Node-RED V1 Deprecation Notice & Node-RED Upgrade Cadence

Node-RED Deprecation Notice

Note: This only applies to Edge MC and Edge IO.

We want to inform you about an upcoming change regarding our product offerings. Effective September 2024, we will be deprecating Node-RED version 1.X from OS releases with the introduction of Node-RED version 3.X.

The core rationale is that Node-RED has its release cadence (additional details available here) and is deprecating Node-RED version 1.X. As Node-RED releases new versions, Tulip wants to ensure that your Edge device stays up-to-date, supported, and able to utilize the latest libraries and MODBUS TCP. We encourage you to update your Edge Device to the latest version once it is available.

Deprecation means that we will no longer provide support, updates, or maintenance for these older versions of Node-RED. To ensure your production environments don’t experience downtime, we encourage you to upgrade to the latest recommended version of our Node-RED on your Edge Device. Once NR v4 is released, we’ll remove NR v1 from Edge devices entirely

As part of our commitment to you, Tulip will automatically upgrade new Edge Devices, and Edge Devices with new flows to Node-RED’s latest version. Currently, we are setting Node-RED v3 as the default for any new devices.

Customer Guidance

What version of Node-RED should I upgrade to?

For customers on the standard biweekly release cadence, we encourage you to update to the latest version to take advantage of Node-RED’s latest libraries and MODBUS TCP.

For customers on LTS releases(11 and below), if your device is below OS 56, which it should be, there isn’t a need to swap over. When moving to LTS 12 or above, please upgrade your Edge devices to the latest OS and update their version of Node-RED.

How do I upgrade my Node-RED version?

Please see the steps below for reference!

What happens if I don’t upgrade to the recommended Player version?

Services that older versions of Node-RED relied upon to operate normally will no longer be supported. This means Node-RED version 1.X and below will experience degraded performance, higher memory consumption, and the possibility of crashing.

How do I check my Node-RED Version?

If you’re on OS56 or later, you can check through your Edge Device.

When you log into your Edge device through the Edge Device page on Shop Floor and log into it, you will see your Node-RED version if your device is on OS56 or later.

If I’m an LTS customer, can I test the functionality out in advance?

Yes, you can manually update the OS of your Edge device.

In addition, LTS reports will have a QA and validation report for the Tulip OS that corresponds with the LTS you choose to upgrade to.

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