Frequently Asked Questions
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General
What is EdgeFlow?
EdgeFlow is a lightweight, high-performance workflow automation platform designed specifically for IoT and edge computing. It provides a visual flow editor for building automations with 100+ pre-built nodes, all in a 10MB binary that runs on devices as small as Raspberry Pi Zero.
How does EdgeFlow compare to Node-RED?
EdgeFlow is inspired by Node-RED but optimized for resource-constrained devices:
Is EdgeFlow free?
Yes! EdgeFlow is 100% free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license. You can use it for personal projects, commercial applications, and modify it as needed.
What platforms are supported?
Installation
What are the minimum requirements?
How do I install EdgeFlow?
The quickest way is using the install script:
curl -fsSL https://edgx.cloud/install.sh | bash Can I run EdgeFlow in Docker?
Yes! Docker is the recommended deployment method:
docker run -d -p 8080:8080 edgeflow/edgeflow:latest Usage
How do I create my first flow?
http://localhost:8080 Where are flows stored?
Flows are stored in SQLite database by default at:
./data/edgeflow.db You can also export flows as JSON for backup or sharing.
Can I import Node-RED flows?
EdgeFlow has a Node-RED compatibility layer for basic flows. Complex flows may need some adjustments due to differences in the execution model.
Hardware
How do I access GPIO pins?
Use the GPIO nodes in the palette. On Raspberry Pi, EdgeFlow automatically detects available pins. You may need to run with sudo or add your user to the gpio group:
sudo usermod -a -G gpio $USER Which sensors are supported?
EdgeFlow includes native nodes for popular sensors:
And more via I2C/SPI interfaces
Can I use I2C and SPI devices?
Yes! EdgeFlow has native I2C and SPI nodes. Enable the interfaces in your Pi's config using:
sudo raspi-config Then navigate to Interface Options and enable I2C and/or SPI.
Networking
How do I send MQTT messages?
Use the MQTT Out node. Configure your broker address, topic, and optionally authentication. The node supports QoS 0, 1, and 2.
View MQTT node documentationCan EdgeFlow act as an HTTP server?
Yes! Use the HTTP In node to create endpoints. EdgeFlow can handle:
- Webhooks from external services
- REST APIs for your applications
- Dynamic content serving
How do I connect my Raspberry Pi to Wi-Fi?
Raspberry Pi OS Bookworm and later uses NetworkManager for all network configuration. The easiest method is nmtui:
- Run
sudo nmtuiin the terminal - Select "Activate a connection"
- Choose your Wi-Fi network and enter the password
- A * next to the name confirms you're connected
Alternatively, use the command line: sudo nmcli dev wifi connect "SSID" password "pass"
Is there WebSocket support?
Yes, EdgeFlow supports both WebSocket modes:
- Client mode - Connect to external WebSocket servers
- Server mode - Accept incoming WebSocket connections
Perfect for real-time bidirectional communication!
AI / Machine Learning
Can I use GPT-4 or Claude?
Yes! EdgeFlow includes nodes for:
Just add your API key in the node configuration.
Can I run local LLMs?
Yes! Use the Ollama node to run local language models. This is great for:
- Privacy-sensitive applications
- Offline / air-gapped environments
- Avoiding API costs
Troubleshooting
EdgeFlow won't start. What should I check?
lsof -i :8080 free -m journalctl -u edgeflow EDGEFLOW_LOGGER_LEVEL=debug edgeflow serve GPIO isn't working. How do I fix it?
sudo usermod -a -G gpio $USER ls /dev/gpio* How do I report a bug?
Open an issue on our GitHub repository with:
- Your system details (OS, architecture)
- EdgeFlow version
- Steps to reproduce the issue
- Any error messages or logs
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