docker-compose-with-node-red-flows

This github repository consists of a sample docker-compose application consisting of one Node-Red application (node-red-service1).

Note that the actual flow and flow credentials file of the Node-Red application are also stored in this github repository. So you don't need a separate github repository for maintaining the node-red flows!

This sample docker-compose application can be used as a starting point for any docker-compose application having a Node-RED application as one of its services. In fact it can even be used to support a docker-compose application consisting of more than one node-red application.

How to update the Node-RED flows ?

You can directly update the flows of the Node-Red application in the github repository using the Node-Red editor. For this you must execute the following steps:

1. Clone the github Repository via the Node-RED editor
2. When the Node-RED editor says Project package file not found then you must select Setup project files
3. In the Settings tab you must select edit.
4. Next to Package you select folder icon and then you select package.json under node-red-service1 folder
5. You select save and the Close

Now you can update your flows using the Node-Red editor.

Once you have successfully updated the flows don't forget to push your changes to the github repository.

How to create a new github repository that is a copy of this github repository

When you want to use this github repository as a template for a new github repository and fork is not an option then you can follow the instructions outlined at:

• How do I create a new GitHub repo from a branch in an existing repo?

In other words:

1. Create a new github respository
2. cd to your local copy of this repository.
3. git push https://github.com/<name of your new github repository>.git +main:main

How to install new Node-RED nodes ?

Once you have properly cloned the github repository (see previous section) you can add new nodes as follows:

1. Install them through the Manage Palette tab of the Node-RED editor.
2. So now you can use these installed nodes in your flows. In some cases it might be needed to restart node-red (so you need to restart the node-red-service1 container)
3. You also need to add these nodes dependencies to your package.json by
   1. opening your Project Settings via the Node-RED editor.
   2. add the respective packages via tab Dependencies
4. Push your changes to github.

Note that the node-red-service1 Dockerfile assures that all the nodes specified in the dependencies section of your package.json (see step 3) will be built into the container image for node-red-service1.

Links

• Node-Red Forum topic: One github repository for docker-compose application consisting of a node-red application