Install Node-RED on Windows

What Node-RED is

Node-RED is a visual tool to wire together devices, APIs and online services. You drag nodes into a flow and connect them. It runs on Node.js.

Step 1: Install Node.js

Download the Node.js installer (LTS for stability, or Current for the newest features) from nodejs.org and install it. Check:

node -v
npm -v

Step 2: Install Node-RED

Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

npm install -g --unsafe-perm node-red

Step 3: Run Node-RED

node-red

When it prints "Server now running at http://127.0.0.1:1880/", open that address in your browser.

Create your first flow

1. Drag an inject node from the left list to the canvas.
2. Drag a debug node and connect it to the inject node.
3. Click Deploy.
4. Click the button on the inject node. The debug panel shows the message.

   

   

Add more nodes

Open the menu (three lines), choose Manage palette, and go to the Install tab. Search for the node you want (for example node-red-dashboard) and click Install.

Run Node-RED as a service

So that it starts with Windows, use a tool such as NSSM (the Non-Sucking Service Manager). Download NSSM, then in an administrator Command Prompt:

nssm install NodeRED

Set the path to node-red.cmd (found in %APPDATA%\npm) in the window that opens, and then:

nssm start NodeRED

Security

By default the editor has no password. Before you make it reachable from other computers, turn on adminAuth in settings.js (in %USERPROFILE%\.node-red) and use HTTPS.

Quick recap

• Install Node.js, then npm install -g --unsafe-perm node-red.
• Run node-red and open port 1880.
• Use NSSM to run it as a service.