# Usability proposals : connected connectors

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usability-proposals-connected-connectors/100781>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [16 April 2026 11:51 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usability-proposals-connected-connectors/100781 "2026-04-16T11:51:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![duaw](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/duaw/32/20970_2.png) [@duaw](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/duaw)\
**Post date:** [16 April 2026 11:51 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usability-proposals-connected-connectors/100781/1 "2026-04-16T11:51:00Z")

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Hi everybody!

Lastly I had serious trouble figuring out why things didn't work as I thought they had to.

I had something like this in my flow:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/c/9/c93df292eaa1d34072eeb3466e49a65615a4c35f.png)  
Do you SEE the difference? I don't.

What is wrong? The upper change change node actually _ **sits on top of the connection** _ between inject & debug. There is only one wire connecting input & debug.  
The lower change node is really properly connected. There are two wires.

Proposal: A node connector on the left or right side of a node should / may _ **indicate whether it is connected or not** _. The colour of the little rounded grey square could do that.

A similar thing hits me often when I use link in / link out nodes. At time I copy a node, all connections are copied. I have to click it to see some details, I have to edit it to see all the details.

Here I would like to see _ **if a link out node ist actually connected** _ to a link in and vice versa. Should be easy w/ colour as above. And if: _ **How many** _ outgoing /incoming connections are there? This needs a little text.

One more thing: I use links a lot to visually declutter how a flow is shown. I give in / out link nodes proper names. I have MANY of them.

When editing link node properties the order they are listed seem "oldest first". I'd really like to have it _ **sorted alphabetically** _.

What do you think?

Cheers, Uwe

PS Here the upper change node got moved slightly …

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/e/2/e208b4afc368d7113b91913ff8ab863d11948ac9.png)

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**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:** [16 April 2026 13:31 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usability-proposals-connected-connectors/100781/2 "2026-04-16T13:31:25Z")

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> [@duaw](#):
>
> Here I would like to see _ **if a link out node ist actually connected** _ to a link

have you tried nr-lint?

> **[GitHub - node-red/nrlint: Node-RED Flow Linter](https://github.com/node-red/nrlint)**
>
> Node-RED Flow Linter

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**Author:** ![duaw](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/duaw/32/20970_2.png) [@duaw](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/duaw)\
**Post date:** [17 April 2026 09:54 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usability-proposals-connected-connectors/100781/3 "2026-04-17T09:54:35Z")

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Showing not connected links would be definitely nice.

I installed linter. What do I have to do to enable this particular feature? I don't find it in the rules. So far, my linter does not complain.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/4/f/4fe5cb1c46e989feca7063b2ca937b2b31bfd04d.png)

I still think the original proposal would help during flow development: Avoid errors by easily spotting them.

- Provide **the number** of incoming / outgoing links to/from a link node
- Provide a **visual feedback** when a connection of a node is actually wired
- Sort the list of linked from / linked to link nodes **alphabetically**

Cheers, Uwe

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**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:** [17 April 2026 10:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usability-proposals-connected-connectors/100781/4 "2026-04-17T10:06:06Z")

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Hi Uwe,

We have an open issue for this - [Lack of Visual Differentiation Between Connected and Wire-Overlapping Nodes in the Editor · Issue #5092 · node-red/node-red · GitHub](https://github.com/node-red/node-red/issues/5092)

I made a start on it at the time, but it need some design inspiration for how to visually distinguish the ports and then progress stalled.

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**Author:** ![duaw](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/duaw/32/20970_2.png) [@duaw](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/duaw)\
**Post date:** [17 April 2026 12:31 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usability-proposals-connected-connectors/100781/5 "2026-04-17T12:31:04Z")

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I am not an UI expert.  
No yelling color. Not a breaking change. A hint. But easily discernible.

An unconnected node gets a dark border and a white center. No need to change the pallette.

 ![connectors](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/f/9/f96053c54e78aa8fb964f46fdf917ae8bc794f13.png)

Cheers, Uwe

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**Author:** ![duaw](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/duaw/32/20970_2.png) [@duaw](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/duaw)\
**Post date:** [17 April 2026 12:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usability-proposals-connected-connectors/100781/6 "2026-04-17T12:39:14Z")

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... and something like this, perhaps

 ![link](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/a/d/add4476510d217cd22b1fb5f95bccb05ff602dfa.png)

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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:** [16 July 2026 12:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usability-proposals-connected-connectors/100781/7 "2026-07-16T12:40:15Z")

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