Start Node

The start node is the mandatory entry point for every workflow. It is automatically executed first, regardless of the trigger type (manual, schedule, webhook, SDK call).

What It Does

The start node receives the trigger input payload and spreads its fields into variables, making them accessible to all downstream nodes via {{input.*}} substitution.

No configuration required. There is exactly one start node per workflow.

Behavior

Variable Access

After the start node runs, downstream nodes can reference trigger fields:

{{input.userId}}       → top-level field from the trigger payload
{{input.data.name}}    → nested field
{{lastOutput}}         → the full input object

Example Trigger Payload

{
  "userId": "usr_123",
  "action": "summarize",
  "text": "The quick brown fox..."
}

With this payload, {{input.userId}} resolves to "usr_123" in any downstream node.