Why is express a dependency?

AllanOricil · 7 April 2026 02:25

package.json

main


      
              "watch:dashboard": "npm run dev",
              "watch:node-red": "cd ~/.node-red && npx nodemon --watch $(realpath ./node_modules/@flowfuse/node-red-dashboard/nodes) --ext '*' --exec node-red"
          },
          "dependencies": {
              "acorn": "^8.15.0",
              "axios": "^1.13.2",
              "core-js": "^3.47.0",
              "d3": "^7.9.0",
              "echarts": "^6.0.0",
              "escodegen": "^2.1.0",
              "express": "^4.22.1",
              "lodash.merge": "^4.6.2",
              "socket.io": "^4.8.1",
              "vue": "^3.5.25"
          },
          "devDependencies": {
              "@flowfuse/flow-renderer": "^0.5.0",
              "@mdi/font": "^7.4.47",
              "@unhead/vue": "^2.1.12",
              "@vite-pwa/assets-generator": "^1.0.0",
              "@vitejs/plugin-vue": "^5.0.4",

Isn't the dashboard served by either RED.httpNode || RED.httpAdmin express apps?

I believe that since Node-RED already has it, express should be defined as a peerDependency

github.com/node-red/node-red

package.json

master


      
          "body-parser": "1.20.4",
          "chalk": "^4.1.2",
          "cheerio": "1.0.0-rc.10",
          "clone": "2.1.2",
          "content-type": "1.0.5",
          "cookie": "0.7.2",
          "cookie-parser": "1.4.7",
          "cors": "2.8.5",
          "cronosjs": "1.7.1",
          "denque": "2.1.0",
          "express": "4.22.1",
          "express-session": "1.18.2",
          "form-data": "4.0.4",
          "fs-extra": "11.3.0",
          "got": "12.6.1",
          "hash-sum": "2.0.0",
          "hpagent": "1.2.0",
          "https-proxy-agent": "5.0.1",
          "i18next": "25.8.14",
          "iconv-lite": "0.6.3",
          "is-utf8": "0.2.1",

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Why is express a dependency?

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