Workflow Editor

Build AI workflows visually.

Build workflows by connecting nodes.

New? Start with Getting Started.

Editor Layout

Area Where What It Does
Canvas Center Place and connect nodes
Side Panels Left/Right Workflows, assets, settings
Toolbar Bottom Run, save, layout controls

Canvas Basics

Your infinite workspace.

Navigate:

Do This How
Pan Space + drag, or right-click drag
Zoom Ctrl/⌘ + scroll
Fit everything F
Reset zoom Ctrl/⌘ + 0

The grid helps align nodes. Turn on Snap to Grid in View menu.

Working with Nodes

Each node does one thing.

Add Nodes

Space bar:

  1. Press Space anywhere
  2. Type what you want (“image”, “text”)
  3. Click to add

Double-click:

  1. Double-click empty space
  2. Opens node menu

Smart connect:

  1. Drag from a node’s output
  2. Drop on empty space
  3. See compatible nodes

Node Structure

  • Header (top) - Name, drag to move
  • Inputs (left circles) - Data in
  • Outputs (right circles) - Data out
  • Properties - Settings panel

Select Nodes

Do This How
One Click it
Multiple Shift + click, or drag box
All Ctrl/⌘ + A
None Click canvas

Move Nodes

  • Drag header to move
  • Arrow keys to nudge
  • Auto Layout button to organize

Bypass Nodes

Skip temporarily without deleting:

  1. Right-click node
  2. Select Bypass Node
  3. Node dims, data passes through

Good for:

  • Testing - Compare with/without
  • Debugging - Isolate problems
  • A/B testing - Toggle effects

Re-enable: Right-click → Enable Node

Result Overlays

Nodes show outputs on canvas:

  • Images - Thumbnail preview
  • Text - Text snippet
  • Audio - Waveform
  • Progress - Live status

Connections

Show data flow.

Make Connections

  1. Click output circle (right side)
  2. Drag the line to an input circle (left side of another node)
  3. Release to connect

Connection Rules

  • Types must match: You can only connect compatible types (text to text, image to image)
  • One input, multiple outputs: Each input accepts one connection; outputs can connect to many
  • Color coding: Connection colors indicate data type

Removing Connections

  • Click a connection line, then press Delete
  • Right-click a connection for options
  • Drag the connection away from its target and release

Smart Connections

When you drag a connection and release on empty space, the Connection Menu appears:

  • Auto-create common nodes for that data type
  • Browse compatible nodes filtered by what can receive the data
  • Cancel by pressing Esc

Running Workflows

Starting a Run

Method How
Button Click Run in the bottom toolbar
Keyboard Ctrl/⌘ + Enter

Watching Progress

  • Streaming nodes show output as it’s generated
  • Preview nodes display intermediate results
  • Node borders indicate status (running, complete, error)
  • Edge animations show data flowing between nodes

Pausing and Resuming

You can temporarily pause a running workflow:

Action Button Description
Pause ⏸ (blue) Temporarily stops execution - workflow state is preserved
Resume ▶ (blue) Continues from where it paused

The pause button appears in the floating toolbar while a workflow is running.

Suspended Workflows

Some nodes (like the WaitNode) can suspend a workflow to wait for external input:

State Button Description
Suspended ▶ (purple) Workflow is waiting for input - click to resume

When a workflow is suspended:

  • A notification shows why the workflow is waiting
  • The purple Resume button appears in the toolbar
  • Click Resume to continue the workflow with any required data
  • The workflow can be stopped (cancelled) if no longer needed

Suspended workflows are useful for:

  • Human-in-the-loop approvals
  • Waiting for external data or API responses
  • Checkpoint-based processing where you review intermediate results

Stopping a Run

Method How
Button Click Stop (enabled when running, paused, or suspended)
Keyboard Esc

Missing Models

If a node needs an AI model you haven’t installed:

  1. Click the “Missing Model” indicator on the node
  2. The Recommended Models dialog opens
  3. Click to install – runs in background while you work

Organizing Your Workflow

Auto Layout

Click the Auto Layout button (or press L) to automatically arrange your nodes in a clean, readable layout. The editor also auto-arranges nodes when Global Chat creates or modifies workflows.

Grouping Nodes

Select multiple nodes and press Ctrl/⌘ + G to group them. Groups:

  • Keep related nodes together
  • Can be collapsed to save space
  • Move as a unit

Aligning Nodes

Shortcut Action
A Align selected nodes
Shift + A Align and distribute evenly

Panels and Tabs

Multiple Workflows

  • Open multiple workflows in tabs at the top
  • Switch with Ctrl/⌘ + 1-9 or click the tab
  • Drag tabs to reorder

Left Panel

Access these views by clicking icons on the left:

Icon Panel Purpose
📂 Workflows Your saved workflows
💬 Chat Global Chat
📁 Assets Your files
📚 Collections RAG document collections
📦 Packs Installed node packs

Right Panel (Inspector)

Press i to toggle the Inspector panel, which shows:

  • Detailed properties for selected nodes
  • Input/output documentation
  • Validation errors and warnings

Finding Nodes

The Node Menu

Press Space to open, then:

  • Search: Just start typing (“whisper”, “image”, “agent”)
  • Browse: Explore the category tree on the left
  • Filter: Click the filter icon to show only nodes with specific input/output types
  • Move: Drag the menu to reposition it
  • Close: Esc or click outside

Node Documentation

Get help on any node:

  1. In the Node Menu: Hover over a node to see its description
  2. On the canvas: Hover over the ? icon at the bottom-right of any node
  3. Inspector: Select a node and view full documentation in the right panel

Context Menus

Right-click for options anywhere:

Location Options
Canvas Add node, paste, select all
Node header Copy, duplicate, delete, group, bypass
Input/Output Disconnect, add compatible node
Connection Delete, add node in middle

Built-in Editors

NodeTool includes professional editing tools for creative work.

Image Editor

Click the edit icon on image outputs or properties to open the full-featured editor:

  • Crop & Resize: Adjust image dimensions and composition
  • Rotate & Flip: Transform orientation
  • Draw Tools: Brush, shapes, and text overlays
  • Adjustments: Brightness, contrast, saturation controls
  • History: Undo/redo all changes

📖 Full Guide: See Image Editor for complete documentation with tool reference, shortcuts, and workflows.

Color Picker

The professional color picker appears when selecting colors in properties:

  • Visual Selection: Saturation/brightness picker with hue slider
  • Multiple Formats: Enter values as HEX, RGB, or HSL
  • Harmony Modes: Complementary, triadic, analogous color suggestions
  • Gradient Builder: Create and edit color gradients
  • Swatches: Save and reuse favorite colors
  • Contrast Checker: Verify accessibility compliance
  • Eyedropper: Pick colors from anywhere on screen

Keyboard Shortcuts

Essential Shortcuts

Shortcut Action
Space Open node menu
Ctrl/⌘ + Enter Run workflow
Ctrl/⌘ + S Save
Ctrl/⌘ + Z Undo
F Fit view
Esc Stop / Cancel

All Editor Shortcuts

Shortcut Action
Ctrl/⌘ + C Copy
Ctrl/⌘ + V Paste
Ctrl/⌘ + X Cut
Ctrl/⌘ + D Duplicate horizontally
Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + D Duplicate vertically
Ctrl/⌘ + G Group selection
Ctrl/⌘ + 0 Reset zoom to 100%
Ctrl/⌘ + 1-9 Switch to tab 1-9
A Align selected nodes
Shift + A Align and distribute
Arrow keys Nudge selected nodes
Delete / Backspace Delete selection
i Toggle Inspector
1-5 Open left panel menus

Tips

Design Principles

  1. Left to right: Data flows left to right
  2. Preview often: Add Preview nodes for intermediate results
  3. Name clearly: Rename nodes to describe their purpose
  4. Group logically: Keep related nodes together

Debugging

  • Add Preview nodes between steps
  • Check connections – verify data types match
  • Look at errors – nodes show error messages
  • Test incrementally – run partial workflows first

Performance

  • Local models – slower but work offline
  • Cloud models – faster, require internet
  • Streaming nodes – show progress during execution

Next Steps