How difficult would it be to add some basic drawing tools to the editor? Things like box, circle, text. Perhaps even some colour? Grouping stuff within a tab would be so much easier using visual queues.

[image] Bobo: C, Modula-2, Ada etc. This newfangled JS stuff often does my head in. Haha, if you can cope with those monstrosities, JavaScript is a doddle! :smile:

[image] Steve-Mcl: going back to explicitly declaring types up front I now make extensive use of ESLint and JSDoc in my JS programming as it really helps track the meaning of variables/objects which I find more important than a fixed declaration of type - though that is certainly helpful some…

Thanks for the advice. I admit I've avoided "learning" eslint thus far. I do use vscode (almost exclusively now) - it is tremendous.

[image] TotallyInformation: Haha, if you can cope with those monstrosities, JavaScript is a doddle! Perhaps the years of brain fade since those heady days will also help. We shall see. :smirk:

[image] Bobo: my coding days are from a different era, C, Modula-2, Ada etc. This newfangled JS stuff often does my head in. I too am a relic of those days, so please forgive the ramblings of a grumpy old man. I've never coded for a living but have always written code as part of my job. So, I…

[image] drmibell: the ramblings of a grumpy old man Oh, that describes me well enough :smile: [image] drmibell: I've never coded for a living but have always written code as part of my jo I have but not for a long time. BASIC (various types), COBOL, PL/1, APL, FOCUS, ACUMEN, FORTRAN, …

[image] drmibell: Node-RED can't avoid having its JS foundation show through And indeed it is/was designed like that on purpose. Leaving the function node as a place where users can start to write bits of code to "fill in gaps" is/was intended as way to allow them to dip their toe into javasc…

[image] dceejay: write bits of code to "fill in gaps" is/was intended as way to allow them to dip their toe into javascript programming and then who knows what may happen And an excellent choice it was too! :smile:

[image] dceejay: Leaving the function node as a place where users can start to write bits of code to "fill in gaps" is/was intended as way to allow them to dip their toe into javascript programming and then who knows what may happen I was not so much thinking about the function node as about …

[image] drmibell: and it just doesn't feel right for solving really complex problems. And I think the above sums up the feelings of many, certainly myself. :nerd_face:

Node-RED

Node-RED Forum

Basic drawing tools in NR editor

Core Development Feature Requests

bakman2 3 April 2020 15:24 55

Perhaps this preview could spark your interest ?

Topic		Replies	Views
Is there a way to modify the editor UI or to provide an alternative one Feature Requests	27	1706	6 June 2021
Node-RED Survey: Shaping the Future of Node-RED's User Experience News	105	3087	6 October 2025
Noisecraft - anyone heard of it? General	106	2690	15 January 2024
Suggestions for Node Red 5.0 Feature Requests	26	726	31 January 2026
Best practice: custom v. function node Developing Nodes	38	1656	28 November 2023

Copyright OpenJS Foundation and Node-RED contributors. All rights reserved. The OpenJS Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of the OpenJS Foundation, please see our Trademark Policy and Trademark List. Trademarks and logos not indicated on the list of OpenJS Foundation trademarks are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

Basic drawing tools in NR editor

Related topics