp.eu>