In its simplest term Node red sends and recieves actions via the Maker API built in app.
Node-Red can Offload the automation processing to whatever device it is running it. Some run it on a Raspberry Pi other on home servers like myself. There is no doubt it can help if your hub is heavily loadex frim a cpu perspective.
I expect @erktrek answer to be better than mine but from my vantage point, there's a little more pluses in favor of Node-Red. Not much, but some...
WebCoRE is an Automation Engine just as Node-Red and Rule Machine are...
WebCoRE and Rule Machine both run ON the Hub. WebCoRE must be "compiled" off-hub, but the Pistons run on the Hub.
Node-Red runs on an external always-on-computer and by doing that the compute load of evaluating Events and responding is off-hub. It uses MakerAPI to listen for events and to inject commands.
Thus the question really boils down to: "Do you have an always-on-computer that can run Node-Red for you?" If yes, then that clearly nudges the answer into the Node-Red column. If no, then WebCoRE is what's left.
I have never used WebCoRE on Hubitat.. I used it extensively when I had SmartThings, but I never took the time to try it on Hubitat. I write in so many computer languages that one more (RM) didn't phase me. I've been a fan of parallelism in computing for decades and thus having an array of processes to be my Home Automation System is right up my alley. I must admit though my first effort was to migrate everything to Hubitat back in 2018. I got there and it was great for that week or month... then I started going parallel again. 
Well I already have WebCoRE set up, but I am not opposed to trying node-red. Anything that makes my life easier is a plus. I have several PCs, servers, VM's I could put it on or even an rpi or two laying around that would suffice (maybe)?
Ill get it installed and replace one piston at am time and see what happens. Let me know the best way to run it in your opinion. (i.e. VM, PC, pi)
On the topic of motion sensors, for turning on lights, in my experience (and that of others from what I have read), using Zigbee is best - they tend to respond a bit faster.
Z-Wave do tend to provide more information (Illuminance, Humidity, etc.) if that is what you need.
In the rooms where it is important that the lights turn on all the time, I have Zigbee sensors paired with Lutron dimmers. These are almost immediate and for me, they work 99.9% of the time.
I use zwave associations heavily for this type of stuff whenever possible. Its almost instant as it bypasses the hub.
The downside is that its tuff to get setup. I write my own drivers so I add support for it. But I don't even know where to tell people to start with the stock setup.
If you just want to try out Node-Red, I assembled an Image that targets Hubitat users. It's got all the components you'll need, to get a flow or two working.
Raspberry PI Image for Homebridge + Node-Red
It's a year or so old so every module would be due for an upgrade I suspect. I wouldn't make that the first step though because that image will give you an excellent feel for what Node-Red is. If you find it fits, then you may want to make a "real install" on the computer of your choice. It's rather light-weight resource wise and it simply requires NodeJS to be installed... which the installer script will do for you. But that's the prerequisite -- NodeJS can be installed.
NR consumes less resources than WC as it runs in a separate environment completely and just makes calls to HE's cool API (Maker API). For me this is a big plus as I don't have to worry about managing HE overhead (not that this is usually an issue). NR can also integrate a bunch of different systems including Home Assistant etc. so is a bit more flexible than WC. The interface is the "visual flow" paradigm which I find to be a very powerful and easy way of expressing tasks and such. It's not to everyones tastes though so ymmv.
Recommend you give it a shot to see what you think, It's a straightforward process to get set up and will not impact your existing stuff at all.
+1 for this.
I have frequent 5 to 30 seconds delays for many Z-Wave devices and, for motion controlled lighting, that was unacceptable. So I have moved all time critical lighting automations to zigbee sensors and Lutron switches/dimmers.
im using iris sensors that seem to work fine. LiFX bulbs so no dimmers are necessary
Thank you for the link. Ill slap this on a pi and see what happens.
It may be the quality of the devices related to the function.
I have 2 ring gen 2 motion sensors that turn on a GE zwave plus switch or philips wiz connected wifi bulbs. Both of those are immediate as well. This really isnt a zwave or zigbee, but maybe simply an issue with the sensors. I know my aeotec motion sensors are crap for motion lighting compared to the Ring gen 2 motion sensors.
I wish these would have ended up on my radar when I started. I went another route and would say they work fine 95 percent of the time. That extra 4.9% sounds pretty awesome. 1st world problems I guess. 
When even .1% can affect SAF (as it does in my home), I'd say 4.9% is a huge difference.
i ended up having to order a pi. I thought I had some lying around - nope - i am using them all lol
It should be here saturday, but after looking at your link explaining the image. it doesnt look super easy to set up. I am also virgin material for node red so that may also be a part of it. is there a tutorial for what I actually need? I did install Maker API because i didnt have the other option done already
Anyone else starting to wonder if we’ll have to wait over a year to hear back from the OP? 
It's many small steps, agreed. Like downloading the image. It's just a click or two but then it's a wait. Then you have to find a way to get it onto a SD Card. I have a Mac, so it's more or less built in. Then you boot the Pi and wait and wait, and just when you're about to give up, the SSID pops up. Then give it your desired IP addressing... yes, a lot of small steps, most rather similar to ones done for other things.
But then you just browse to the address you gave it on port 1880 and you have a Blank Node-Red "page".
That's when watching this video helps, I think:
http://homebridge.hubitatcommunity.com/Hubitat_Node-Red/
you're encouraged to use the Pause key extensively 
thank you for the reply. I am very familiar with the image setup, that isnt the issue.. just all the different core components and such. I will have it installed this weekend - hopefully without incident
after that will be the fun part 
The image I created has all the core components pre-installed.. at least enough to get a good sense of Node-Red, and if it's for you or not. Most will have a button offering to upgrade to the latest version, but you will want to do that later in the getting-familiar process I suspect.
LOL OP's gone pretty quiet despite the fact that he has been lurking 
.
C'mon man if you won't give details of your setup how can anyone assist? Got to say his wife's been pretty patient to put up with this for over a year!
lol for real!
Download the Hubitat app
