# 📕 Big documentation update

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657>\
**Category:** News\
**Created:** [27 June 2019 11:45 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657 "2019-06-27T11:45:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**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:** [27 June 2019 11:45 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/1 "2019-06-27T11:45:31Z")

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Hi,

I've just pushed a big update to the documentation.

The [Getting Started](https://nodered.org/docs/getting-started/) is (hopefully) clearer for what to do depending on where you want to run Node-RED.

The main [User Guide](https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide) has had a bit of a reorganisation. I've also added a [Node-RED Concepts](https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/concepts) page with a lot of the common terms we use - I'm sure there are others that should be on the list, but what's there is a good start.

There is a new [FAQ](https://nodered.org/docs/faq/) section where we can start to answer things that come up regularly on here.

There is a new [Tutorials](https://nodered.org/docs/tutorials/) section which currently only has the two existing tutorial flows, but will be a space to add more things.

The navigation has been updated on each page - with a 'breadcrumb' bar across the top to help you know where you are in the docs, and the left-hand table of contents is sticky (doesn't scroll off the page) so should be easier to use.

Quite a few pages have changed url as part of this work. I _think_ we have redirects in place for everything, so no links should be broken. But please do let us know if you find something broken.

I have also updated the Cookbook to match the new style.

This isn't the end of the updates - but the set of changes had gotten sufficiently large that I wanted to get it published sooner rather than later.

Let me know what you think!

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**Author:** ![afelix](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/afelix/32/9743_2.png) [@afelix](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/afelix)\
**Post date:** [27 June 2019 12:11 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/2 "2019-06-27T12:11:12Z")

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Thanks a lot for the current work Nick! Quick question, are the different set of docs only available as html or is there a base version in say MarkDown or exports to PDF? I’m in the middle of home renovations and my internet connection is so spotty (while working on creating a couple custom nodes) that even paging between the docs was a random hit or miss every time I tried. So I tried to print the relevant parts I needed, only to realise I had to print each web page separately.

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**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:** [27 June 2019 12:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/3 "2019-06-27T12:14:50Z")

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HI @afelix

the website is maintained in this repository: [https://github.com/node-red/node-red.github.io/](https://github.com/node-red/node-red.github.io/)

You can grab it as a zip file from here: [https://github.com/node-red/node-red.github.io/archive/master.zip](https://github.com/node-red/node-red.github.io/archive/master.zip)

You can then read the raw markdown.

Alternatively, if you install [https://jekyllrb.com/](https://jekyllrb.com/) then you can build it and browse your own local copy of the full website.

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**Author:** ![zenofmud](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/zenofmud/32/316_2.png) [@zenofmud](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/zenofmud)\
**Post date:** [27 June 2019 12:31 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/4 "2019-06-27T12:31:00Z")

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Nick, should the 'Interacting with Arduino' section mention using MQTT to talk back and forth. I lnow not all Arduino's have WiFi, but it seems like a lot of people are using the WeMos D1's with Node-RED. Just a thought.

p.s. I ❤ the breadcrumb bar

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**Author:** ![wb666greene](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/wb666greene/32/6534_2.png) [@wb666greene](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/wb666greene)\
**Post date:** [27 June 2019 14:32 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/5 "2019-06-27T14:32:50Z")

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Is using the Raspbian script still "recommended" for installing on Ubuntu and Debian distros?  
Or should it only be used on the Pi now?

I will likely testing node red on Pi4B and Raspbian 10 "Buster" this afternoon or tomorrow.

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**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:** [27 June 2019 14:43 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/6 "2019-06-27T14:43:23Z")

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> [@wb666greene](#):
>
> Is using the Raspbian script still "recommended" for installing on Ubuntu and Debian distros?  
> Or should it only be used on the Pi now?

Have a read of the comment box immediately below the url of the script: [Running on Raspberry Pi : Node-RED](https://nodered.org/docs/getting-started/raspberrypi)

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**Author:** ![athome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b77776/32.png) [@athome](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/athome)\
**Post date:** [27 June 2019 15:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/7 "2019-06-27T15:06:48Z")

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**Boom!**

knolleary, what a perfect example of a vision realized where answers to questions in the forum are links to the docs.

I'll have a look at the updates this PM.

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**Author:** ![wb666greene](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/wb666greene/32/6534_2.png) [@wb666greene](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/wb666greene)\
**Post date:** [27 June 2019 15:28 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/8 "2019-06-27T15:28:26Z")

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> [@knolleary](#):
>
> Have a read of the comment box immediately below

Sorry for not reading into the Raspberry Pi page, but the local system instructions made me think npm -g was now preferred for everything but the others listed.

Maybe change the top level to say for installing on Raspberry Pi and other Debian/Ubuntu distributions?

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**Author:** ![athome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b77776/32.png) [@athome](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/athome)\
**Post date:** [27 June 2019 16:37 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/9 "2019-06-27T16:37:15Z")

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Hey, wwb666greene.

Yikes. Sorry if I offended you. Please don't read into my response any negative reflection on your actions in any way.

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**Author:** ![drmibell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/drmibell/32/8424_2.png) [@drmibell](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/drmibell)\
**Post date:** [27 June 2019 18:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/10 "2019-06-27T18:16:04Z")

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This is a great leap forward. When I started with NR, I read through the documentation once, thought it was a good introduction, and never looked at it again. Since then, it has gradually added enough depth and detail that I have been consulting it from time to time. Now, I expect to be looking at it a lot more often.

BTW, does anyone else find the color of the "breadcrumb" bar just a bit anemic (anaemic)? Any of the red tints on the home or blog pages would have a much smaller wimp factor 🙂

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**Author:** ![hotNipi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/hotnipi/32/383_2.png) [@hotNipi](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/hotNipi)\
**Post date:** [27 June 2019 18:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/11 "2019-06-27T18:39:44Z")

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[https://nodered.org/docs/runtime/embedding](https://nodered.org/docs/runtime/embedding) page has a little 404 issue

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**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [27 June 2019 19:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/12 "2019-06-27T19:41:22Z")

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> [@wb666greene](#):
>
> Maybe change the top level to say for installing on Raspberry Pi and other Debian/Ubuntu distributions?

I agree that it would be worth mentioning this on the Getting Started page, as an Ubuntu user may never even look at the Pi page.

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**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:** [27 June 2019 20:15 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/13 "2019-06-27T20:15:47Z")

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I have added a note to the local install page to point Debian/Ubuntu users over to the Pi page. I've added suitable OS logos to make it stick out more.  
Let me know if you think its clear enough - [Running Node-RED locally : Node-RED](https://nodered.org/docs/getting-started/local)

> [@hotNipi](#):
>
> page has a little 404 issue

Thanks - fixed.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [27 June 2019 20:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/14 "2019-06-27T20:19:24Z")

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Minor typo in the added note, but otherwise looks good.  
"you can use or Pi install script "

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**Author:** ![wb666greene](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/wb666greene/32/6534_2.png) [@wb666greene](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/wb666greene)\
**Post date:** [27 June 2019 21:25 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/15 "2019-06-27T21:25:42Z")

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> [@athome](#):
>
> Yikes. Sorry if I offended you. Please don't read into my response any negative reflection on your actions in any way.

Huh?  
Me Culpa for not reading beyond the top page where my question would have been answered without asking, but I think the ambiguity I noted has been addressed with the recent changes.

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**Author:** ![mtoko](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/mtoko/32/138_2.png) [@mtoko](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/mtoko)\
**Post date:** [28 June 2019 10:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/16 "2019-06-28T10:07:19Z")

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Great work on the docs

It's only a small thing but if you select the Cookbook or Developing the Core buttons from the nav page the navigation in the top left is different to the other pages

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**Author:** ![dceejay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dceejay/32/38_2.png) [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)\
**Post date:** [28 June 2019 10:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/17 "2019-06-28T10:26:09Z")

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yes re Developing the Core - but can't see the problem with cookbook... can you share an image ?

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**Author:** ![mtoko](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/mtoko/32/138_2.png) [@mtoko](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/mtoko)\
**Post date:** [28 June 2019 10:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/18 "2019-06-28T10:48:30Z")

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![NR%20Docs](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/2X/8/8dbf5521d66e63a2c6855963ace11776b7f9ce67.jpeg) ![NR%20Docs1](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/2X/c/c98d018f82323754b698a91a77a7e5940c9c1cb6.jpeg)

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**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:** [28 June 2019 10:50 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/19 "2019-06-28T10:50:57Z")

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That is because the Cookbook is distinct from the docs... at least, that was the theory there.

Re Developing the Core - oops. Overlooked that section because there's so little in there.

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**Author:** ![ayone0518](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@ayone0518](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/ayone0518)\
**Post date:** [2 July 2019 01:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657/20 "2019-07-02T01:22:23Z")

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on tutorial, a link to 'sencond-flow' takes me to 'first-flow'.

[Next page](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/big-documentation-update/12657.md?page=2)