# Default flow name

**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/default-flow-name/63987
**Category:** General
**Created:** [15 June 2022 19:00 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/default-flow-name/63987 "2022-06-15T19:00:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Andrei](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/andrei/32/10446_2.png) [@Andrei](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Andrei)
#### Post date: [15 June 2022 19:00 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/default-flow-name/63987/1 "2022-06-15T19:00:24Z")

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Today I did a change that confused me in regards to the default flow name. Since I use (sometimes) the Project feature and many times old environments I got different default flow names: flows\_pi.json, flows.json or flow.json.

Perhaps the documentation deserves to be revisited for this specific point ?

[What the documentation says:](https://nodered.org/docs/getting-started/local)

> Node-RED uses `flows_<hostname>.json` as the default flows file. If the computer you are running on may change its hostname, then you should ensure you provide a static file name; either as a command-line argument or using the `flowsFile` option in your [settings file](https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/runtime/settings-file).

[As a matter of fact that changed since v2.0.0.](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-2-0-0-beta-1-released/46990)

> ### Default flows file name
> 
> We've also updated the default settings file to hardcode the flow file name to `flows.json`. Previously we left it unset, so the runtime would use the hostname to generate the flow file name. That would catch people out when moving between networks. As this is a change to the default settings file, all existing installs will continue to behave as they did before.

and when using "Projects" you will be prompted to use the default flow name: `flow.json` (flow.json not flows.json).

 ![nr1](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/9/e/9e8c5ccf595b282795126b6de318066481ac854a.png)

I wonder if the documentation would be more clear if it explains like the change log from v2.0.0.

My issue was that I stopped using the Project feature for a specific enviroment and copied `flow.json` to the home Node-RED folder. It did not work at first, so I had to rename the file from `flow.json` to `flows.json` (and copied also to `flows_pi.json` - just in case).

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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: [14 August 2022 19:01 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/default-flow-name/63987/2 "2022-08-14T19:01:20Z")

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