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Node-RED

INFRA · APIS
Velocity5.0

Low-code programming for event-driven applications and IoT flows

nodered.org ↗

Node-RED holds steady on dual maintenance branches, patching JSONata regressions across v4.x and v5.x.

workflow-automationiotlow-codevisual-programmingnode.jsopen-source
◆Current state
Node-RED is an established open-source visual flow editor running two active maintenance branches in parallel — v4.1.x (legacy stable) and v5.0.x (current stable). All recent releases are maintenance patches: JSONata library updates, bcrypt compatibility reverts on ARM hardware, and small editor fixes. The project shows no directional movement; it is in steady-state maintenance, not active feature development.
◆Where it's heading
The dual-branch maintenance pattern and absence of any feature releases in the most recent window suggest the Node-RED team's engineering focus is elsewhere — likely on a future version that would incorporate the multiplayer/collaboration primitives visible in the 5.0.x branch. The recurring JSONata dependency friction (rollback in 5.0.3, patched approach in 4.1.15 and 5.0.7) indicates the project needs a cleaner abstraction over its query library or a committed upgrade path.
◆Prediction
A feature-bearing 5.1.x or a new major release is the most likely next visible milestone, probably surfacing the multiplayer event infrastructure that has been patched but not prominently announced. Until then, expect continued maintenance cadence with no user-visible capability changes.

◆Recent moves

  1. 7d ago

    Node-RED 4.1.15: JSONata patch backport

    4.1.15 backports a patched JSONata version to the legacy v4.x branch — a dependency maintenance fix with no user-visible behavior change. The v4.x branch continues pure maintenance with no new capability work.

    View source ↗
  2. 8d ago

    Node-RED 5.0.7: JSONata patch and wire display fix

    5.0.7 applies the same JSONata patch to the v5.x branch and fixes disabled wire display in the editor. A routine maintenance release that keeps both branches in sync on the JSONata dependency resolution.

    View source ↗
  3. 14d ago

    Node-RED 5.0.6: bcrypt revert for Raspberry Pi compatibility

    5.0.6 reverts the node-rs/bcrypt update due to incompatibility on certain Raspberry Pi architectures — a necessary rollback for embedded/IoT deployments. No new functionality; the bcrypt issue reveals that the RPi user base is large enough to block a dependency upgrade.

    View source ↗
  4. 14d ago

    Node-RED 5.0.5: group fill and multiplayer event fixes

    5.0.5 fixes group default fill values and ensures multiplayer event properties are valid — small visual and reliability patches with no user-facing feature changes.

    View source ↗
  5. 15d ago

    Node-RED 4.1.14: multiplayer event fix backport

    4.1.14 applies the multiplayer event property fix to the legacy branch and corrects the release tag script. Pure maintenance work keeping the v4.x branch stable for long-term deployments.

    View source ↗
  6. 1mo ago

    Node-RED 5.0.3: JSONata regression rollback

    5.0.3 reverts a JSONata 2.2.2 update that caused behavioral regressions — this was a silent compatibility break that required a rollback before the patched approach (now in 5.0.7) could be applied. Indicates JSONata version management is an active pain point across branches.

    View source ↗