# Can you save nodes you've customized to the shelf?

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-you-save-nodes-youve-customized-to-the-shelf/83722>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [14 December 2023 19:17 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-you-save-nodes-youve-customized-to-the-shelf/83722 "2023-12-14T19:17:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 15\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hyperlooper](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/hyperlooper/32/85843_2.png) [@Hyperlooper](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Hyperlooper)\
**Post date:** [14 December 2023 19:17 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-you-save-nodes-youve-customized-to-the-shelf/83722/1 "2023-12-14T19:17:26Z")

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hello, I'm finding that in my project I am configuring a lot of nodes that I might want to use in multiple places, etc. is there a way to save these someplace for easy access in the future from within the node red interface?

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**Author:** ![marcus-j-davies](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/marcus-j-davies/32/103435_2.png) [@marcus-j-davies](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/marcus-j-davies)\
**Post date:** [14 December 2023 19:42 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-you-save-nodes-youve-customized-to-the-shelf/83722/2 "2023-12-14T19:42:05Z")

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Hi @Hyperlooper - welcome to the forums

You can indeed.

what you can do, is wrap them in a `subflow`  
subflows are re-usable flows, that you can drag onto your main flow at will, and this subflow, is presented as a single node, that you can drag in as many times as you need

see:  
[https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/editor/workspace/subflows](https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/editor/workspace/subflows)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TotallyInformation](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/totallyinformation/32/31_2.png) [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)\
**Post date:** [14 December 2023 20:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-you-save-nodes-youve-customized-to-the-shelf/83722/3 "2023-12-14T20:09:19Z")

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As Marcus says, sub-flows are a great way to create reusable bits of flow.

The other tool available though is the Library. You can Export a single configured node or a flow to the local library and then import it again as many times as you like.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![E1cid](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/e1cid/32/77971_2.png) [@E1cid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/E1cid)\
**Post date:** [14 December 2023 20:24 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-you-save-nodes-youve-customized-to-the-shelf/83722/4 "2023-12-14T20:24:33Z")

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Hi Hyperlooper and welcome.

You can also save flows/nodes/ and function code to the local library using the export menu and in function node editor. [Using The Node-Red Library](https://stevesnoderedguide.com/using-node-red-library)

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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:** [14 December 2023 20:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-you-save-nodes-youve-customized-to-the-shelf/83722/5 "2023-12-14T20:27:33Z")

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> [@TotallyInformation](#):
>
> You can Export a single configured node or a flow to the local library

I was going to post that, expecting to find Export to Library somewhere. I thought it was a sub selection of Export, but it isn't there on my systems. In fact I see it referenced in [Using The Node-Red Library](https://stevesnoderedguide.com/using-node-red-library) but the submenu does not exist for me.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TotallyInformation](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/totallyinformation/32/31_2.png) [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)\
**Post date:** [14 December 2023 20:36 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-you-save-nodes-youve-customized-to-the-shelf/83722/6 "2023-12-14T20:36:47Z")

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All you need to do is select 1 or more nodes then open the Export menu.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/2/0/20b5e540339278dc267abf25939f55190f7ec8e3.png)

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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:** [14 December 2023 20:42 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-you-save-nodes-youve-customized-to-the-shelf/83722/7 "2023-12-14T20:42:12Z")

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I don't see where it says to export to the library.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![marcus-j-davies](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/marcus-j-davies/32/103435_2.png) [@marcus-j-davies](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/marcus-j-davies)\
**Post date:** [14 December 2023 20:43 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-you-save-nodes-youve-customized-to-the-shelf/83722/8 "2023-12-14T20:43:41Z")

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I often forget about the library approach, I suppose a footnote to it maybe, is updating the instance(s)?

Would updating a library export retrospectively update all copies instantiated in the flow? - I don't actually know, as I have not (yet) in my time used the library features.

I like creating subflows due to this behaviour in that it will update all copies currently deployed.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![marcus-j-davies](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/marcus-j-davies/32/103435_2.png) [@marcus-j-davies](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/marcus-j-davies)\
**Post date:** [14 December 2023 20:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-you-save-nodes-youve-customized-to-the-shelf/83722/9 "2023-12-14T20:46:26Z")

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> [@Colin](#):
>
> I don't see where it says to export to the library.

 ![Screenshot 2023-12-14 at 20.45.55](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/5/f/5f1076e89c304671bead4a76daaf4f6c87619fc5.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TotallyInformation](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/totallyinformation/32/31_2.png) [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)\
**Post date:** [14 December 2023 20:56 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-you-save-nodes-youve-customized-to-the-shelf/83722/10 "2023-12-14T20:56:35Z")

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> [@marcus-j-davies](#):
>
> Would updating a library export retrospectively update all copies instantiated in the flow? - I don't actually know, as I have not (yet) in my time used the library features.

The library is "just" a collection of JSON files. You can add to it manually too if you like. And, of course, custom nodes can provide entries simply by including json files in an `/examples/` folder.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![marcus-j-davies](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/marcus-j-davies/32/103435_2.png) [@marcus-j-davies](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/marcus-j-davies)\
**Post date:** [14 December 2023 20:58 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-you-save-nodes-youve-customized-to-the-shelf/83722/11 "2023-12-14T20:58:27Z")

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> [@TotallyInformation](#):
>
> And, of course, custom nodes can provide entries simply by including json files in an `/examples/` folder.

Yup I do that - got burned by the scorecard for not doing so! 😐

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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:** [14 December 2023 21:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-you-save-nodes-youve-customized-to-the-shelf/83722/12 "2023-12-14T21:27:34Z")

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Oh yes, I thought the Local there meant the local clipboard. Not exactly obvious that Export to library is under Local.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Hyperlooper](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/hyperlooper/32/85843_2.png) [@Hyperlooper](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Hyperlooper)\
**Post date:** [14 December 2023 22:59 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-you-save-nodes-youve-customized-to-the-shelf/83722/13 "2023-12-14T22:59:26Z")

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The library seems useful - does this show up in the sidebar alongside other available nodes, or do you need to import each time?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TotallyInformation](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/totallyinformation/32/31_2.png) [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)\
**Post date:** [15 December 2023 00:04 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-you-save-nodes-youve-customized-to-the-shelf/83722/14 "2023-12-15T00:04:59Z")

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No, you have to import from the library.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [13 February 2024 00:05 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-you-save-nodes-youve-customized-to-the-shelf/83722/15 "2024-02-13T00:05:29Z")

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