Install Script

Cross-platform installation script for Neuron SDK components.

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18 or higher
• npm (comes with Node.js)
• Go 1.23 or higher
• git

Quick Install (One-liner)

Windows

iwr -useb https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NeuronInnovations/neuron-node-builder-installer/main/install.ps1 | iex

Note: If you get an execution policy error, use one of these alternatives:

# Option 1: Bypass execution policy for this session
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File install.ps1

# Option 2: Run directly with bypass
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "iwr -useb https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NeuronInnovations/neuron-node-builder-installer/main/install.ps1 | iex"

Linux & macOS

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NeuronInnovations/neuron-node-builder-installer/main/install.sh -o install.sh ; chmod +x install.sh ; ./install.sh

Manual Install

Windows (Recommended)

.\install.ps1

Or with force flag to skip prompts:

.\install.ps1 -Force

Linux & macOS

chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

Windows (Alternative - requires Git Bash or WSL)

chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

What it does

This installer sets up a portable Neuron Node-RED environment by building its components from source on your machine. It performs the following steps:

1. Checks Prerequisites: Verifies that Node.js (v18+), npm, Go (v1.23+), and Git are installed on your system.
2. Clones Repositories: Downloads the source code for neuron-node-builder (a Node.js project) and optionally neuron-sdk-websocket-wrapper (a Go project) from their respective GitHub repositories.
3. Installs Dependencies: Installs the necessary project dependencies using npm install for Node.js projects and go mod tidy for Go projects.
4. Builds Projects: Compiles the neuron-node-builder using npm run build and, if selected, builds the Go SDK into an executable using go build.
5. Integrates Components: Configures the environment by setting up .env and flows.json files. If the Go SDK was built, it copies or symlinks its executable into the neuron-node-builder/build/bin directory, making it accessible to the Node-RED environment.

The "one-click install" refers to the ease of running this installation script, and "portable" describes the resulting self-contained Node-RED environment.

Script Overview

This installer utilizes three main scripts, each with a distinct role:

• install.js (Node.js script): This is the core logic of the installer. Written in JavaScript, it performs the main installation steps: checking Go version, cloning repositories, setting up configuration, installing dependencies, building projects, and integrating components. It's designed to be cross-platform.
• install.sh (Bash script): This is a shell wrapper specifically for macOS and Linux environments. Its primary role is to prepare the environment (e.g., checking Node.js/npm, downloading install.js if needed) and then execute install.js. It also handles starting the installed application.
• install.ps1 (PowerShell script): This is a shell wrapper specifically for Windows environments. Similar to install.sh, it prepares the Windows environment, executes install.js, and handles post-installation application launch, but uses PowerShell commands.

In essence, install.js contains the detailed installation instructions, while install.sh and install.ps1 are platform-specific launchers that ensure install.js runs correctly on their respective operating systems.

Installer vs. Official Releases

This installer is designed to set up a Neuron Node-RED environment by building its components directly from source on your local machine. This approach is particularly useful for:

• Developers: Who wish to contribute to the Neuron Node Builder or Neuron SDK, allowing for local development, customization, and debugging.
• Specific Build Requirements: Users who need to compile with particular flags, versions of dependencies, or in environments with restricted internet access.
• Transparency: Users who prefer to build software from source for verification and control.

For official, pre-built, signed, and notarized releases of the Neuron Node Builder, please refer to the Neuron Node Builder GitHub Releases page. These official releases are generated via a comprehensive GitHub Actions workflow that handles packaging, code signing, and notarization for various platforms.

Notes on Auto-Updates

The releases.json file in this repository is consumed by the neuron/services/NeuronUpdateService.js component within the neuron-node-builder repository. This service uses the information in releases.json to determine when to trigger auto-updates for the Neuron Node-RED environment. For the auto-update mechanism to function correctly, releases.json must contain valid release information, including download URLs for different platforms and architectures.

Troubleshooting

• Node.js not found: Install from nodejs.org
• Go not found: Install from golang.org/dl
• Permission denied: On Linux/Mac, make sure the script is executable with chmod +x install.sh
• Git not found: The script will fail with a clear error if git isn't installed