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Merging brings the result of two separate threads together into a single synthesis node. You’ve run parallel explorations — two models on the same problem, a fact-check branch alongside the main draft, two competing approaches — and now you’re ready to decide. The synthesis node is where that decision lives.

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What merging is — and isn’t

NodePad does not automatically combine your threads. There’s no algorithm that reads two conversations and produces a summary. You are the one who reconciles them: you read both threads, draw your own conclusion, and write the synthesis. NodePad gives you the structure — the synthesis node, connected to both source threads — to capture and anchor that conclusion on the canvas. This is intentional. Automatic reconciliation sounds convenient, but it hides the reasoning. When you author the synthesis yourself, you know exactly what was decided and why. That synthesis becomes a reliable node you can fork from or cite in future threads.
The synthesis node is a regular node. You can fork from it, attach sticky notes to it, or use it as the starting point for further merges.

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Common reasons to merge

You forked to get a second opinion from a different model before making a high-stakes decision. Both models have replied. Read both, weigh them, and write the synthesis: what you’re going to do and why.Example: Claude recommended one database schema; GPT-5 recommended another. You merge, write out which approach you’re taking and what tradeoffs you’re accepting, and continue the project from that node.
You forked to chase a specific statistic or claim. The branch has the verified result. Merge it back into the main draft thread and write the synthesis — the exact phrasing that incorporates the verified stat.Example: Your writing thread paused at “studies show X%.” The fact-check branch found the real figure. You merge, write the corrected sentence, and continue the draft.
You’ve been running multiple independent research threads on the same canvas. You’re ready to bring their findings together into a single view before you start writing conclusions.Example: Three threads covering labor markets, healthcare outcomes, and education spillovers. Merge them into a synthesis that names the common thread across all three findings.

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How to merge two threads

1

Identify the two threads to merge

You need a source thread (the one with the result you want to bring in) and a destination thread (the one you’re merging into). Both must be on the same canvas.
2

Open the action menu on the destination node

Hover the node in the destination thread where you want the synthesis to appear. Click Merge in the action menu.
3

Select the source thread

NodePad prompts you to select the source thread you want to merge from. Click it on the canvas to confirm the connection.
4

Write the synthesis

A new synthesis node appears, connected to both threads. Write your reconciled conclusion directly in that node — what you decided, what you’re keeping, what you’re setting aside.
5

Continue from the synthesis node

The synthesis node is the new starting point. Your next message in either thread can now reference or build on it.

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The synthesis node on the canvas

The synthesis node appears on the canvas as a distinct node type, visually connected to both threads it reconciles. This makes the provenance clear: anyone looking at the canvas can trace which threads contributed to the conclusion and read both before trusting the synthesis.
If you’re working with a team, write your synthesis notes with enough context that a collaborator can understand the decision without reading every message in both threads. The synthesis node is often the first thing a reviewer will look at.
A merge does not close or archive the source thread. Both original threads remain fully intact on the canvas after the merge. You can continue either thread independently if new information surfaces later.