Using Custom Nodes

Once you've mastered Nodes for Beginners, you'll realise how powerful nodes can be. Rather than reinventing the wheel every time you create a feed, Graze makes it possible for you to create a Custom Node that you can use across multiple feeds and share with other Graze users. You can also browse Custom Nodes that have already been created and shared to find one that fits your purpose.

Starting out with Custom Nodes

You can find Custom Nodes on your Dashboard sidebar:

To begin, you can search or browse through the Custom Nodes that other users have made and shared:

When you find a Custom Node that does what you're looking for, you view it in the Editor to see what it's parameters look like:

If you'd like to remix the Custom Node and tweak it a little, you can hit the Remix button:

This will bring up a copy of the Custom Node, let you rename it and redescribe it, and make the changes you need:

If you're happy with the Custom Node as it is, you can click Add to Feed, and you'll be given a list of your feeds to choose from:

When you've added the Custom Node to your feed, you'll be able to click the dropdown arrow to access the details:

This will give you two important options:

The first is the ability to turn on Auto-Update. This means that whenever the creator of the Custom Node improves the logic, your feed will automatically update. This is optional.

The second is the ability to Detach the Custom Node. This means the Custom Node is now just logic in your feed, which you can edit as normal.

Creating your own Custom Node

If you can't find a Custom Node that's quite what you're after, you can start from scratch and make your own.

You can also access Custom Nodes from the sidebar to the Editor canvas:

What is a Custom Node?

A Custom Node is really just a bit of your feed's logic that you want to be able to repeat or share with others. The editor works in just the same way as when you're creating a feed.

For example, this Custom Node is a more advanced bit of logic around word lists, which searches for words/terms in text, hashtags, and hidden tags of a post, as well as alt-text of images, videos, and gifs. Once you've got this logic working correctly, creating it as a Custom Node means you can reuse it, and (if you choose to make it public) others might want to use it as well.

One of the ways that Custom Nodes are even better is that they let you use Parameters. This lets you streamline your logic in the rest of the node by defining the Parameter up top, and then using $PARAM in your logic.

You can also have a Toggle Parameter. This lets a user opt in or out of various bits of your Custom Node's logic.

For example, in @fema's Website Blocklist Custom Node, you can toggle on the sites that you would like to block from your feed:

Custom Nodes are extremely powerful, and are great for Content Moderation. We have a special channel in our Discord where you can come and showcase your Custom Nodes, or see what others have been working on.