Installing Node-RED on Android

You can run Node-RED on Android devices using Termux, a terminal emulator and Linux environment app. This guide walks you through the installation process and helps you get Node-RED running on your Android phone or tablet.

Prerequisites

  • Android device running Android 7.0 or later
  • At least 1GB of free storage space
  • Stable internet connection for downloading packages

Installation Steps

1. Install Termux

Download and install Termux from F-Droid. Note that the Google Play Store version is outdated and no longer maintained.

Note: Node-RED and FlowFuse are not affiliated with Termux or F-Droid. These are independent third-party applications that enable running Node-RED on Android devices. Use them at your own discretion.

2. Update Termux Packages

Open Termux and update the package repository:

pkg update && pkg upgrade

Press Y when prompted to confirm the updates.

3. Install Node.js

Install Node.js and npm:

pkg install nodejs

Verify the installation:

node --version
npm --version

4. Install Node-RED

Install Node-RED globally using npm:

npm install -g --unsafe-perm node-red

The --unsafe-perm flag is necessary for the installation to complete successfully on Termux.

5. Start Node-RED

Launch Node-RED:

node-red

You should see output indicating that Node-RED has started. Look for a line similar to:

[info] Server now running at http://127.0.0.1:1880/

6. Access the Editor

Open a web browser on your Android device and navigate to:

http://127.0.0.1:1880

You should see the Node-RED editor interface.

Accessing Node-RED from Other Devices

To access Node-RED from other devices on your local network:

  1. Find your Android device's IP address:
ifconfig

Look for your IP address (typically starting with 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x)

  1. Access Node-RED from another device using:
http://YOUR_ANDROID_IP:1880

Security Considerations

Important: By default, Node-RED runs without any authentication or encryption. This means anyone who can access the editor URL can view and modify your flows.

Before accessing Node-RED from other devices on your network, make sure to secure your installation by enabling authentication and following security best practices.

For detailed instructions on securing Node-RED, including enabling authentication, HTTPS, and other security features, refer to the official Node-RED Security documentation.

Device Access

You can get direct access to various hardware on the device by using the extra Termux device plugins - which can then be accessed via Node-RED using the exec node.

Note: you need to install both the add-on app, and also the add-on API in Termux.

  1. Install add-on app - Termux:API from the same source you got Termux
  2. Install add-on access into Termux:
pkg install termux-api
  1. Use the node-red-contrib-termux-api node to access device features like camera, GPS, sensors, and more

Learn more about how to use Termux API.

Limitations

Running Node-RED on Android has some limitations:

  • Performance depends on your device's hardware
  • Some nodes may not work due to Android/Termux limitations
  • Battery consumption can be significant for long-running instances
  • Background execution may be restricted by Android's power management