> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://lamatic.ai/llms.txt).

# Nodes

Nodes are the fundamental building blocks of a flow in Lamatic. Each node serves a specific purpose, acting as a self-contained unit that processes input and produces output. This modular approach allows users to create complex flows by interconnecting various nodes.

## What you’ll learn

- What Nodes are and how they fit into a Flow
- The main Node categories (Apps, AI, Data, Logic)
- How to choose the right Node for your use case

## Prerequisites

- Basic understanding of [Flows](/docs/flows)

## How to think about Nodes

If a Flow is a “recipe”, then **Nodes are the steps**:
- Each node has **inputs**
- It performs one job
- It produces **outputs** that the next node can use

## Node Categories

Lamatic organizes nodes into four main categories, each with a unique function in building flows:
| **Category** | **Purpose**                                     | **Examples**                                    | **Method**                                                                                                                                       |
|--------------|-------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **Apps**     | Integrate third-party applications into workflow | Slack, PostgreSQL, Google Sheets               | These nodes act as bridges, enabling data exchange and action execution between Lamatic and external services.                                   |
| **AI**       | Perform artificial intelligence operations       | Vector operations, text generation, natural language understanding | AI nodes use machine learning models to process and analyze data, allowing for tasks such as sentiment analysis, text classification, or content generation. |
| **Data**     | Manipulate and transform data                   | Indexing, chunking, filtering                  | Data nodes provide tools for structuring, organizing, and processing information, ensuring data is in the right format for subsequent nodes.     |
| **Logic**    | Control the flow of execution                   | Conditional statements, loops, custom code execution | Logic nodes allow for decision-making and branching, enabling dynamic, responsive flow based on specific conditions or criteria.           |

## How to choose the right Node

- **Need to talk to another tool/app?** Use an **Apps** node.
- **Need an LLM or AI operation?** Use an **AI** node.
- **Need to clean/transform/store/search data?** Use a **Data** node.
- **Need conditions/branching/code?** Use a **Logic** node.

Not sure what to pick? Start from your trigger and ask: “what’s the next step in my pipeline?” Then add the node that does only that step.

## Here are the Nodes

<NodesIndex/>

## Troubleshooting

- **Can’t find a node**: make sure you’re in the Flow Editor and click **Add Node**.
- **Node requires credentials**: check the node config panel for required connections (models/apps).
- **Output doesn’t match expectation**: run a test and inspect node outputs step-by-step.

## Next steps

- Learn how to build with Nodes in the [Flow Editor](/docs/flows/editor)
- Browse common patterns in [Guides](/guides)