# Request for feedback: Flow Library Categories

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [25 October 2024 11:10 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660 "2024-10-25T11:10:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![joepavitt](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/joepavitt/32/59722_2.png) [@joepavitt](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/joepavitt)\
**Post date:** [27 October 2024 19:35 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/21 "2024-10-27T19:35:10Z")

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It'll be single level for now, and ideally minimal categories as to not get too complicated

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**Author:** ![jbudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f8ce5/32.png) [@jbudd](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jbudd)\
**Post date:** [27 October 2024 19:38 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/22 "2024-10-27T19:38:08Z")

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When I suggested User Interface might be better than Dashboard I also wanted to hint that UI is less intuitive since it can be misinterpreted as University of Iowa.  
Or (apparently) Urinary Incontinence. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Paul-Reed](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/paul-reed/32/66906_2.png) [@Paul-Reed](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Paul-Reed)\
**Post date:** [27 October 2024 20:18 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/23 "2024-10-27T20:18:07Z")

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> [@joepavitt](#):
>
> would expect new users to think "UI" for nodes that give them buttons, charts, etc

...but the latest 'UI' environment that accommodates buttons, charts, etc has been called 'Dashboard 2'??  
Regardless what the category is called, I'm sure I'll find what I need anyway 😃

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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:** [27 October 2024 20:58 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/24 "2024-10-27T20:58:00Z")

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Or maybe split the difference ? - User Dashboard

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gerry](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/gerry/32/21604_2.png) [@gerry](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/gerry)\
**Post date:** [27 October 2024 21:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/25 "2024-10-27T21:06:52Z")

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My Two cents, I vote UI

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jbudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f8ce5/32.png) [@jbudd](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jbudd)\
**Post date:** [27 October 2024 21:35 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/26 "2024-10-27T21:35:51Z")

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"Presentation"?

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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:** [27 October 2024 22:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/27 "2024-10-27T22:09:56Z")

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> [@dceejay](#):
>
> User Dashboard

Not all UI's are Dashboards or even dashboards. 😄

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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 October 2024 22:32 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/28 "2024-10-27T22:32:06Z")

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Thanks for the comments and suggestions. Will take them all on board as we move forward.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [1 November 2024 16:12 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/29 "2024-11-01T16:12:17Z")

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We have now made the initial list of categories live on the [Flow Library](https://flows.nodered.org/search).

The list is based on the feedback in this thread, along with some further changes once I spent some time classifying nodes and saw where we needed other things (for example, I added a `date-and-time` category as there are _lots_ of nodes in that area).

I appreciate all the input - I acknowledge that not everyone's suggestions have been included, but I hope this list provides a useful starting point.

In practical terms, I have manually classified the 700 most downloaded nodes (according to last week's snapshot). I will continue to chip away at the list, but I do not plan to proactively classify nodes that are receiving very few downloads.

Right now, @dceejay and I are able to classify nodes (not that I've told Dave yet...). I plan to open this up to a larger group of trusted moderators on the site. We will also look at how to enable node authors to self-classify nodes as they are added.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gregorius](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/gregorius/32/73816_2.png) [@gregorius](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/gregorius)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2024 16:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/30 "2024-11-01T16:22:02Z")

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> [@knolleary](#):
>
> I have manually classified the 700 most downloaded nodes

Is there something against adding a "categories" entry in the "node-red" section of the package.json? Any category that is used and isn't in the list would simply be ignored.

Something like this:

```auto
"node-red": {
    "version": ">=2.0.0",
    "plugins": {
       ...
    },
    "nodes": {
     ...
    },
    "categories": ["cat1","cat2",...]
   ...

```

it wouldn't need to be mandatory but could save the maintainers much time.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [1 November 2024 16:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/31 "2024-11-01T16:26:56Z")

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> [@gregorius](#):
>
> Is there something against adding a "categories" entry in the "node-red" section of the package.json?

That is certainly an option. There is also the standard `keywords` section in the `package.json` file - something we already capture. So rather than add something custom, we could look for known category names in that.

But then it does get a bit fiddly where we want to be able to classify nodes independently of what they claim (or don't) in their package.json; handling updates becomes a bit trickier to keep things in sync.

The main reason I didn't start with this approach was not wanting to require node authors to republish their packages to get the categories bootstrapped with content.

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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:** [1 November 2024 16:31 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/32 "2024-11-01T16:31:53Z")

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> [@knolleary](#):
>
> initial list of categories live

Nice! Makes life easier for sure.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2024 16:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/33 "2024-11-01T16:39:55Z")

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Not sure if it is intentional, but search and category dont seem to work together. For example, I search `mssql` and get 2 pages. So i narrow it down by clicking `database` category - now there are 3 pages and the search term is no longer applied.

while I am here writing words:  
Also, If I sort by `downloads`, then when I enter a different search term, Sort by is its revered "Recently Updated". could we persist this for the session?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gregorius](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/gregorius/32/73816_2.png) [@gregorius](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/gregorius)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2024 16:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/34 "2024-11-01T16:40:42Z")

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> [@knolleary](#):
>
> There is also the standard `keywords` section

But that's an npm thing right? That's where I put in "node-red" as indication that the package is intended to be used with Node-RED.

> [@knolleary](#):
>
> approach was not wanting to require node authors to republish their packages

I can definitely understand that but as an active publisher, I can easily add a list with the next release.

> [@knolleary](#):
>
> classify nodes independently of what they claim (or don't) in their package.json

Don't you risk having package authors wanting to be categorised differently? It's kinda weird to be able to publish to the catalogue but not being able to define the category for the package - as author.

It's kinda six of one and half-a-dozen of another ...

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [1 November 2024 16:43 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/35 "2024-11-01T16:43:06Z")

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Can this blue also be changed to some coffe-like color

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/9/f/9ffca6e7e788a5bdc49227eb3b8dc5a84644f79f.png)

Would propse something like this:

```auto
.filter-options input {
    cursor: pointer;
    accent-color: #aa6767;
}

```

May happen that Safari doesn't eat it but all others should do ...

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [1 November 2024 16:49 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/36 "2024-11-01T16:49:50Z")

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> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> when I enter a different search term

Are you hitting 'Enter' after typing a search term? If so, that's a known issue reported earlier in this thread. Will get to it.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2024 16:51 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/37 "2024-11-01T16:51:28Z")

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> [@knolleary](#):
>
> > [@Steve-Mcl](#):
> >
> > when I enter a different search term
> 
> Are you hitting 'Enter' after typing a search term?

Yeah Nick, I am 🫢

thanks for the reminder to wait 300ms 🙂

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [1 November 2024 16:57 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/38 "2024-11-01T16:57:15Z")

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> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> Not sure if it is intentional, but search and category dont seem to work together.

Yeah, looks like there's a disconnect somewhere. WIll sort that out.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [1 November 2024 17:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/39 "2024-11-01T17:07:18Z")

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@Steve-Mcl searching by term with categories selected now fixed.

That's all you're getting from me today - but please do keep the feedback coming.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2024 17:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/request-for-feedback-flow-library-categories/92660/40 "2024-11-01T17:08:34Z")

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> [@knolleary](#):
>
> That's all you're getting from me today

Thanks a bunch Nick. Have a good weekend.

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