Seems after hours and days of scouring the web on this topic for both the Zero-2W and Zero1.x, there’s mixed info as to what is best setup to support GPIO as of 2025. Lots of web info from past year or so indicate possible conflicts with recent Node-Red versions and various Pi hardware, 64 vs 32 bit OS, Python3, etc.
For now, I’m simply interested to know if starting fresh on a Pi Zero-2W with Node-Red reading GPIO, what is the preferred mix of Raspberry Pi OS (Bookworm or Trixie) as well as Node-RED and Node.js versions. Seems there should be a website or page dedicated to that unless by chance I missed it.
If the Pi ecosystem is moving away from Node-Red to a simpler or better way to get a simple or more complex project off the ground, I would be interested to know that too.
I started my Node-Red project with the version-1 “Pi Zero W” 4 years ago with “Buster”, updated it 2 years ago (no problem) to “Bullseye”, but latest update of that a few months ago to “Bookworm” ran into serious high-cpu problems with Python3 and GPIO. I resolved that by changing all GPIO input nodes to using “node-red-node-pi-gpiod” with "Remote GPIO" enabled and daemon running at startup (instead of standard “node-red-node-pi-gpio”). Also limiting that setup to Node-Red version 3.1.11 and NodeJS version 20.19.5.
So now I’m migrating the project to the latest Pi Zero 2W, install "Raspberry Pi OS Lite (64-bit)" (Debian version-13 "Trixie"), then proceed to setup the "Remote GPIO". But the Remote-GPIO seems of question and is not even in the “raspi-config” menu anymore.
In short, I appreciate any help or direction/links for suggested setup of Pi Zero 2W supporting Node-Red and GPIO. Right now I’m thinking the Trixie environment needs to evolve a bit more.
Node-RED and the "Pi ecosystem" really are not connected. It was just that the Pi came along at a good time in the growth of Node-RED.
Pi have always focused on Python, not node.js (which is what Node-RED runs on). Annoying but more in keeping with their origins in education.
I am sure that the core devs would more than welcome a new, dedicated page in the documentation. 
Alternatively, you could always create an FAQ entry on this forum.
Sadly, I don't have a Pi Zero of any kind so can't help with your direct question.
The node-red-node-pi-gpiod should still be fine with Trixie.
Hmmm, seems back in 2021 and years since the Node-RED and Pi ecosystem were such a perfect match it seemed from my 40+ years in IT to be such a perfect fit as if joined-at-the-hip so to say. I wrote code in many languages over the years but really like the simplicity & visual aspect of the "flows" to see the project code in a simple view while burying the nitty gritty in function nodes.
That aside, @TotallyInformation and @dceejay I've read thru lots of your posts and seems you guys have a deep knowledge of the Node-RED stuff. Saying that, I'm interested of any recommendation you have on best option to support GPIO on Pi Zero 2W.
To note, I just tried a simple flow setup using the default installed "node-red-node-pi-gpio" on the 2W "Trixie" 64bit install and suggested "bash <(curl..." install of Node-RED and I still get the roughly 5% CPU from "python3..." task per each of the 6 pins monitored. I know a 4-core Zero 2W can easily accommodate that for all available GPIO but it seems to be too much CPU%. For my project start on the Zero W, that drove me to the Remote-GPIO option which reduced the load for 14 pins monitored to roughly 17% (from pigpiod) instead of always slammed at 100%.
Also, @dceejay I tried setting up for using "node-red-node-pi-gpiod" after seeing no Remote-GPIO in the raspi-config menu per the script in Pigpiod not installing under new official trixie release · Issue #632 · joan2937/pigpio · GitHub (see near end for script starting with DOLLAR="$"). Going thru all that and run of "sudo systemctl enable --now pigpiod.service" resulted in a failed start error. So, I thought I'm either missing something or pushing into uncharted waters, maybe going about it wrong, so here I am.
If the node-red-node-pi-gpiod is still good for Trixie and will be for a few more years, that would be great. Saying that, the nodered.org site should update their info on this for Trixie and later per it relying on Remote-GPIO setup in the raspi-config and deamon running.
But I'm also open to anything better or more preferred from the new design perspective. But also see what I tried per previous post on the only thing I found in trying to setup node-red-node-pi-gpiod on my Trixie Zero 2W.
Weeellll, if you really want advice from me on this, it would be - don't use a Pi0w! 
I'm more of an ESP fan myself. I'd rather run Node-RED and other helpful services on a server - whether a full-fat Pi or something else (I use an old laptop personally) - and then do the IoT stuff on an ESP with a Wi-Fi connection (though of course, serial/usb or other wired connections absolutely possible).
In fact, I've NEVER done anything with the GPIO on a Pi other than plugging in a daughter board and using a pre-made driver library. So not much help from me I'm afraid. 
