Getting Started

Build your first AI workflow in 10 minutes.

Run your first NodeTool workflow in under 10 minutes. No AI experience or coding needed.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have:

  • Installed NodeTool and set up AI models
  • Run a complete workflow end-to-end
  • Customized inputs and seen different results
  • Shared your workflow as a Mini-App

Want a visual overview first? See the Start Here section on the home page for a quick orientation.

Step 1 — Install NodeTool

Check Requirements

Before installing, make sure your machine meets the minimum requirements:

Component Minimum Recommended
RAM 8 GB 16 GB+
Disk 10 GB free 50 GB+ (for models)
GPU None (CPU works) 8 GB+ VRAM for local AI
OS macOS 13+, Windows 10+, Ubuntu 22+ Latest version

No GPU? No problem. You can use cloud AI providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Replicate) instead of local models. See Hardware Requirements for details.

Install

  1. Download from nodetool.ai for macOS, Windows, or Linux
  2. Run the installer — follow the platform-specific prompts
  3. Launch NodeTool — the app opens immediately, no setup wizard needed

Dashboard Overview

Python and AI engines are installed on demand when you first use local models. See Installation Guide for platform-specific instructions and troubleshooting.

Install AI Models (Optional)

For running AI locally without cloud APIs:

  1. Open Models from the sidebar
  2. Install starter models:
    • Flux or Qwen Image — image generation (needs 8–12 GB VRAM)
    • A text model like Llama or Qwen — chat and text generation
  3. Wait for downloads (~20 GB total)

Using cloud instead? Go to Settings → Providers, paste an API key from OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google, and skip local model downloads.

How to verify: You should see the Dashboard with template workflows listed. If models are installed, they appear with a green checkmark in the Models panel.

Step 2 — Run Your First Workflow

Now that NodeTool is installed, let’s run a real workflow. Pick one of the templates below to try:

Templates Grid

Option A: Generate Movie Posters

  1. Find it: Dashboard → Templates → “Movie Posters”
  2. Open in Editor: See the workflow canvas
  3. How it works:
    • Input nodes (left) - Describe your movie
    • AI Strategy node (middle) - Plans the visual
    • Image Generator (right) - Creates the poster
    • Preview - Shows your result
  4. Try it: Click the input nodes and type:
    • Title: “Ocean Depths”
    • Genre: “Sci-Fi Thriller”
    • Audience: “Adults who love mystery”
  5. Run: Click Run (bottom-right) or press Ctrl/⌘ + Enter
  6. Watch: Poster generates step by step

Option B: Creative Story Ideas

Workflow Editor

  1. Find it: Dashboard → Templates → “Creative Story Ideas”
  2. How it works:
    • Input nodes - Your parameters
    • AI Agent - Generates ideas
    • Preview - Shows results
  3. Try it: Click the input nodes and type:
    • Genre: “Cyberpunk”
    • Character: “Rogue AI detective”
    • Setting: “Neon-lit underwater city”
  4. Run: Click Run or Ctrl/⌘ + Enter
  5. Watch: Ideas appear one at a time

✅ Done - You ran your first workflow.

Step 3 — Customize and Iterate

Now that you’ve seen a workflow run, try making it your own:

  1. Save your workflow: Press Ctrl/⌘ + S and give it a descriptive name
  2. Change inputs and re-run: Edit the text inputs and press Run again to see different results
  3. Explore the graph:
    • Click any node to see its settings in the right panel
    • Hover over connections to see what data is flowing between nodes
    • Add Preview nodes (press Space, search “Preview”) to inspect intermediate results

Workflows are reusable — try different variations, refine your inputs, and save your favorites.

✅ Done - You can customize workflows.

Step 4 — Share as a Mini-App

Turn any workflow into a simple app that anyone can use — no NodeTool knowledge required:

  1. Open your workflow in the editor
  2. Click Mini-App (top-right corner of the toolbar)
  3. See the simplified view: Only inputs and outputs are visible, the node graph is hidden

Mini-Apps are perfect for sharing with teammates, clients, or anyone who just wants to use the workflow without understanding how it’s built.

Want a custom UI? Use VibeCoding to design a fully custom interface for your Mini-App with AI assistance.

✅ Done - You know two ways to work: the Visual Editor (full control) and Mini-Apps (simple interface).

What You Learned

Step What You Did
Install Downloaded NodeTool, set up models or cloud providers
Run Executed a template workflow end-to-end
Customize Changed inputs and saw different results
Share Converted a workflow into a Mini-App

Next Steps

Pick what interests you most:

Goal Where to Go
Understand how workflows work Key Concepts
Learn the full interface User Interface, Workflow Editor
Try more workflows Workflow Gallery, Workflow Patterns
Set up more AI models Models & Providers
Build workflows from scratch Workflow Editor, Tips & Tricks
Deploy to production Deployment Guide
Fix a problem Troubleshooting, Workflow Debugging

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