getting-started
What is ComfyUI?
An introduction to ComfyUI — the open-source node-based AI generation tool.
Overview
ComfyUI is an open-source, node-based graphical interface for running AI image and video generation models. Instead of typing commands or writing code, you build workflows by dragging and connecting visual nodes — each node handles one step of the generation pipeline.
It was created by comfyanonymous and is now maintained by Comfy Org. The project is fully open source under the GPL-3.0 license.
Why ComfyUI?
Node-Based Workflow
Unlike simple text-to-image UIs, ComfyUI gives you full control over every step of the generation pipeline. You can:
- Chain multiple models together
- Apply ControlNet, IP-Adapter, and other conditioning
- Build complex multi-step workflows with branching logic
- Save and share workflows as JSON files
Broad Model Support
ComfyUI supports a wide range of AI models:
| Category | Supported Models |
|---|---|
| Image | Stable Diffusion 1.x / 2.x / XL / 3.x, Flux, Pixart, AuraFlow, HunyuanDiT |
| Video | Stable Video Diffusion, Mochi, LTX-Video, HunyuanVideo, Wan 2.1 |
| Audio | Stable Audio |
| 3D | Hunyuan3D 2.0 |
Performance
ComfyUI includes smart memory management that lets you run models on GPUs with limited VRAM (see System Requirements and GPU Compatibility for details). Key optimizations:
- Automatic model offloading to CPU/RAM when VRAM is full
--lowvramand--novrammodes for cards with less than 4 GB- Asynchronous queue system — queue multiple generations without waiting
- Works fully offline after initial setup
Cross-Platform
ComfyUI runs on Windows, macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), and Linux.
ComfyUI vs Other Tools
| Feature | ComfyUI | A1111 WebUI | Forge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interface | Node-based | Tab-based | Tab-based |
| Workflow flexibility | Very high | Medium | Medium |
| Video generation | Built-in | Extension | Extension |
| Memory efficiency | High | Medium | High |
| Learning curve | Steeper | Easier | Easier |
| Customizability | Very high | High | High |
ComfyUI Desktop vs Portable vs Manual
ComfyUI can be installed in three ways. Here's a quick comparison:
| Desktop App | Portable | Manual | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Difficulty | Easy | Easy | Advanced |
| Auto-updates | Yes | No | No |
| Bundled Python | Yes | Yes | No |
| GPU support | NVIDIA only | NVIDIA / AMD / CPU | All |
| Best for | Beginners | Most users | Developers |
Ready to install? Head to the Quick Start guide, or check System Requirements first.
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