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A graph of nodes

ComfyUI is an environment for building and running generative content workflows. In this context, a workflow is defined as a collection of program objects called nodes that are connected to each other, forming a network. This network is also known as a graph. A ComfyUI workflow can generate any type of media: image, video, audio, AI model, AI agent, and so on.

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Sample workflows

To get started, use the built-in Workflow Templates. Open them via Workflow → Browse Workflow Templates in the menu. These templates use only the Core nodes included in the ComfyUI installation and will automatically prompt you to download any required models. A thriving community of developers has created a rich ecosystem of custom nodes to extend the functionality of ComfyUI.

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Simple Example

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Visual programming

A node-based computer program like ComfyUI provides a level of power and flexibility that can’t be achieved with traditional menu- and button-driven applications. The ComfyUI node graph is not limited by the tools provided in a traditional computer application. It’s a high-level visual programming environment allowing users to design complex systems without needing to write program code or understand advanced mathematics. Many other computer applications use this same node graph paradigm. Examples include the compositing application called Nuke, the 3D programs Maya and Blender, the Unreal real-time graphics engine, and the interactive media authoring program called Max.

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More Complex Example

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Procedural framework

Another term used to describe a node-based application is procedural framework. Procedural means generative: some procedure or algorithm is employed to generate content such as a 3D model or a musical composition. ComfyUI is all of these things: a node graph, a visual programming environment, and a procedural framework. What makes ComfyUI different (and amazing!) is that its radically open structure allows us to generate any type of media asset such as picture, movie, sound, 3D model, AI model, etc. In the context of ComfyUI, the term workflow is a synonym for the node network or graph. It corresponds to the scene graph in a 3D or multimedia program: the network of all of the nodes within a particular disk file. 3D programs call this a scene file. Video editing, compositing, and multimedia programs usually call it a project file.

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Saving workflows

The ComfyUI workflow is automatically saved in the metadata of any generated image, allowing users to open and use the graph that generated the image. A workflow can also be stored in a human-readable text file that follows the JSON data format. This is necessary for media formats that don’t support metadata. ComfyUI workflows stored as JSON files are very small, allowing convenient versioning, archiving, and sharing of graphs, independently of any generated media.