PocketBase Node-RED Storage Plugin

Overview

PocketBase Node-RED Storage Plugin is a Node-RED plugin that enables storage and retrieval of Node-RED flow configurations using PocketBase as the backend. This plugin allows users to save and manage Node-RED flows in a PocketBase instance, making it a useful tool for collaborative and persistent flow management.

Features

• Save Node-RED Flows to PocketBase: Stores flow configurations in PocketBase for easy management.
• Retrieve Stored Flows: Retrieve flow data and configurations from PocketBase to load into Node-RED.
• Collaborative Storage: Use PocketBase as a backend for centralized flow management.
• Read and Write Compatibility: Provides backward compatibility for both read and write operations on stored flows.

Installation

1. Install the plugin via npm:

   npm install nodered-library-pocketbase-store

2. Set up PocketBase and ensure your PocketBase server is running and accessible. This plugin requires a PocketBase instance with the necessary collections configured.

3. Update Node-RED Configuration:

   • Add the plugin configuration in your Node-RED settings.js file to register the library plugin.

Configuration

Add the following configuration to your settings.js file under editorTheme:

editorTheme: {
    library: {
        sources: [
            {
                id: "pocketbase-storage",
                type: "node-red-library-pocketbase-store",
                label: "PocketBase Storage",
                icon: "fa-database",
                pocketbase_url: "http://localhost:8090", // Change to your PocketBase instance URL
                pocketbase_username: "<YOUR_USERNAME>",
                pocketbase_password: "<YOUR_PASSWORD>"
            }
        ]
    }
}

Environment Variables

Alternatively, you can set up the following environment variables for configuration:

• POCKETBASE_URL - The URL to your PocketBase instance.
• POCKETBASE_USERNAME - The username for PocketBase admin authentication.
• POCKETBASE_PASSWORD - The password for PocketBase admin authentication.

Usage

1. Store Flows: Once installed and configured, the plugin will save any flow configurations to PocketBase automatically.

2. Retrieve Flows: Flows stored in PocketBase will be accessible through the Node-RED editor library.

API Reference

PocketBaseStorePlugin

The main class for handling storage operations, initialized by Node-RED.

Methods

getLibraryEntry(type, name)

Fetches a specific flow configuration based on the type and name.

saveLibraryEntry(type, name, meta, body)

Saves a new flow configuration or updates an existing one.

getAllFlow()

Retrieves a list of all stored flows in PocketBase.

Example Code

Example: Saving a Flow to PocketBase

const flowData = {
    name: "sample-flow",
    description: "Sample flow for demonstration",
    content: [{ /* Node-RED flow JSON here */ }]
};

const savedFlow = await pocketbaseUtility.saveFlow(flowData);
console.log("Flow saved:", savedFlow);

Example: Retrieving a Flow by Name

const flowName = "sample-flow";
const flowContent = await pocketbaseUtility.getFlow(flowName);
console.log("Flow content:", flowContent);

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues:

• Check PocketBase server status: Make sure your PocketBase server is up and accessible.
• Verify credentials: Ensure the configured username and password are correct for the PocketBase instance.
• Check plugin configuration: Confirm that the settings.js file in Node-RED is set up correctly.

Contributing

Feel free to open issues or submit pull requests for bug fixes, feature requests, or improvements.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.