# Node-RED Standalone Executable

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-standalone-executable/77963>\
**Category:** General\
**Tags:** docker\
**Created:** [26 April 2023 18:02 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-standalone-executable/77963 "2023-04-26T18:02:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 12

<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:** [26 April 2023 21:10 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-standalone-executable/77963/12 "2023-04-26T21:10:31Z")

</div>

@jgreenmt

Start to Finnish (I have just tested this on OSX)

**Create working directory, install Node RED**

```auto
mkdir NodeRED
cd NodeRED
npm install node-red

```

**Hard Install some nodes (using dashboard as example)**

```auto
npm install node-red-dashboard

```

**Modify package.json (NodeRED/package.json)**

```auto
/* Before */
{
  "dependencies": {
    "node-red": "^3.0.2",
    "node-red-dashboard": "^3.4.0"
  }
}

/* After */
{
 "name": "Node-RED",
 "bin": "node_modules/node-red/red.js",
 "pkg":{
    "assets": ["./node_modules/**/*.*"]
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "node-red": "^3.0.2",
    "node-red-dashboard": "^3.4.0"
  }
}

```

**Build Binary** (it will also embed any nodes you installed in step 2)

```auto
pkg . -t host

```

**Run Binary** (or move it to a new system) \<- only binary is needed

```auto
Node-RED --userDir /some/dir

```

There are pros and cons to hard installing nodes.

- No need to transport large `node_module` folders
- Can't remove or update hard installed nodes (as they are embdded)

So hard installing nodes is optional, but for nodes you need, you will need to install them normally if not embedding them

---

_[View the full topic](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-standalone-executable/77963)._