Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Node-RED VS Huginn

Compare Node-RED VS Huginn and see what are their differences

Node-RED logo Node-RED

Node-RED is a programming tool for wiring together hardware devices, APIs and online services in new and interesting ways.

Huginn logo Huginn

Build agents that monitor and act on your behalf. Your agents are standing by!
  • Node-RED Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-23
  • Huginn Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-05

Node-RED features and specs

  • Visual Programming
    Node-RED offers a flow-based development interface which allows users to create applications by wiring together pre-built nodes, making it intuitive and easier to understand, especially for non-programmers.
  • Extensibility
    The platform is highly extensible with a large library of pre-built nodes available and support for creating custom nodes. This makes it adaptable to a wide range of use cases.
  • Event-Driven
    Node-RED is designed around an event-driven architecture, which is beneficial for handling asynchronous events and real-time data.
  • Cross-Platform
    Node-RED is based on Node.js and runs on various platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, and even low-resource devices like Raspberry Pi.
  • Integrations
    It offers extensive integration capabilities with various protocols (like MQTT, HTTP, and WebSockets) and a wide variety of services (like databases, cloud services, and IoT platforms).

Possible disadvantages of Node-RED

  • Performance
    Being a higher-level tool built on Node.js, it may not match the performance of systems built directly using lower-level languages and tools, particularly for very resource-intensive applications.
  • Complexity with Large Flows
    As the number of nodes and flows increases, the visual representation can become cluttered and harder to manage. This might make debugging and maintenance more difficult.
  • Scalability
    While suitable for small to medium-sized projects, Node-RED may face challenges in scaling to very large, enterprise-level applications without significant architectural adjustments.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    Although it simplifies basic tasks, there can be a steep learning curve to unlock its full potential, particularly when dealing with sophisticated integrations or custom node development.
  • Security
    The out-of-the-box security features may not be sufficient for all applications. Additional measures such as authentication, encryption, and network security must be implemented for deployment in sensitive environments.

Huginn features and specs

  • Customizable
    Huginn is highly customizable to fit different automation needs. Users can create and modify agents to handle a variety of tasks, from simple notifications to complex workflows.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project, Huginn is free to use and can be modified to suit specific requirements. The source code is available for anyone to review, enhancing transparency and security.
  • Self-Hosted
    Huginn can be run on your own infrastructure, giving you full control over your data and processes. This is especially beneficial for users concerned about privacy.
  • Community Support
    Being an open-source project, Huginn has a supportive community of developers and users who contribute to its development and provide help through forums and GitHub issues.
  • Wide Range of Applications
    Huginn can be used for various purposes, including monitoring webpages, aggregating data, sending alerts, and integrating with APIs, making it a versatile tool for automation.

Possible disadvantages of Huginn

  • Complexity
    Huginn can be complex to set up and configure, especially for users who are not familiar with programming or self-hosted environments.
  • Maintenance
    Since Huginn is self-hosted, users are responsible for maintaining the server, updating the software, and managing backups, which can be time-consuming.
  • Learning Curve
    There is a steep learning curve associated with Huginn, particularly for users who are new to agent-based automation and scripting.
  • Resource Intensive
    Depending on the number and complexity of agents, Huginn can be resource-intensive, requiring significant computing power and memory to run efficiently.
  • Limited Documentation
    While there is a supportive community, the official documentation can be limited and may not cover all use cases or provide sufficient examples for advanced configurations.

Node-RED videos

Intro to Node-RED: Part 1 Fundamentals

Huginn videos

Helly Hansen: Odin Huginn Review with Ben Ford

More videos:

  • Review - The Odin Huginn Pant reviewed by Marcus Caston
  • Review - Helly Hansen Odin Huginn Pant
  • Demo - Introduction to Huginn

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Node-RED and Huginn)
Automation
53 53%
47% 47
DevOps Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Web Service Automation
28 28%
72% 72
Workflow Automation
42 42%
58% 58

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Node-RED and Huginn

Node-RED Reviews

10 n8n.io Alternatives
Node-RED is a flow-based development and programming tool for visual programming presented in the market by IBM for wiring together online services and hardware devices as part of the internet of things. Web browser-based flow editor is available over this software to create JavaScript functions, and elements of apps can be saved or shared for using reprocess. Back in 2016,...
Open Source Internet of Things (IoT) Platforms
Node-RED is a visual tool for lining the Internet of Things, i.e., wiring together hardware devices, APIs, and online services in new ways. Built on Node.js, Node-RED describes itself as “a visual means for wiring the Internet of Things.”
9 Home Automation Open-Source Platforms for Your projects
If you would like to know how to build your own home automation system with Node-RED, Raspberry Pi, ESP8266 and Arduino, I’ve just released a new course on this subject: Build an Home Automation System for $100.

Huginn Reviews

10 n8n.io Alternatives
Huginn is a secure web-based site that enables its global users to automate tasks and assists them in making fewer mistakes and becoming more productive. You can remove the frustration of getting yourself indulged in things that are comparatively less prior or unnecessary. All you need to do is set it up, deploy it to monitor data, and let it do the rest. It encourages...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Node-RED should be more popular than Huginn. It has been mentiond 126 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Node-RED mentions (126)

  • Hardware Metrics Collection with IOT Devices
    Node Red is a unique application that provides a graphical programming environment. With this, you can define input to output transformation with any level of complexity, including reading, parsing, formatting, and output with optional conditionals. For example, here is a flow definition that parses MQTT JSON messages that communicate if a node is alive, and then store this information in InfluxDB:. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • Home Assistant and ESP Home: How to use MQTT Integration for Dynamic Device Configuration
    For a simple test, I created this Node Red flow that listens to homeassistant/status messages. HA itself will send messages that communicate when its started or when it is about to shutdown. These messages, and a custom message I send from within HA, could be seen:. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • Data Visualization on the e-RT3 using Node-RED, InfluxDB Cloud, and Grafana
    Node-RED (e-RT3) Flow-based, low code development tool. - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
  • Top 15 Open-Source Low-Code Projects with the Most GitHub Stars
    GitHub Https://github.com/node-red/node-red GitHub Stars 19.1k Most Recent Update on GitHub 2 weeks ago Open Source License Apache 2.0 Number of Active Contributors This Year 13 Acceptance of External PRs Yes Official Website Https://nodered.org/ Documentation Https://nodered.org/docs/. - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
  • Major updates from the open source community: Release Radar · June 2024
    Want a low code application for event-driven applications? Then Node-RED is your go to. The new update brings a breaking change, with Node-RED now requiring Node 18.x or later. The team have added new features and updated dependencies to the editor, and there are lots of fixes within the editor. Check out the release notes for all the details. - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
View more

Huginn mentions (65)

  • IFTTT is killing its pay-what-you-want Legacy Pro plan
    Https://n8n.io/, https://github.com/huginn/huginn, https://automatisch.io/, https://www.activepieces.com/ and theres a lot more... I've used n8n, node-red, and huginn (a while back), but imo n8n has been the simplest off the shelf. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Rabbit R1, Designed by Teenage Engineering
    The device itself is really cute. I'm not sure about handing oauth tokens to all my accounts to a third party for them to run huginn/selenium on a backend that might not be online for more than a year. I'm barely comfortable with Alexa having a connection to my iTunes for podcasts. What happens when Uber or whoever decides to throw a captcha between Rabbit and the web frontend? I'd like to see it do more than help... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Pipe Dreams: The life and times of Yahoo Pipes
    I skipped to chapter 9 in the article ("Clogged"), and it looked like Pipes failed because it didn't have a large enough team or a well-defined mission. As a result they couldn't offer a super robust product that would lure in enterprise users. "You could not purchase some number of guaranteed-to-work Pipes calls per month" is the quote from the article. The reason I think that interesting is because that's the... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: What is the correct way to deal with pipelines?
    "correct" is a value judgement that depends on lots of different things. Only you can decide which tool is correct. Here are some ideas: - https://camel.apache.org/ - https://www.windmill.dev/ Your idea about a queue (in redis, or postgres, or sqlite, etc) is also totally valid. These off-the-shelf tools I listed probably wouldn't give you a huge advantage IMO. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Are you using Huginn? If so do you have any latest documentation?
    Huginn (https://github.com/huginn/huginn) has like some 39K stars on Github and the use cases it covered looks good. Source: over 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Node-RED and Huginn, you can also consider the following products

n8n.io - Free and open fair-code licensed node based Workflow Automation Tool. Easily automate tasks across different services.

Zapier - Connect the apps you use everyday to automate your work and be more productive. 1000+ apps and easy integrations - get started in minutes.

ifttt - IFTTT puts the internet to work for you. Create simple connections between the products you use every day.

Microsoft Power Automate - Microsoft Power Automate is an automation platform that integrates DPA, RPA, and process mining. It lets you automate your organization at scale using low-code and AI.

Nintex - Cloud-based digital workflow management automation platform

Make.com - Tool for workflow automation (Former Integromat)