Beginners Guide to Node-RED in Home Assistant

This video goes through installing the Node-RED add-on in Home Assistant and how to create your first few basic flows.
The key nodes for understanding how it works and testing your first flows are discussed, such as the inject and debug nodes.
If you would like to see a follow-up video with some more detailed examples then let me know in the comments!

[@davidleney2955]

Very nice. I like the way you explain things clearly and slowly for us just starting out with node red.

[@MrGatya2]

I am surprised you don't have more likes and subscribes. This was an excellently done tutorial. Thank you!

[@bjarkesoegaard]

Thank you for your content - I really like the presentation of nodes - as you conclude this only scratched the surface 🙂

[@lets-automate]

Thank you. I plan to do some more content on Node-RED in the coming weeks and months.

[@TrockeyTrockey]

Thanks for basic instruction - very helpful!

[@ronyskid]

PERFECT Starter!

[@phlo2009]

Great tutorial for beginners like me. Thanks.

[@keviincosmos]

THANKS!! Needed this! Hope for more good NR stuff

[@lets-automate]

Thanks for the comment! I actually do have another Node-RED one coming out on Saturday.

[@scottvickrey2743]

I was so happy to see node red in here I was dreading using HA's Automations. I love node red just could never afford a hosted solution, or the security ramifications of self hosted. I will never open a port again!

[@marekgiercuszkiewicz5282]

Very nice introduction to NodeRed, i just started my adventure with this powerful tool and hope for more guides from you.

[@nicoladellino8124]

Very useful video, THX.

[@nochannel3005]

very helpful! Thanks so much!

[@sergevanhaudenhove9599]

Very good tutorial ! Thanks. Would it be possible to get a tutorial about sending email from Node Red ? I have seen some around but they were made about 3 years ago and doesn't seems to work anymore. But good job ;-)

[@lets-automate]

Hopefully my latest video will help you with what you are looking for!

[@user-wx5ke6vo7g]

Thank you for producing this video. I now have node-red set up. Now I do have a question, being new to home assistant I would like to set up the ssl. I have no idea how to do that. I would also like to see examples of how to code using nod-red. I you have a video or can refer me to one it would be great. I am a retired computer programmer but have been out of it for years. Thank you for your assistance. Ray

[@lets-automate]

Thanks for the comment! The easiest way to set up SSL for Home Assistant is to use "Home Assistant Cloud" by Nabu Casa. It's about $5 per month but supports the Home Assistant project. It also make linking to Alexa or Google easier. The alternative is buying your own SSL certificate and messing around with Google Console and creating an app, they creating a CSR. It's totally doable but not simple and takes a little while. Once setup, you then have to do something each year to renew the certificate with this approach. For examples of code with Node-RED, it might be worth checking out my Node-RED playlist. I have a couple of videos on things such as the Function Node and calling an API. Hope this helps!

[@JanA-yb8lh]

You can also create a "self-signed" certificate for free and upload that in the config screen. That should be fine for personal use. There are numerous tutorials available on how to do that.

[@mfkhometheater7742]

I'm still getting the, "FATAL: Please be sure to set the "credential_secret" option." even after entering and saving. I notice a "restart" option pops up on your screen but not on mine. Edit: I rebooted both the laptop I'm talking to Home Assistant with and also the Home Assistant NUC and then it was happy.

[@lets-automate]

Glad to hear you it sorted! I've not needed a reboot before for that bit that I can remember, but you're probably on a newer version than me now. Home Assistant often needs / likes a restart after installing integrations and add-ons etc!

[@tudordan9194]

I noticed you had a formula 1 tab in node red, what related automation do you have over there? get a notification whenever Max doesn't win? :)))

[@lets-automate]

Haha. That would be a good one. I think I talk about it in one of my other Node-RED videos. Check out the playlist. I find that the Google Homes seem to think that F1 doesn't exist, so I created two custom scripts. One broadcasts the driving standings of the top 3 drivers with the points gap between them. The other tells me how long until the next race and sends a notification to my phone with the details.

[@MaxGoddur]

I have a flow as followes: Pir motion triggered "ON" if it is between 10am and 6pm allow the the "ON" to turn on the fan and send message to my cell phone. The problem is the fan remains on for the allowed time which is 10am to 6pm but any further motion on continues to send annoying messages to my cell. How do I get this to be a one time "message" everyday?

[@lets-automate]

Hey there. There are a couple of ways you could do it. I would say the simplest way is to use the delay node. It has a rate limiting mode whereby you could set this to only allow messages every x hours. Check out my 5 quick tips Node-RED video if you want to see a bit about it. Hope this helps!

[@joeking5211]

Thought I'd struck gold here, but there is no 'node-red' in the list, nearest to 'nod' in search is 'Linode' so not sure how you getting this going ???.

[@maciejweber4256]

I just got the home assistant created (I am very new to all of this), but I don't even get the 'add-ons' tab in the settings menu... any ideas?

[@lets-automate]

It depends on whether you have installed Home Assistant OS? Docker install doesn't have the add-on store. If you are using HA OS then it could be due to profile settings. Go to your profile icon and ensure "Advanced Mode" is enabled.

[@LiquidPlacidity]

You said we may wonder why you are only maintaining the car only every 2 months. I'm confused by this. I've never heard of anybody doing maintenance on their car this often. What exactly are you doing maintenance on that needs checking that frequently?

[@lets-automate]

Yeah, fair point. I know a lot of people who wait till their service to be told what's going on. The main thing I do is fill up screenwash, as it has nossles on the headlights too, so gets through a fair amount. But the other is checking tyres pressures as I prefer to ensure pressures are fairly even, especially in winter and also especially when some of the tyres are near the end of their tread. TPMS only really kicks in when they are way off. Gone are the days of manually checking oil levels really, thankfully!

[@ChrisAlves_17]

I dont have the option "Credential_Secret", what I can do?

[@lets-automate]

Hmm, that's strange. You are using Home Assistant Add-on or standalone Node-RED install? Does it show all configuration options but that one?

[@ChrisAlves_17]

@@lets-automate I follow all these steps to install the Node-RED Addon :/ Can be a change with the new update?

[@lets-automate]

What options does it give you under the "Configuration" tab of the Node-RED add-on? For me it's the top option. I've updated to version 17.0.3 and the option is still there for me. Presumably it's not letting you start the add-on then without that box populated? Check the "Log" tab.

[@chuxxsss]

Home assistant suck deploying Node-red. I will go back to Node-red stand alone.

[@lets-automate]

What issues do you encounter when running it with Home Assistant?

[@chuxxsss]

@Let's Automate CPU turned up to Greenwich and then stopped no green bar. Then the website fails to open. Bounces me back to node red screen. Please start the system.

[@OGKenG]

This isn't very "beginner" level. You're assuming people already understand some of the basics.

[@lets-automate]

Hi, thanks for the feedback! What other elements would you have put in so that I can consider in future videos I create.

[@javierlindenthal6680]

Seems rather useless to have node red unless you need actions