Serial node
Serial In
Receive data from serial port (USB/UART).
Inputs
| Port | Type | Default |
|---|---|---|
| DeviceWhich detected serial port to open. 0 means None — nothing is connected; 1 and up pick from the live device list, and an index past the end simply stays disconnected. | int | 0 |
| Baud RateTransmission speed, picked from the standard rates from 300 up to 3 000 000. Values outside the list fall back to 115200. | int | — |
| Data BitsBits per character: 5, 6, 7 or 8, in that order — the default is 8. Values outside the list fall back to 8. | int | 3 |
| ParityError-check bit: None, Even or Odd. Values outside the list fall back to None. | int | 0 |
| Stop BitsHow long the gap between characters is: 1, 1.5 or 2. Values outside the list fall back to 1. | int | 0 |
| Flow ControlHandshaking with the device: None, RTS/CTS hardware, or XON/XOFF software. Values outside the list fall back to None. | int | 0 |
| Line EndingWhich character splits the stream into messages: LF, CR, CRLF, or None for raw bytes. Values outside the list fall back to LF. | int | 0 |
| Buffer SizeHow many bytes of incoming data are kept before the oldest are dropped, and how large each read is. Not clamped; 4096 suits most devices, tiny values can cut long lines in half. | int | 4096 |
Outputs
| Port | Type |
|---|---|
| Data | string |
| Connected | bool |
| Bytes | int |
How It Works
Opens a serial port (USB/UART) connection for receiving data from microcontrollers, sensors, and custom hardware. Select the serial device from the Device picker and configure the communication parameters (baud rate, data bits, parity, stop bits, flow control) to match your hardware. Data arrives as a string on the Data output. The node supports standard baud rates ranging from 300 to 921600. Buffer Size controls the internal receive buffer and can be increased for high-throughput data streams.
Use Cases
- Reading sensor data from Arduino, ESP32, or other microcontrollers
- Receiving serial output from scientific instruments and measurement devices
- Interfacing with custom USB hardware for real-time data acquisition
- Monitoring serial communication for debugging hardware projects
Tips
- Ensure baud rate and other serial parameters match your device's configuration exactly
- The Device picker lists all available serial ports — plug in your USB device before opening the graph
- Increase Buffer Size if you experience data loss at high data rates
- Pair with a String Split or JSON Parser node to extract structured data from the serial stream
- Use Line Ending to match your device's termination character for clean message boundaries
Open Serial In in the interactive catalog →
Serial In is one of 381 nodes in Grafit Pro.
Free download. Every feature for 7 days, no card. Then €99.99 once — or keep playing your projects as a Player.