Node-RED - Access the InfluxDB API Using the HTTP Request Node

Within Node-RED you can use the InfluxDB nodes. But it is also possible to query the InfluxDB v2 API via the HTTP Request node. This note contains a brief description of how this works.

As an example I will delete a measurement via the API. The InfluxDB v2 API makes it very easy to remove a measurement. I wrote another note on how this works through the CLI without using Node-RED.
And below that is an example of a write request that can also be used for bulk processing.

Node-RED Flow Setup

1. First create a new flow within Node-RED. In the menu choose Flows and then Add
2. Go to the menu again and choose Import. Then the Import nodes screen opens. Paste the JSON below into the text field and click Import:

   [{"id":"6b0580dde8c9a5f5","type":"inject","z":"c05125d23d84e735","name":"","props":[{"p":"payload"},{"p":"topic","vt":"str"}],"repeat":"","crontab":"","once":false,"onceDelay":0.1,"topic":"","payloadType":"date","x":640,"y":240,"wires":<span title='There is no note that matches this link.' class='invalid-link'>  <span class='invalid-link-brackets'>[[</span>  "c6a4fc2ecafa1940"  <span class='invalid-link-brackets'>]]</span></span>},{"id":"c6a4fc2ecafa1940","type":"function","z":"c05125d23d84e735","name":"set payload and headers","func":"msg.payload = {\n    \"start\": \"1970-01-01T00:00:00Z\",\n    \"stop\": \"2025-12-31T23:59:00Z\",\n    \"predicate\": \"_measurement=\\\"YOUR_MEASUREMENT\\\"\"\n}\nmsg.headers = {};\nmsg.headers['Authorization'] = 'Token YOUR_TOKEN';\nmsg.headers['Content-Type'] = 'application/json';\nreturn msg;","outputs":1,"noerr":0,"initialize":"","finalize":"","libs":[],"x":870,"y":240,"wires":<span title='There is no note that matches this link.' class='invalid-link'>  <span class='invalid-link-brackets'>[[</span>  "005b31a1e984701e"  <span class='invalid-link-brackets'>]]</span></span>},{"id":"005b31a1e984701e","type":"http request","z":"c05125d23d84e735","name":"","method":"POST","ret":"txt","paytoqs":"ignore","url":"http://YOUR_IP:YOUR_PORT/api/v2/delete?org=YOUR_ORGANIZATION&bucket=YOUR_BUCKET","tls":"","persist":false,"proxy":"","authType":"","senderr":false,"x":1110,"y":240,"wires":<span title='There is no note that matches this link.' class='invalid-link'>  <span class='invalid-link-brackets'>[[</span>  "79d522108d85555d"  <span class='invalid-link-brackets'>]]</span></span>},{"id":"79d522108d85555d","type":"debug","z":"c05125d23d84e735","name":"","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"true","targetType":"full","statusVal":"","statusType":"auto","x":1290,"y":240,"wires":[]}]
   

Now the following nodes are within the flow:

1. Double click on the set payload and headers node. This function node contains the following javascript:

   msg.payload = {
    "start": "1970-01-01T00:00:00Z",
    "stop": "2025-12-31T23:59:00Z",
    "predicate": "_measurement=\"YOUR_MEASUREMENT\""
   }
   msg.headers = {};
   msg.headers['Authorization'] = 'Token YOUR_TOKEN';
   msg.headers['Content-Type'] = 'application/json';
   return msg;
   

Adjust the following:

YOUR_MEASUREMENT
*Replace with the name of the measurement you want to delete

YOUR_TOKEN
Replace with your InfluxDB token

1. Click Done to close the Edit function node screen
2. Double click on the http request node. Make sure the following is set:
   • Method: POST
   • URL: http://YOUR_IP:YOUR_PORT/api/v2/delete?org=YOUR_ORGANIZATION&bucket=YOUR_BUCKET

Adjust the following in the URL:

YOUR_IP
Replace with the IP address of InfluxDB. In my case this was the IP address of the Docker host

YOUR_PORT
Replace with the port used for InfluxDB. Usually this is port 8086. My own InfluxDB container runs on port 3004

YOUR_ORGANIZATION
Replace with the name of your InfluxDB Organization. In my case this was ubuntuvm

YOUR_BUCKET
Replace with the name of your InfluxDB Bucket. In my case this was stock

1. Click Done to close the Edit http request node screen
2. Deploy the flow and test by clicking the inject node.
   

Write Example

It is also possible to write time series data in much the same way. Make sure you have followed the steps above and then do the following:

1. Double click on the set payload and headers node and adjust:

   msg.payload = "YOUR_MEASUREMENT,sensor_id=TLM0201 temperature=73.97038159354763,humidity=35.23103248356096";
   msg.headers = {};
   msg.headers['Authorization'] = 'Token YOUR_TOKEN';
   msg.headers['Content-Type'] = 'text/plain; charset=utf-8';
   msg.headers['Accept'] = 'application/json';
   return msg;
   

The payload is in line protocol format this time.

Adjust the following:

YOUR_MEASUREMENT
Replace with the name of the measurement

YOUR_TOKEN
Replace with your InfluxDB token

sensor_id=TLM0201
This is an example of a tag

temperature=73.97038159354763,humidity=35.23103248356096”
These are examples of fields

1. Click Done to close the Edit function node screen
2. Double click on the http request node. Make sure the following is set:
   • Method: POST
   • URL: http://YOUR_IP:YOUR_PORT/api/v2/write?org=YOUR_ORGANIZATION&bucket=YOUR_BUCKET&precision=ms

You may notice that in this case the precision has been added.

Adjust the following in the URL:

YOUR_IP
Replace with the IP address of InfluxDB. In my case this was the IP address of the Docker host

YOUR_PORT
Replace with the port used for InfluxDB. Usually this is port 8086. My own InfluxDB container runs on port 3004

YOUR_ORGANIZATION
Replace with the name of your InfluxDB Organization. In my case this was ubuntuvm

YOUR_BUCKET
Replace with the name of your InfluxDB Bucket. In my case this was stock

1. Click Done to close the Edit http request node screen
2. Deploy the flow and test by clicking the inject node.
   

Just a Tip About the InfluxDB Nodes

I did quite a bit of testing and finally made the choice not to use the InfluxDB nodes because I feel like I have more control if I call the InfluxDB API in my own way. That is a personal choice.

If you still want to use the InfluxDB nodes then it’s good to know that with the complete node you can receive the result when the influxdb out or influxdb batch node is finished:

Read other notes