Download Node-RED on Mac: A Step-by-Step Guide
Node-RED is a programming tool that allows you to create applications by wiring together hardware devices, APIs, and online services in a visual way. It is based on Node.js and can run on various platforms, including Mac. In this article, you will learn what Node-RED is, why you should use it, how to install it on your Mac, and how to get started with creating your first flow. Let's dive in!
What is Node-RED and why use it?
Node-RED is a low-code programming tool that was developed by IBM and is now part of the OpenJS Foundation. It provides a browser-based editor that makes it easy to wire together flows using the wide range of nodes in the palette. Nodes are pre-built functions that can perform various tasks, such as reading data from sensors, sending messages to social media platforms, calling APIs, processing data, and more. You can also create your own nodes using JavaScript functions or install additional nodes from the online library.
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Node-RED features and benefits
Some of the main features and benefits of Node-RED are:
It is free and open source, so you can use it for any purpose without any restrictions.
It is built on Node.js, which means it can take advantage of its event-driven, non-blocking model and access over 225,000 modules in the npm repository.
It is lightweight and scalable, which makes it ideal to run at the edge of the network on low-cost hardware such as Raspberry Pi as well as in the cloud.
It has a friendly and intuitive user interface that allows you to create applications without writing any code.
It has a built-in library that lets you save and reuse your flows, functions, templates, or subflows.
It has a vibrant community that supports and contributes to its development and improvement.
Node-RED use cases and examples
Node-RED can be used for a variety of applications, such as:
Internet of Things (IoT): You can connect and control various devices and sensors using Node-RED. For example, you can create a smart home system that turns on the lights when you enter a room, adjusts the temperature based on your preferences, or sends you an alert when someone rings the doorbell.
Data analysis and visualization: You can collect and process data from different sources using Node-RED. For example, you can monitor the weather conditions in your area, analyze the sentiment of tweets about a topic, or create dashboards and charts to display your data.
Web development: You can create web applications using Node-RED. For example , you can create a blog, a chatbot, a web scraper, or a RESTful API using Node-RED.
Some examples of Node-RED projects that you can find online are:
A smart mirror that displays weather, news, calendar, and reminders using Node-RED and Raspberry Pi.
A voice-controlled robot that responds to commands using Node-RED and Google Assistant.
A sentiment analysis tool that analyzes the emotions of text messages using Node-RED and IBM Watson.
How to install Node-RED on Mac?
There are two main ways to install Node-RED on your Mac: using npm (the Node.js package manager) or using Docker (a software platform that allows you to run applications in containers). Both methods require you to have some prerequisites installed on your Mac before you can proceed. Let's see how to install Node-RED using both methods.
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Prerequisites for installing Node-RED on Mac
Before you can install Node-RED on your Mac, you need to have the following software installed:
Node.js: This is the runtime environment that Node-RED is based on. You can download and install the latest version of Node.js from the official website. Alternatively, you can use a tool like nvm (Node Version Manager) to manage multiple versions of Node.js on your Mac.
npm: This is the package manager that comes with Node.js and allows you to install and manage Node.js modules. You can check if you have npm installed by running npm -v in your terminal. If not, you can install it by following the instructions on the official website.
Docker (optional): This is a software platform that allows you to run applications in containers. Containers are isolated environments that contain everything an application needs to run, such as code, libraries, dependencies, and configuration. You can download and install Docker Desktop for Mac from the official website. You will need a Docker account to use Docker Desktop for Mac.
Installing Node-RED using npm
The easiest way to install Node-RED on your Mac is to use npm. Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Open the Terminal app
The Terminal app is a command-line interface that allows you to interact with your Mac using text commands. You can find it in the Applications > Utilities folder or by searching for it in Spotlight. Once you open it, you will see a prompt that looks something like this:
$
This is where you can type and execute commands.
Step 2: Run the npm install command
To install Node-RED globally on your Mac, run the following command in your terminal:
$ sudo npm install -g --unsafe-perm node-red
This command will ask for your password and then download and install Node-RED and its dependencies on your Mac. The -g flag means that Node-RED will be installed globally, which means you can access it from any directory. The --unsafe-perm flag is needed to avoid permission issues when installing some of the dependencies.
Step 3: Verify the installation
To verify that Node-RED is installed correctly, run the following command in your terminal:
$ node-red --version
This command will display the version of Node-RED that you have installed. It should look something like this:
$ node-red --version Node-RED version: v2.1.4 Node.js version: v16.13.1 Darwin 21.2.0 x64 LE
If you see something similar, congratulations! You have successfully installed Node-RED on your Mac using npm.
Installing Node-RED using Docker
An alternative way to install Node-RED on your Mac is to use Docker. This method requires you to have Docker Desktop for Mac installed on your Mac. Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Install Docker Desktop for Mac
Docker Desktop for Mac is a software application that allows you to run Docker containers on your Mac. You can download and install it from the official website. You will need a Docker account to use Docker Desktop for Mac.
Step 2: Pull the Node-RED image from Docker Hub
Docker Hub is a repository of Docker images that you can use to run applications in containers. The Node-RED image is an official image that contains Node-RED and its dependencies. To pull the Node-RED image from Docker Hub, run the following command in your terminal:
$ docker pull nodered/node-red
This command will download the latest version of the Node-RED image to your Mac. You can also specify a specific version of the image by adding a tag after the image name, such as nodered/node-red:2.1.4.
Step 3: Run the Node-RED container
To run the Node-RED container, run the following command in your terminal:
$ docker run -it -p 1880:1880 --name mynodered nodered/node-red
This command will create and start a new container named mynodered based on the Node-RED image. The -it flag means that the container will run in interactive mode, which means you can see the output of Node-RED in your terminal. The -p 1880:1880 flag means that the port 1880 of the container will be mapped to the port 1880 of your Mac, which is the default port that Node-RED uses. You can change the port number if you want, but make sure to use the same port when accessing the Node-RED editor later.
Step 4: Access the Node-RED editor
To access the Node-RED editor, open your web browser and go to You should see something like this:
This is where you can create and edit your flows using the nodes in the palette and the workspace. You can also access the menu, the debug panel, and the dashboard from here.
If you see something similar, congratulations! You have successfully installed Node-RED on your Mac using Docker.
How to get started with Node-RED on Mac?
Now that you have installed Node-RED on your Mac, you are ready to create your first flow. A flow is a collection of nodes that are connected together to perform a task or an application. Here are the steps to follow:
Creating your first flow in Node-RED
To create your first flow in Node-RED, you will need to use three nodes: an inject node, a function node, and a debug node. The inject node allows you to trigger a flow by injecting a message into it. The function node allows you to write custom JavaScript code to manipulate or transform the message. The debug node allows you to display the message in the debug panel or the console.
Step 1: Drag and drop nodes from the palette
To drag and drop nodes from the palette, simply click on a node and drag it to the workspace. You can also double-click on a node to add it to the workspace. For this example, drag and drop one inject node, one function node, and one debug node from the palette to the workspace.
Step 2: Connect the nodes and configure their properties
To connect the nodes, simply click on the output port of one node and drag it to the input port of another node. A wire will appear to indicate the connection. For this example, connect the inject node to the function node, and the function node to the debug node.
To configure the properties of a node, double-click on it to open the edit dialog. You can change the name, label, icon, and other settings of the node. For this example, configure the nodes as follows:
Inject node: Change the label to Timestamp, the payload to timestamp, and the repeat to none.
Function node: Change the name to Add 10, and enter the following code in the function field: msg.payload = msg.payload + 10; return msg;
This code will add 10 to the timestamp value and return the modified message.
Debug node: Change the name to Show result, and leave the other settings as default.
Step 3: Deploy the flow and see the result
To deploy the flow, click on the deploy button at the top right corner of the editor. This will save your changes and start running your flow. You should see a message saying Successfully deployed.
To see the result of your flow, click on the button next to the inject node. This will inject a message with the current timestamp into your flow. You should see a number appear in the debug panel or the console, depending on your debug node settings. This number is the timestamp plus 10.
Congratulations! You have created your first flow in Node-RED.
Tips and tricks for using Node-RED on Mac
Here are some tips and tricks for using Node-RED on Mac:
How to stop and start Node-RED on Mac?
If you installed Node-RED using npm, you can stop and start Node-RED by using these commands in your terminal:
$ node-red-stop $ node-red-start
If you installed Node-RED using Docker, you can stop and start Node-RED by using these commands in your terminal:
$ docker stop mynodered $ docker start mynodered
How to install additional nodes and modules in Node-RED?
If you want to install additional nodes and modules in Node-RED, you can use these methods:
Use the Manage Palette option in the menu. This will open a dialog that allows you to search, install, update, or remove nodes and modules from your Node-RED instance.
Use npm in your terminal. This will allow you to install any Node.js module that is compatible with Node-RED. For example, to install a module called node-red-contrib-something, run this command in your terminal: $ cd /.node-red $ npm install node-red-contrib-something
Use Docker in your terminal. This will allow you to build a custom image that contains Node-RED and any additional nodes and modules that you want. For example, to build an image called mynodered-custom, create a file called Dockerfile with these contents: FROM nodered/node-red RUN npm install node-red-contrib-something EXPOSE 1880 CMD ["npm", "start"]
Then run this command in your terminal: $ docker build -t mynodered-custom .
How to share your flows with others using the online library?
If you want to share your flows with others using the online library, you can use these steps:
Create an account on
In your Node-RED editor, select the flow that you want to share and click on Export > Clipboard.
In your browser, go to and paste your flow JSON code.
Fill in the details of your flow, such as name, description, tags, license, etc.
Click on Submit Flow.
Your flow will be published on and anyone can view it or import it into their Node-RED instance.
Conclusion
In this article, you learned how to download Node-RED on Mac using npm or Docker. You also learned what Node-RED is, why you should use it, and how to get started with creating your first flow. Node-RED is a powerful and easy-to-use programming tool that can help you create applications by wiring together hardware devices, APIs, and online services in a visual way. You can also install additional nodes and modules to extend its functionality and share your flows with others using the online library. Node-RED is a great tool for anyone who wants to learn programming, develop IoT projects, or create web applications.
Here are some FAQs that you might have about Node-RED on Mac:
Q: How do I update Node-RED on Mac?
A: If you installed Node-RED using npm, you can update it by running the following command in your terminal:
$ sudo npm install -g --unsafe-perm node-red
This command will install the latest version of Node-RED over the existing one.
If you installed Node-RED using Docker, you can update it by pulling the latest image from Docker Hub and running a new container based on it. For example, run these commands in your terminal:
$ docker pull nodered/node-red $ docker stop mynodered $ docker rm mynodered $ docker run -it -p 1880:1880 --name mynodered nodered/node-red
These commands will download the latest image of Node-RED, stop and remove the existing container, and create and start a new container based on the latest image.
Q: How do I uninstall Node-RED on Mac?
A: If you installed Node-RED using npm, you can uninstall it by running the following command in your terminal:
$ sudo npm uninstall -g node-red
This command will remove Node-RED and its dependencies from your Mac.
If you installed Node-RED using Docker, you can uninstall it by removing the container and the image that you used. For example, run these commands in your terminal:
$ docker stop mynodered $ docker rm mynodered $ docker rmi nodered/node-red
These commands will stop and remove the container and the image of Node-RED from your Mac.
Q: How do I backup and restore my flows in Node-RED?
A: If you want to backup and restore your flows in Node-RED, you can use these methods:
Use the Export and Import options in the menu. This will allow you to copy and paste your flow JSON code to and from a text file or the clipboard.
Use the Projects feature in the menu. This will allow you to create and manage projects that contain your flows, settings, credentials, and dependencies. You can also use git to version control and sync your projects with remote repositories.
Use the File System option in the menu. This will allow you to access the files that store your flows, settings, credentials, and dependencies on your Mac. You can copy or move these files to another location for backup or restore purposes.
Q: How do I secure my Node-RED instance on Mac?
A: If you want to secure your Node-RED instance on Mac, you can use these methods:
Use HTTPS instead of HTTP to access your Node-RED editor. This will encrypt the communication between your browser and your Node-RED instance. You can enable HTTPS by following the instructions on this page.
Use authentication to protect your Node-RED editor. This will require you to enter a username and password to access your Node-RED editor. You can enable authentication by following the instructions on this page.
Use encryption to protect your credentials. This will encrypt the sensitive information that you store in your nodes, such as passwords, tokens, or keys. You can enable encryption by following the instructions on this page.
Q: How do I debug my flows in Node-RED?
A: If you want to debug your flows in Node-RED, you can use these methods:
Use debug nodes to display messages in the debug panel or the console. You can add debug nodes to any point of your flow and configure them to show different parts of the message object.
Use status nodes to display status information in the editor. You can add status nodes to any point of your flow and configure them to show different types of status information, such as text, color, shape, or icon.
Use catch nodes to handle errors in your flow. You can add catch nodes to your flow and configure them to catch errors from specific nodes or all nodes. You can also use debug nodes to display the error messages.
Use breakpoints to pause and resume your flow execution. You can add breakpoints to any node in your flow and configure them to pause the flow before or after the node is executed. You can also use the debug panel to inspect and modify the message object while the flow is paused.
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