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This walkthrough gives you a real first session in NodePad. By the end, you will have a workspace with multiple branches, a text note, a cross-branch reference, and a merged follow-up message.
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Open a workspace

After you sign in, open a workspace from the sidebar or create a new one. A fresh workspace starts as an empty canvas with a draft message node ready to use.

Send your first message

Type a prompt into the draft composer and send it. If you want a different model for the next new branch, switch the workspace default from the header before you send.Once the assistant replies, you have your first branch.

Branch from a message

Right-click the message you want to branch from and choose Branch from here. NodePad creates a new draft connected to that point in the conversation.Send a different follow-up in the new branch so you can compare the outcomes side by side.

Add a text note to the canvas

Right-click empty canvas space and choose New text note here. Use the note for your own annotations, to-do items, or reminders about what you want to test next.Text notes are for you. They do not get injected into model context.

Reference another branch with @

In a new draft, type @ and select a branch or message from the picker. NodePad inserts a reference token and stores the actual message link behind it.Send a prompt such as: “Use the idea in @B1-2, but rewrite it for a non-technical audience.”

Merge multiple sources into one next step

Select messages from at least two different branches and use Merge into new message. NodePad opens a new draft with those sources attached.Now ask for a synthesis, comparison, or decision. This is the fastest way to combine parallel work without copy-pasting.

Export or duplicate the workspace

Use the export menu in the workspace header when you want a portable .nodepad file or an image of the canvas. You can also duplicate a workspace from the sidebar when you want to preserve one version before changing direction.

Continue

Forking

When to branch, when to re-run, and how to compare cleanly.

References and merge sources

The difference between @ references, merge edges, and merged drafts.

Per-branch model selection

Switch the workspace default and branch to lock in a different model.