Skip to content
BLBlender

Node Extrude Addon

by Kolupsy·Workflow

Images © Kolupsy. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

Node Extrude Addon earns its place in the superhive library as a focused patch for a specific gap in Blender's node workflow — the socket-drag extrusion common to other DCC packages. It's currently scoped to shader nodes and distributed under the GPL license.

What is Node Extrude Addon?

Node Extrude Addon is a Blender addon for the node editor. Most node-based DCC packages let you extrude nodes from sockets by dragging noodles out into empty space, a feature Blender is missing. This addon adds similar functionality, introducing a workflow for building node trees faster than before.

Extruding is handled through a dynamic, categorized context menu that displays the most common nodes to connect to a particular socket type. A vector output socket, for example, offers a Separate XYZ option, while a color input socket offers a Combine RGB option. The 1.0.1 update made the E shortcut configurable, alongside minor bug fixes and added documentation.

At the moment, only shader nodes are supported, with expansion to Geometry Nodes and Compositor Nodes noted as a goal for the near future. The addon is not recommended for Mac at present. It lists Blender 2.93 and is distributed under the GPL license.

Who is Node Extrude Addon best for?

Node Extrude Addon is best for blender artists building shader node trees who want socket-based node extrusion in the node editor.

How much does Node Extrude Addon cost?

Node Extrude Addon is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Socket-based node extrusion, similar to dragging noodles into empty space in other node-based DCC packages
  • Dynamic, categorized context menu displaying the most common nodes to connect to a particular socket type
  • Socket-aware suggestions, such as Separate XYZ for a vector output socket and Combine RGB for a color input socket
  • Configurable "E" shortcut for extruding, introduced in the 1.0.1 update
  • Shader node support at present
  • Included documentation

Tags

#Blender#node editor#shader nodes#addon#workflow#node extrusion#context menu

Frequently asked questions

Does Node Extrude Addon work with Geometry Nodes or the Compositor?

Node Extrude Addon supports shader nodes at the moment. Expanding the feature to work with Geometry Nodes and Compositor Nodes is listed as a goal for the near future, so those node types aren't covered yet. If your work centers on shader node trees, the addon applies directly; for geometry or compositing node workflows, it's worth checking the developer's page for any newer release before relying on it. The current scope is shader nodes only.

Which Blender version does Node Extrude Addon support?

Node Extrude Addon lists Blender 2.93 as its Blender version. The render engines noted for it are Blender-Internal, Cycles, Eevee, and Freestyle. If you're on a different Blender release, it's worth confirming compatibility on the developer's page before installing, since the addon hooks into the node editor. For anyone already working in 2.93 on shader node trees, it targets that environment directly.

Does Node Extrude Addon run on Mac?

Node Extrude Addon is not recommended for Mac at the moment, according to the developer. If you're on macOS, that's worth keeping in mind before installing, since the developer advises against it for now. Check the developer's page for any updates to Mac support before setting things up, as the recommendation could change with future releases. On other platforms, the addon adds its socket-based extrusion workflow to Blender's node editor.

How do you extrude a node with Node Extrude Addon?

Node Extrude Addon triggers node extrusion through a dynamic, categorized context menu. The menu displays the most common nodes to connect to a particular socket type — for instance, a vector output socket offers a Separate XYZ option, and a color input socket offers a Combine RGB option. The keyboard shortcut for extruding is E, which became configurable in the 1.0.1 update, so you can reassign it to suit your setup.

Is Node Extrude Addon free?

Node Extrude Addon is listed as free here, and it's distributed under the GPL license. For current licensing terms or any changes to how it's offered, the developer's page is the place to confirm. The addon comes with documentation added in a recent update, which helps when getting the socket-based extrusion workflow set up in Blender's node editor. A demo video is also available.

Similar plugins