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Skillsblender-syntax-nodes

blender-syntax-nodes

Design & creation

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Updated 10-15 22:17

About this skill

blender-syntax-nodes

Quick Reference

Critical Warnings

NEVER use node_group.inputs.new() or node_group.outputs.new() in Blender 4.0+ — these are removed. ALWAYS use node_group.interface.new_socket().

NEVER access node sockets by index (node.inputs[0]) — indices shift when sockets are added or removed. ALWAYS use node.inputs["Name"].

NEVER use scene.node_tree for compositor access in Blender 5.0+ — it is removed. ALWAYS use scene.compositing_node_group.

NEVER set modifier inputs by socket name (modifier["Width"]) — modifier inputs use auto-generated identifiers (Socket_N). ALWAYS iterate interface.items_tree to find the correct identifier.

NEVER modify node trees during an active render — race conditions with the render thread cause crashes. ALWAYS modify nodes before render starts.

Node Tree Architecture

All node systems in Blender share this architecture:

NodeTree
├── nodes: Collection[Node]        — all nodes in the tree
├── links: Collection[NodeLink]    — connections between sockets
└── interface: NodeTreeInterface   — group inputs/outputs (4.0+)

Node
├── inputs: Collection[NodeSocket]   — input sockets
├── outputs: Collection[NodeSocket]  — output sockets
├── location: (x, y)                 — position in editor
└── name / label / bl_idname         — identification

NodeLink
├── from_node / from_socket          — source
└── to_node / to_socket              — destination

NodeSocket
├── name / identifier                — naming
├── type                             — data type enum
├── is_linked                        — connection state
└── default_value                    — value when unconnected

Node Tree Types

type Parameter Purpose Access Pattern
'GeometryNodeTree' Geometry Nodes bpy.data.node_groups.new(name, 'GeometryNodeTree')
'ShaderNodeTree' Material/World shaders material.node_tree or bpy.data.node_groups.new(name, 'ShaderNodeTree')
'CompositorNodeTree' Compositor scene.node_tree (3.x/4.x) or scene.compositing_node_group (5.0+)
'TextureNodeTree' Legacy texture nodes bpy.data.node_groups.new(name, 'TextureNodeTree')
'SverchCustomTreeType' Sverchok parametric nodes (third-party addon) bpy.data.node_groups (filter by bl_idname=='SverchCustomTreeType'). Requires Sverchok addon enabled. See sverchok-core-concepts skill.

Decision Tree: Which Node API?

Q: Are you creating a node GROUP (reusable)?
├── YES → bpy.data.node_groups.new(name, tree_type)
│         Then: group.interface.new_socket() for inputs/outputs (4.0+)
└── NO → What node tree type?
    ├── Shader → material.use_nodes = True; tree = material.node_tree
    ├── Compositor (3.x/4.x) → scene.use_nodes = True; tree = scene.node_tree
    ├── Compositor (5.0+) → tree = bpy.data.node_groups.new(name, 'CompositorNodeTree')
    │                        scene.compositing_node_group = tree
    └── Geometry Nodes → Create group, assign to modifier

Decision Tree: Socket Interface (Version-Critical)

Q: What Blender version?
├── 3.x → node_group.inputs.new(socket_type, name)
│         node_group.outputs.new(socket_type, name)
├── 4.0+ → node_group.interface.new_socket(name=, in_out=, socket_type=)
└── 4.1+ → Also supports: node_group.interface.new_panel(name)
           with parent= parameter on new_socket()

Essential Patterns

Pattern 1: Creating a Node Group (Blender 4.0+)

import bpy

# Create the node group
group = bpy.data.node_groups.new("MyNodeGroup", 'GeometryNodeTree')
group.nodes.clear()

# Add Group Input/Output nodes
input_node = group.nodes.new('NodeGroupInput')
input_node.location = (-300, 0)
output_node = group.nodes.new('NodeGroupOutput')
output_node.location = (300, 0)

# Define interface sockets (4.0+)
group.interface.new_socket(name="Geometry", in_out='INPUT', socket_type='NodeSocketGeometry')
group.interface.new_socket(name="Scale", in_out='INPUT', socket_type='NodeSocketFloat')
group.interface.new_socket(name="Geometry", in_out='OUTPUT', socket_type='NodeSocketGeometry')

Pattern 2: Creating and Linking Nodes

# Add nodes
transform = group.nodes.new('GeometryNodeTransform')
transform.location = (0, 0)

# Link: source output -> destination input
group.links.new(input_node.outputs["Geometry"], transform.inputs["Geometry"])
group.links.new(input_node.outputs["Scale"], transform.inputs["Scale"])
group.links.new(transform.outputs["Geometry"], output_node.inputs["Geometry"])

Pattern 3: Shader Node Material

mat = bpy.data.materials.new("MyMaterial")
mat.use_nodes = True
tree = mat.node_tree
tree.nodes.clear()

# Add nodes
principled = tree.nodes.new('ShaderNodeBsdfPrincipled')
principled.location = (0, 0)
output = tree.nodes.new('ShaderNodeOutputMaterial')
output.location = (300, 0)

# Link
tree.links.new(principled.outputs["BSDF"], output.inputs["Surface"])

# Set values on unlinked sockets
principled.inputs["Base Color"].default_value = (0.8, 0.2, 0.1, 1.0)
principled.inputs["Roughness"].default_value = 0.4

Pattern 4: Assigning Geometry Nodes to Object

obj = bpy.context.active_object
modifier = obj.modifiers.new(name="GeoNodes", type='NODES')
modifier.node_group = bpy.data.node_groups["MyNodeGroup"]

# Set modifier input values: MUST find identifier first
for item in modifier.node_group.interface.items_tree:
    if item.item_type == 'SOCKET' and item.in_out == 'INPUT':
        if item.name == "Scale":
            modifier[item.identifier] = 2.5
            break

Pattern 5: Compositor Nodes (Version-Aware)

import bpy

scene = bpy.context.scene

if bpy.app.version >= (5, 0, 0):
    # Blender 5.0+: compositor uses node groups
    comp_tree = bpy.data.node_groups.new("MyCompositor", 'CompositorNodeTree')
    scene.compositing_node_group = comp_tree
else:
    # Blender 3.x/4.x: compositor on scene
    scene.use_nodes = True
    comp_tree = scene.node_tree

comp_tree.nodes.clear()

render_layers = comp_tree.nodes.new('CompositorNodeRLayers')
render_layers.location = (-300, 0)
composite = comp_tree.nodes.new('CompositorNodeComposite')
composite.location = (300, 0)

comp_tree.links.new(render_layers.outputs["Image"], composite.inputs["Image"])

Pattern 6: Interface Panels (Blender 4.1+)

# Group sockets into collapsible panels
group = bpy.data.node_groups["MyNodeGroup"]

panel = group.interface.new_panel("Dimensions")
group.interface.new_socket(
    name="Width", in_out='INPUT',
    socket_type='NodeSocketFloat', parent=panel
)
group.interface.new_socket(
    name="Height", in_out='INPUT',
    socket_type='NodeSocketFloat', parent=panel
)

Common Operations

Adding Common Node Types

Geometry Nodes:

Node Type String Purpose
'GeometryNodeMeshCube' Cube mesh primitive
'GeometryNodeMeshCylinder' Cylinder mesh primitive
'GeometryNodeMeshGrid' Grid mesh primitive
'GeometryNodeMeshLine' Line mesh primitive
'GeometryNodeTransform' Transform geometry
'GeometryNodeSetPosition' Set vertex positions
'GeometryNodeJoinGeometry' Merge geometries
'GeometryNodeInstanceOnPoints' Instance objects on points
'GeometryNodeCurvePrimitiveLine' Curve line
'GeometryNodeExtrudeMesh' Extrude mesh faces/edges
'GeometryNodeBooleanMath' Boolean operations
'GeometryNodeInputPosition' Read position attribute
'GeometryNodeStoreNamedAttribute' Write custom attribute
'FunctionNodeInputVector' Vector input value
'ShaderNodeMath' Math operations (shared)
'ShaderNodeVectorMath' Vector math (shared)

Shader Nodes:

Node Type String Purpose
'ShaderNodeBsdfPrincipled' Principled BSDF shader
'ShaderNodeOutputMaterial' Material output
'ShaderNodeTexImage' Image texture
'ShaderNodeTexNoise' Noise texture
'ShaderNodeTexCoord' Texture coordinates
'ShaderNodeMapping' Vector mapping
'ShaderNodeMixRGB' Color mix (3.x)
'ShaderNodeMix' Mix node (4.0+, replaces MixRGB)
'ShaderNodeNormalMap' Normal map
'ShaderNodeBump' Bump mapping
'ShaderNodeValToRGB' Color ramp
'ShaderNodeSeparateXYZ' Split vector components
'ShaderNodeCombineXYZ' Combine vector components

Compositor Nodes:

Node Type String Purpose
'CompositorNodeRLayers' Render Layers input
'CompositorNodeComposite' Final composite output
'CompositorNodeViewer' Viewer node
'CompositorNodeMixRGB' Mix colors
'CompositorNodeBlur' Blur filter
'CompositorNodeGlare' Glare effect
'CompositorNodeColorBalance' Color balance

Common Socket Types

Socket Type String Data Type Default Value Type
'NodeSocketFloat' Single float float
'NodeSocketInt' Integer int
'NodeSocketBool' Boolean bool
'NodeSocketVector' 3D vector (float, float, float)
'NodeSocketColor' RGBA color (float, float, float, float)
'NodeSocketString' String str
'NodeSocketGeometry' Geometry data N/A (link-only)
'NodeSocketMaterial' Material ref Material or None
'NodeSocketObject' Object ref Object or None
'NodeSocketCollection' Collection ref Collection or None
'NodeSocketImage' Image ref Image or None
'NodeSocketShader' Shader closure N/A (link-only)

Removing Nodes and Links

# Remove a specific node
tree.nodes.remove(tree.nodes["NodeName"])

# Remove a specific link
for link in tree.links:
    if link.from_node.name == "Source" and link.to_node.name == "Dest":
        tree.links.remove(link)
        break

# Clear all nodes
tree.nodes.clear()

# Clear all links (keeps nodes)
tree.links.clear()

Setting Socket Default Values

# Set value on an UNLINKED input socket
node.inputs["Value"].default_value = 1.5
node.inputs["Vector"].default_value = (1.0, 2.0, 3.0)
node.inputs["Color"].default_value = (1.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0)

# Check if socket is linked before setting default
if not node.inputs["Value"].is_linked:
    node.inputs["Value"].default_value = 1.5

Node Layout and Organization

# Position nodes for readability
node_a.location = (-300, 0)
node_b.location = (0, 0)
node_c.location = (300, 0)

# Add a frame for visual grouping
frame = tree.nodes.new('NodeFrame')
frame.label = "Processing Stage"
frame.use_custom_color = True
frame.color = (0.2, 0.4, 0.6)

# Parent nodes to frame
node_a.parent = frame
node_b.parent = frame

# Mute a node (bypass it)
node_b.mute = True

# Hide a node (collapse)
node_b.hide = True

Version Migration Matrix

Feature Blender 3.x Blender 4.0+ Blender 5.0+
Group socket creation group.inputs.new() / group.outputs.new() group.interface.new_socket() group.interface.new_socket()
Interface panels Not available Not available Available (added 4.1)
Compositor tree access scene.node_tree scene.node_tree scene.compositing_node_group
scene.use_nodes (compositor) Required Required Deprecated (always True)
Mix node ShaderNodeMixRGB ShaderNodeMix (new) ShaderNodeMix
Shader name 3D_UNIFORM_COLOR Valid Removed — use UNIFORM_COLOR Use UNIFORM_COLOR

Reference Links

Official Sources