# Accessing server side from client side
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/accessing-server-side-from-client-side/26022
**Category:** Developing Nodes
**Created:** [3 May 2020 21:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/accessing-server-side-from-client-side/26022 "2020-05-03T21:08:13Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@JasonBSteele](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/JasonBSteele)
#### Post date: [3 May 2020 21:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/accessing-server-side-from-client-side/26022/1 "2020-05-03T21:08:13Z")
Hi, I'm new to Node Red an Node.js but I have got a couple of my own Nodes working now so understand the basics.
I have hit a challenge around showing a list of devices in the Node's Properties tab so that one can be selected for that Node. The code to do that is a separate module that is currently included into the server side code so how do I access it from the client side config code so that I can show the list?
I have looked at some examples and they are recreating some of the service access code using $.get or whatever, rather than the separate module. I don't like this very much - it's brittle and not DRY.
Ideally I would expose the separate module to the client side code through the Config Node but I'm not sure how to achieve this.
I am also confused that server side you use `RED.nodes.getNode()` to get a node, but this isn't available client side and you use `RED.nodes.node()` instead.
I guess the way to do this is for the client side/config code to include in my separate module and for me to instantiate it and pass the config token to it?
But for some reason `myConfigNode.credentials.token` doesn't appear to be set after getting `myConfigNode` using `RED.nodes.node(node.configNode)`.
Some pointers on the best practise for this would be much appreciated, preferably with a link to a good example!
Thanks
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### Author:  [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)
#### Post date: [3 May 2020 21:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/accessing-server-side-from-client-side/26022/2 "2020-05-03T21:16:11Z")
The default example is the serialport node looking up what ports are available on the server side.. - on the client side the action is here [https://github.com/node-red/node-red-nodes/blob/master/io/serialport/25-serial.html#L395](https://github.com/node-red/node-red-nodes/blob/master/io/serialport/25-serial.html#L395) which calls the server side endpoint here - [https://github.com/node-red/node-red-nodes/blob/master/io/serialport/25-serial.js#L461](https://github.com/node-red/node-red-nodes/blob/master/io/serialport/25-serial.js#L461)
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### Author:  [@JasonBSteele](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/JasonBSteele)
#### Post date: [4 May 2020 13:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/accessing-server-side-from-client-side/26022/3 "2020-05-04T13:16:26Z")
Ah yes - I see, an endpoint is created using 'RED.httpAdmin.get' for the client code to call.
Can you also offer any understanding on `RED.nodes.getNode()` vs `RED.nodes.node()`?
Are there any docs I can look at that would tell me more?
Thanks
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### Author:  [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)
#### Post date: [4 May 2020 13:24 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/accessing-server-side-from-client-side/26022/4 "2020-05-04T13:24:41Z")
> [@JasonBSteele](#):
>
> Can you also offer any understanding on `RED.nodes.getNode()` vs `RED.nodes.node()` ?
An unintentional inconsistency since the very start of Node-RED.
The key thing to remember is the runtime and editor apis are different - you are accessing different things. In the runtime you will get the runtime node object. In the editor you'll get the node configuration.
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [3 July 2020 13:24 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/accessing-server-side-from-client-side/26022/5 "2020-07-03T13:24:42Z")
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