# Encrypting a functional \`\`\`flows.json\`\`\` file
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/encrypting-a-functional-flows-json-file/67156
**Category:** General
**Created:** [30 August 2022 23:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/encrypting-a-functional-flows-json-file/67156 "2022-08-30T23:46:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@mrSidX](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/mrSidX)
#### Post date: [30 August 2022 23:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/encrypting-a-functional-flows-json-file/67156/1 "2022-08-30T23:46:32Z")
Is it possible to maintain an encrypted and functional `flows.json` for Node-Red?
My scenario is I'm developing and hosting a platform for a partner who hasn't payed into his worth on the project.. The code I don't want to hand over if I can help it. I want to maintain functionality of our project, but my partner is drooling when I push for the platform to be in his hosting control. At any rate, I don't want my partner to steal what the Node-Red `flows.json` file contains, as that is where majority of the backend work lies.
I'm curious if there is a way to keep that `flows.json` file encrypted, and only modifiable when you log into node-red admin / IDE and updated when changes are deployed ?
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### Author:  [@Andrei](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Andrei)
#### Post date: [31 August 2022 01:23 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/encrypting-a-functional-flows-json-file/67156/2 "2022-08-31T01:23:08Z")
You may find some ideas in below posts.
> [@Secure source code file flow.json](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/secure-source-code-file-flow-json/36188):
>
> Hi, we have developed our IoT application on the node red platform. And now we want to deploy the developed application in the client production system. We have enabled HTTPS access and secured the editor by user name and password. So no one from outside can connect to our node red platform. but here the problem is, developed flow\_hostname.json file is present in the local storage on the client production system. i.e. Under .nodered folder. So our client can have the copy of our source file…
> [@Need a means to protect my source code](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/need-a-means-to-protect-my-source-code/7973):
>
> This topic comes up from time-to-time, but I haven't seen a satisfactory answer. I need a way to encrypt the source code on the micro SD card so that the card is useless if someone pulls it out and tries to make off with my IP. Obviously, some type of encryption key would be required by the loader to decrypt flows. Extra credit: Allow the encryption to be applied at the flow or node level. Has any thought been given to such a feature? What are others doing?
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [30 October 2022 01:23 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/encrypting-a-functional-flows-json-file/67156/3 "2022-10-30T01:23:39Z")
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