How to Install Node-RED on MacOS?

Node-RED is a powerful visual tool for building IoT applications, automating workflows, and connecting devices and services. It uses a browser-based flow editor to create and modify flows, which can be connected to various APIs and services using built-in nodes or third-party modules. If you're a Mac user and want to install Node-RED, this article will guide you through the step-by-step process.

Install Node-Red on MacOS

Installing node.js on MacOS

Before we begin, ensure you have the latest version of Node.js installed on your Mac. You can download it from the official website at https://nodejs.org/en/download/. Node-RED requires at least version 12 or later of Node.js, so ensure you have an up-to-date version installed.

Installing Node-RED on Mac Machine

Once you have Node.js installed, you can proceed with installing Node-RED. Here are the steps:

• Open the Terminal app on your Mac by clicking on the magnifying glass icon in the top right corner of your screen, typing "Terminal" in the search bar, and then clicking on the Terminal app icon.
• Type the following command in the Terminal window to install Node-RED:

This command will install Node-RED globally on your Mac.

• Wait for the installation to complete. This installation may take a few minutes, depending on your internet connection speed.
• Once the installation is complete, you can start Node-RED by typing the following command in the Terminal window:

This will start Node-RED and open a browser window at http://localhost:1880, where you can access the Node-RED editor.

That's it! You have successfully installed Node-RED on your Mac. You can start building flows and connecting devices and services to create powerful IoT applications and automate workflows.

Also, read the following on How to use the Node-RED uibuilder node to build a custom dashboard:

Tips to get started with Node-RED on Mac:

• To stop Node-RED, press Ctrl-C in the Terminal window where it is running.
• To start Node-RED on startup, when you log in to your Mac, you can add a launch agent to the launch ctl+system. For more information on how to do this, see the Node-RED documentation.
• To install additional nodes and modules, use the Node-RED Palette Manager or the npm command-line tool.

Summary

Node-RED is a powerful tool for building IoT applications, automating workflows, and connecting devices and services. Following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily install Node-RED on your Mac and start building your flows. Happy coding!