# Analysis of the exported JSON file of a flow

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/analysis-of-the-exported-json-file-of-a-flow/70066>\
**Category:** General\
**Tags:** documentation\
**Created:** [3 November 2022 20:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/analysis-of-the-exported-json-file-of-a-flow/70066 "2022-11-03T20:48:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![StefanCh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@StefanCh](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/StefanCh)\
**Post date:** [3 November 2022 20:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/analysis-of-the-exported-json-file-of-a-flow/70066/1 "2022-11-03T20:48:24Z")

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Hello everyone,

I was just interested if there is a way to analyze the exported JSON file of a flow.  
By "analyze" I mean if there is an available documentation about the specific properties  
of the exported JSON file.  
For instance, I created a simple flow where you inject a timestamp to a debug node that prints it on the console. I pasted the exported JSON file below. I am interested and would like to know what the specific properties mean.  
Could anyone please tell me if there is any documentation about the exported JSON files and where can I find it?

```auto
[
    {
        "id": "fd8f03e8cfaaf70e",
        "type": "tab",
        "label": "Flow 2",
        "disabled": false,
        "info": "",
        "env": []
    },
    {
        "id": "3fad3c8d45d3194a",
        "type": "inject",
        "z": "fd8f03e8cfaaf70e",
        "name": "",
        "props": [
            {
                "p": "payload"
            },
            {
                "p": "topic",
                "vt": "str"
            }
        ],
        "repeat": "",
        "crontab": "",
        "once": false,
        "onceDelay": 0.1,
        "topic": "",
        "payload": "",
        "payloadType": "date",
        "x": 260,
        "y": 280,
        "wires": [
            [
                "7895593faa350b91"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "7895593faa350b91",
        "type": "debug",
        "z": "fd8f03e8cfaaf70e",
        "name": "",
        "active": true,
        "tosidebar": true,
        "console": false,
        "tostatus": false,
        "complete": "false",
        "statusVal": "",
        "statusType": "auto",
        "x": 510,
        "y": 280,
        "wires": []
    }
]

```

Thank you in advance.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [3 November 2022 21:04 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/analysis-of-the-exported-json-file-of-a-flow/70066/2 "2022-11-03T21:04:51Z")

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Hi @StefanCh

there is a somewhat old specification for the flow format here: [Flow Format · node-red/node-red Wiki · GitHub](https://github.com/node-red/node-red/wiki/Flow-Format)

The basic principle is the flow is made up from an array of node objects. In general, each node object has a set of standard properties, common to all, and a set of properties that are specific to that type of node.

The common properties are things like `id`, `type`, `name`, `x`, `y`, `z`.

The nodes of type `tab` are the flow tabs in the editor. A node identifies which flow it is on by its `z` property (set to the `id` of the corresponding `tab` node (or `subflow`...).

I realise that's a super brief overview, but hopefully gives you a bit of a steer.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![StefanCh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@StefanCh](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/StefanCh)\
**Post date:** [3 November 2022 21:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/analysis-of-the-exported-json-file-of-a-flow/70066/3 "2022-11-03T21:40:19Z")

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Hello @knolleary

thank you for your helpful reply.  
Your explanation and link to the specification gave me a bit of steer.  
If I have further questions in the future regarding the format of the flows, I will post in the forum under the tag documentation again.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [2 January 2023 21:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/analysis-of-the-exported-json-file-of-a-flow/70066/4 "2023-01-02T21:40:47Z")

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