Start
Definition
The “Start” node is a critical preset node in the Chatflow / Workflow application. It provides essential initial information, such as user input and uploaded files, to support the normal flow of the application and subsequent workflow nodes.
Configuring the Node
On the Start node’s settings page, you’ll find two sections: “Input Fields” and preset System Variables.
Input Field
Input field is configured by application developers to prompt users for additional information.
For example, in a weekly report application, users might be required to provide background information such as name, work date range, and work details in a specific format. This preliminary information helps the LLM generate higher quality responses.
Six types of input variables are supported, all of which can be set as required:
- Text: Short text, filled in by the user, with a maximum length of 256 characters.
- Paragraph: Long text, allowing users to input longer content.
- Select: Fixed options set by the developer; users can only select from preset options and cannot input custom content.
- Number: Only allows numerical input.
- Single File: Allows users to upload a single file. Supports document types, images, audio, video, and other file types. Users can upload locally or paste a file URL. For detailed usage, refer to File Upload.
- File List: Allows users to batch upload files. Supports document types, images, audio, video, and other file types. Users can upload locally or paste file URLs. For detailed usage, refer to File Upload.
Once configured, users will be guided to provide necessary information to the LLM before using the application. More information will help to improve the LLM’s question-answering efficiency.
System Variables
System variables are system-level parameters preset in Chatflow / Workflow applications that can be globally read by other nodes within the application. They are typically used in advanced development scenarios, such as building multi-round conversation applications, collecting application logs and monitoring, and recording usage behavior across different applications and users.
Workflow
Workflow type applications provide the following system variables:
| Variable Name | Data Type | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
sys.files [LEGACY] | Array[File] | File parameter, stores images uploaded by users when initially using the application | Image upload feature needs to be enabled in “Features” at the top right of the application configuration page |
sys.user_id | String | User ID, system automatically assigns a unique identifier to each user when using the workflow application to distinguish different conversation users | |
sys.app_id | String | Application ID, system assigns a unique identifier to each Workflow application to distinguish different applications and record basic information of the current application through this parameter | For users with development capabilities to distinguish and locate different Workflow applications using this parameter |
sys.workflow_id | String | Workflow ID, used to record all node information contained in the current Workflow application | For users with development capabilities to track and record node information within the Workflow |
sys.workflow_run_id | String | Workflow application run ID, used to record the running status of the Workflow application | For users with development capabilities to track application run history |
Chatflow
Chatflow type applications provide the following system variables:
| Variable Name | Data Type | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
sys.query | String | Initial content entered by users in the dialogue box | |
sys.files | Array[File] | Images uploaded by users in the dialogue box | Image upload feature needs to be enabled in “Features” at the top right of the application configuration page |
sys.dialogue_count | Number | Number of conversation rounds when users interact with Chatflow type applications. Count automatically increases by 1 after each round of dialogue, can be combined with if-else nodes for rich branching logic. For example, reviewing and analyzing conversation history at round X | |
sys.conversation_id | String | Unique identifier for dialogue interaction sessions, grouping all related messages into the same conversation, ensuring LLM maintains continuous dialogue on the same topic and context | |
sys.user_id | String | Unique identifier assigned to each application user to distinguish different conversation users | |
sys.app_id | String | Application ID, system assigns a unique identifier to each Workflow application to distinguish different applications and record basic information of the current application through this parameter | For users with development capabilities to distinguish and locate different Workflow applications using this parameter |
sys.workflow_id | String | Workflow ID, used to record all node information contained in the current Workflow application | For users with development capabilities to track and record node information within the Workflow |
sys.workflow_run_id | String | Workflow application run ID, used to record the running status of the Workflow application | For users with development capabilities to track application run history |