EP 1 — FlowFuse’s Nick O’Leary on Low-Code Development and Its Impact on IoT

In our inaugural episode of Industrial Visionaries, our host ZJ van de Weg, chats with fellow FlowFuse exec, Nick O’Leary, CTO & Founder. Nick, who is also the creator of Node-RED, shares his extensive insights into the evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT). He discusses the early days of IoT and the transformative role of edge computing, highlighting how increased computing power has shifted data processing closer to devices. 

Nick also explores the significance of open-source software in driving grassroots innovation within enterprises and the advantages of low-code development in creating flexible IoT solutions. Tune in to discover how these trends are shaping the future of technology and empowering engineers across industries! 

Topics discussed:

• The early challenges of IoT and how connectivity issues shaped the development of protocols like MQTT for efficient data transmission in constrained environments.  
• The shift from centralized data processing to edge computing, allowing for smarter, decentralized solutions that enhance real-time decision-making in industrial applications.  
• The grassroots adoption of Node-RED within organizations, driven by engineers recognizing its value and integrating it into their daily workflows for problem-solving.  
• The importance of open-source software in fostering innovation and collaboration, enabling teams to experiment without the constraints of commercial licensing agreements.  
• The role of low-code development in democratizing technology, empowering non-developers to create IoT solutions and contribute to projects effectively.  
• The operational challenges organizations face when scaling Node-RED, including security, management, and ensuring consistent deployment across multiple instances.  
• How FlowFuse addresses the needs of enterprises by providing tools for managing Node-RED at scale, including role-based access control and audit logging.  
• The significance of community engagement in Node-RED's growth, with over 5,000 integrations available, showcasing its versatility and adaptability in various use cases.  
• Nick's reflections on the future of IoT, emphasizing the ongoing evolution of technology and the need for organizations to remain agile and innovative.