Node-Red

Description:

Node-RED is an open-source visual programming tool designed for wiring together hardware devices, APIs, and online services in new and interesting ways. It provides a browser-based flow editor that allows users to create flows by dragging and dropping nodes onto a canvas and connecting them together. Each node represents a specific function or service, and flows are created by connecting the output of one node to the input of another.

Note: When I got started with Home Assistant, Node-RED was the go-to automation platform, and Home Assistant was more like the coordinating state machine. Today, Home Assistant has done a lot to improve automation support natively, and it is now probably more common for people to stick with Home Assistant for all their automations. I may get there someday, but I’m unlikely to do so anytime soon.

Quick Links:

• Main: https://nodered.org/
• Github: https://github.com/node-red/node-red
  • Release History: https://github.com/node-red/node-red/releases
• Documentation: https://nodered.org/docs/
• Steve’s Node-Red Guide: https://stevesnoderedguide.com/ - (good for getting started)

Setup/Config:

• I have it setup running in Docker
  • Official quick start: https://nodered.org/docs/getting-started/docker
    • Better => search user docker compose configs on github for examples

Useful Palettes:

• What is a Palette?: https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/editor/palette/ => think “plug-in”

  • Home Assistant Websocket - essential if you are planning to use NR with Home Assistant
  • Schedex - scheduler node for suncalc and time-based events.
    • https://github.com/biddster/node-red-contrib-schedex
  • Eztimer - like schedex. simpler to use for certain use cases
  • Time Range Switch - node to create time range brackets
  • Weekday - node to determine weekdays
  • Holiday - node to determine holidays

  These are pallets available for Amazon Alexa, but probably not worth the time at this point without more clarity from Amazon on platform direction and a resourgence in developer interest…

  • Alexa - Local
  • Alexa - Remote2

Node-RED Example

Two flow examples for regulating a skylight. The window is regulated by internal & external temperatures and the shade by the sun’s position (azimuth & elevation).

Want to know more about Flow-based Programming (FBP)?

• Wiki Entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow-based_programming
• Good post by J. Paul Rodker Morrison
  • HN Discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25848542
• FBP for JavaScript: https://noflojs.org/