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Pretty Nodes

by Creative Skipper·Workflow

Images © Creative Skipper. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

Stands out in the superhive library for bundling color, reroute, frame, and alignment tools into a single sidebar panel that works across all three node editors.

What is Pretty Nodes?

Pretty Nodes is a Blender add-on aimed at keeping node trees clean and readable. It brings together several sets of tools inside one sidebar panel that appears in the Shader Editor, the Compositor, and the Geometry Nodes editor. One of those tools is a custom node color palette: you add named colors, apply them to all selected nodes through a context menu called Pretty Node Colors, and the palette persists between sessions.

Beyond coloring, the add-on includes a Reroute Helper for working with reroute chains. It can connect selected reroutes in sequence, select and clean an orthogonal chain, and assign labels by root node, adding a label to every reroute in a chain or just the start and end. A Frame Helper manages frame label sizes, applying changes to selected frames, all frames, or root frames only, and supports quick frame selection. The Node Aligner lines up selected nodes to the top, bottom, left, or right edge with control over the distance between them.

Pretty Nodes is a GPL-licensed add-on that supports Blender 3.6 through 4.5 and reaches all of its tools from the Node Editor sidebar.

Who is Pretty Nodes best for?

Pretty Nodes is best for blender users who want to keep node trees in the Shader Editor, Compositor, and Geometry Nodes tidy and readable.

How much does Pretty Nodes cost?

Pretty Nodes is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Custom node color palette with named colors, applied to selected nodes via the "Pretty Node Colors" context menu; the palette persists between sessions
  • Reroute Helper that connects selected reroutes in sequence and can select and clean an orthogonal chain
  • Assign Label by root node, adding a label to every reroute in a chain or only the start and end
  • Frame Helper for changing frame label sizes, with options to apply to selected frames, all frames, or root frames only
  • Quick frame selection, for example to change color on several frames at once
  • Node Aligner that aligns selected nodes to the top, bottom, left, or right edge, with control over distance between nodes
  • Available in the Shader Editor, Compositor, and Geometry Nodes editor from the sidebar

Tags

#node management#node editor#shader editor#compositor#geometry nodes#node alignment#reroute#blender add-on

Frequently asked questions

What Blender versions does Pretty Nodes support?

Pretty Nodes supports Blender 3.6 through 4.5 and is listed as Blender Extension compatible, so it fits that range of releases. It installs as an add-on, and its tools appear in the Node Editor sidebar under a Pretty Nodes tab. The panel is available in the Shader Editor, the Compositor, and the Geometry Nodes editor. If you run a version outside 3.6 to 4.5, check the developer's page before installing to confirm current support for your setup.

Where do I find Pretty Nodes in the Blender interface?

Pretty Nodes lives in the Node Editor sidebar under a tab named Pretty Nodes. It is available in the Shader Editor, the Compositor, and the Geometry Nodes editor, so the same panel appears regardless of which node tree you open. From there you reach the node color palette, the reroute chain tools, the frame label controls, and the node aligner. Node colors are also applied through a context menu labeled Pretty Node Colors on the selected nodes.

Does Pretty Nodes work in the Compositor and Geometry Nodes?

Pretty Nodes works across the Shader Editor, the Compositor, and the Geometry Nodes editor, with its sidebar panel present in each. The same reroute, frame, color, and alignment tools are available in all three editors. Reroute Helper handles chains of reroutes, Frame Helper manages frame label sizes, the palette assigns node colors, and Node Aligner lines up selected nodes to a chosen edge. Node colors apply through a context menu called Pretty Node Colors on the selected nodes, and the palette persists between sessions.

Is Pretty Nodes free, and what license does it use?

Pretty Nodes is listed as free in this catalog and is distributed under the GPL license. Licensing terms can change over time, so check the developer's page for the current details before you rely on any particular arrangement. The add-on is published by Creative Skipper and is marked Blender Extension compatible for the 3.6 to 4.5 range. If you have questions about licensing or usage rights, the developer's page is the place to confirm them.

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