Node Reference
Every layer in Caddis is built from nodes wired together in a graph. Each node takes typed inputs on its ports, does one job, and produces typed outputs. This section documents each node — its ports, parameters, how it works, and usage examples. Use the sidebar to browse by category, or search (top right) to jump straight to a node.
Data types
Edges carry more than images. A port's type determines what can connect to it.
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
Image | The primary RGBA buffer (16-bit float, GPU texture). The thing you usually see. |
Mask | A single-channel image, used for masking and matte work. |
Scalar · Vec2 · Vec3 · Color | Lightweight value types — numbers, vectors, and colors. No GPU allocation. |
Points · Shape | Geometry — point clouds and bezier shapes. CPU data, rasterized explicitly by Draw nodes. |
Text | A typographic layout object — content, font params, and computed glyph positions. |
ScalarField · VectorField · ColorField | Spatial functions sampled at any (x, y). Drive points, shapes, and effects procedurally. |
Value types can feed image inputs (Caddis converts them), but geometry and fields are sampled directly by the nodes that understand them — there's no implicit conversion to a texture.
Categories
| Category | What it's for | Jump in |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Bring images, video, audio, and SVG into a comp | ImageSource |
| AI | Generate and transform media with AI models | GenerateImage |
| Shapes | Create vector geometry | Rectangle |
| Shape Ops | Transform and combine shapes | ShapeBoolean |
| Points | Generate point clouds | Grid |
| Point Ops | Move, attribute, and filter points | PointAdvect |
| Text | Typography and per-glyph animation | Text |
| Fields | Procedural spatial functions | Noise |
| Effects | Image-space effects | Blur |
| Color | Grading and channel ops | Levels |
| Composite | Combine layers and mattes | Merge |
| Render | Rasterize geometry / text to pixels | DrawShape |
| Math | Values, vectors, and field math | Math |
| Track | Motion tracking | PlanarTrack |
| Time | Retime and offset evaluation | Time |
| Utility | Transforms, caching, routing | Transform2D |
New to Caddis? Start with the Introduction for the concepts, or Getting Started for a first walkthrough.