What is a Node?
A Node is the smallest functional unit in puq.ai workflows.
Each node performs one specific responsibility — such as receiving data, processing it, making decisions, or interacting with external systems.
Workflows are built by connecting nodes together to form a logical execution path.
Nodes as Building Blocks
Think of a workflow as a pipeline.
Nodes are the individual stations in that pipeline.
Each node:
- Receives input data
- Performs an operation
- Produces output data
The output of one node becomes available to all subsequent nodes in the workflow.
What a Node Can Do
Depending on its type, a node can:
- Start a workflow (Trigger Nodes)
- Transform or validate data
- Call APIs or external services
- Send messages or notifications
- Apply business logic and conditions
- Control execution flow (loops, branches, delays)
- Interact with AI models
- Store, retrieve, or manipulate data
Each node focuses on doing one thing well.
Node Inputs and Outputs
Every node has:
- Inputs — data required for the node to run
- Outputs — data generated after execution
Inputs can be:
- Static values (manually entered)
- Dynamic values selected from previous steps
- Data manipulated using parameter mapping
Outputs are automatically added to the execution data context and remain available until the workflow execution ends.
Nodes and Execution Flow
Nodes execute sequentially, following the connections defined in the visual builder.
- A node runs only after all required inputs are available
- If a node fails, execution may stop or follow error-handling logic
- Some nodes can branch execution into multiple paths
- Some nodes can delay or repeat execution
The order and structure of nodes define how your automation behaves.
Node Configuration
Each node is configurable through its settings panel:
- Input fields
- Authentication or credentials (if required)
- Optional parameters
- Advanced options (timeouts, retries, conditions)
Node configuration determines how the node behaves during execution.
Node Reusability
Nodes are reusable concepts.
The same node type can be used:
- Multiple times in a single workflow
- Across different workflows
- With different configurations and data mappings
This makes workflows flexible, modular, and easy to maintain.
Nodes vs Workflows
| Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| Node | A single action or operation |
| Workflow | A connected sequence of nodes |
| Execution | One run of a workflow |
Nodes define what happens, workflows define when and how, executions show what actually happened.
Next Steps
Now that you understand what a node is, you can explore:
- Different node categories
- How nodes pass data to each other
- How to map and manipulate data
- How nodes behave during execution and debugging
Continue with a node category to see real-world use cases and examples.