Appendix: Comparison Tables

State Types

State Types Comparison

Type	Purpose	Default	Example Use Cases
String	Text data	`""`	Titles, descriptions, status messages, file paths
Number	Numeric values	`0`	Counters, IDs, scores, indices
List	Ordered collections	`[]`	Search results, file lists, batch items
JSON	Key-value pairs	`{}`	API responses, config objects, metadata

Quick Guide: Text → String · Counter → Number · Multiple items → List · Structured → JSON

Nodes by Category Comparison

Node	Category	Purpose	LLM	External Tool	Key Feature
LLM	Interaction	Generate/analyze text	✔️	✘	Structured output, tool calling
Agent	Interaction	Specialized agents	✔️	✘	Reusable configurations
Toolkit	Execution	Direct ELITEA toolkit call	✘	✔️	Explicit parameters, fast
MCP	Execution	Model Context Protocol tools	✘	✔️	Remote MCP servers
Code	Execution	Python logic	✘	✘	Full programming control
Custom	Execution	Advanced config	Varies	Varies	Maximum flexibility
Router	Control Flow	Template routing	✘	✘	Multiple paths
Decision	Control Flow	AI routing	✔️	✘	LLM decision making
HITL	Control Flow	Human approval checkpoint	✘	✘	Approve / Edit / Reject actions
State Modifier	Utility	Transform state	✘	✘	Jinja2 templates
Printer	Utility	Display output to users	✘	✘	Pause & show messages

Control Flow Comparison

Feature	Router	Decision	HITL
Method	Template expressions	LLM reasoning	Human decision
Performance	Fast	Slower (LLM call)	Depends on human response time
Best For	Multiple clear paths, boolean logic	Contextual decisions	Approval gates, compliance checkpoints
Syntax	`{% if %}`/`{% elif %}`	Natural language	Configure message + routes
Outputs	Routes + default	Nodes + default	Per-action routes (approve/edit/reject)
State Change	None	None	`edit_state_key` updated on Edit
LLM Required	✘	✔️	✘

Selection: Multiple paths or boolean logic → Router · AI interpretation → Decision · Human sign-off required → HITL Examples:

# Router - Multiple paths
condition: |
  {% if 'approved' in input|lower %}PublishNode
  {% elif 'rejected' in input|lower %}RejectNode
  {% else %}ReviewNode{% endif %}

# Router - Boolean logic
condition: |
  {% if status == 'approved' and user_type == 'admin' %}AdminPath
  {% else %}RegularPath{% endif %}

# Decision - AI-powered
description: |
  Route based on user intent:
  - SaveNode if wants to save
  - EditNode if wants to edit
  - END if unclear

Execution Nodes Comparison

Feature	Toolkit	MCP	Code	Custom
Tool Selection	Manual	Manual	N/A	Manual
Parameters	Explicit mapping	Explicit mapping	Python code	JSON config
Use LLM	✘	✘	✘	Depends
Flexibility	Medium	Medium	Very High	Very High
Performance	Fast	Fast	Fast	Fast
Best For	ELITEA toolkit calls	MCP server tools	Custom logic	Advanced integrations

When to Use:

Scenario	Use
Create Jira ticket with known fields	Toolkit
Connect to GitHub MCP server	MCP
Calculate discount with business rules	Code
Execute custom MCP or Agent	Custom
Call API with fixed endpoint	Toolkit or Code
Access filesystem via MCP	MCP
Data transformation/processing	Code

Utility Nodes Comparison

Feature	State Modifier	Printer
Purpose	Transform state variables	Display output to users
Input	State variables	State variables or text
Output	Modified state	User interface message
Template Engine	Jinja2	Fixed/Variable/F-String
Pipeline Pause	No	Yes (waits for user)
Use Case	Combine/format data	Show progress/results
Example	Aggregate responses, increment counter	Display report, show status

State Modifier Features:

Combine multiple state variables with templates
Apply filters: from_json, base64_to_string, split_by_words
Clean up temporary variables
Format structured output

Printer Features:

Display formatted messages during execution
Pause pipeline for user review
Support Fixed, Variable, and F-String types
Resume after user acknowledgment

Selection: Transform/format data → State Modifier · Show output to user → Printer

Input Mapping Types

Type	Purpose	Syntax	Example
Fixed	Static value	`type: fixed, value: "text"`	`bucket_name: "production"`
Variable	State reference	`type: variable, value: var_name`	`query: user_question`
F-String	Dynamic template	`type: fstring, value: "text {var}"`	`title: "Report for {project}"`

Example:

input_mapping:
  project_type:         # Fixed - unchanging
    type: fixed
    value: "Story"
  project_id:           # Variable - from state
    type: variable
    value: jira_project_id
  title:                # F-String - combine vars
    type: fstring
    value: "[{project_key}] {summary}"

Connection Types Comparison

Type	Node Types	Config	Example
Transition	All except Router/Decision	`transition: NodeID`	`transition: ProcessData`
Router	Router	`condition` + `routes` + `default_output`	Multiple named paths
Decision	Decision	`decision.nodes` + `default_output`	LLM-powered routing
END	Any node	`transition: END`	Pipeline termination

Examples:

# Simple
transition: NextNode

# Router - Multiple paths
condition: "{% if status == 'done' %}Complete{% endif %}"
routes: [Complete, Retry]
default_output: Review

# Router - Boolean
condition: |
  {% if approved %}Publish
  {% else %}Review
  {% endif %}
routes: [Publish, Review]
default_output: Review

# Decision
decision:
  nodes: [Save, Edit, Reject]
  default_output: END

Interaction Nodes Comparison

Feature	LLM Node	Agent Node
Configuration	Full prompt control	Use agent’s config
Prompts	Define in node	Agent’s prompts
Toolkits	Select in node	Agent’s toolkits
Reusability	Node-specific	Reuse across pipelines
Flexibility	Very High	Limited to agent design
Setup	More effort	Less effort

Selection: Custom task → LLM · Existing agent → Agent · Reusability needed → Agent

Node Selection Decision Matrix

By Use Case

Goal	Recommended	Alternative
Generate text/content	LLM, Agent	-
Call ELITEA toolkit	Toolkit	Code
Execute MCP server tool	MCP	Code
Make decision	Router	Decision
Require human approval or review	HITL	-
Transform state	State Modifier	Code
Display output to user	Printer	-
Complex routing	Decision	Router
Custom logic	Code	-

By Complexity

Beginner: LLM (simple), Toolkit (clear params), Router (basic), State Modifier (simple), Printer
Intermediate: Agent, MCP, Decision
Advanced: Code, Custom

Quick Selection

Need	Use
Call GPT-4	LLM
Create Jira ticket	Toolkit
Decide next step	Router
Require human approval	HITL
Format output	State Modifier
Show progress message	Printer
Custom calculation	Code
Execute MCP tool	MCP
Execute agent	Agent
Advanced integration	Custom

Best Practices

State Management

✔️ Do: Descriptive names (user_story_title), initialize defaults, correct types, minimal state ✘ Avoid: Generic names (data, temp), unused variables, type mismatches

Node Configuration

✔️ Do: Clear IDs (extract_requirements), map required params, include messages for interrupts ✘ Avoid: Vague IDs (node1), missing parameters, ignoring validation

Flow Control

✔️ Do: Router for multiple paths and boolean logic, Decision for AI reasoning, provide defaults ✘ Avoid: Complex nesting, missing fallbacks, unreachable nodes

Execution

✔️ Do: Toolkit for ELITEA tools, MCP for MCP servers, Code for custom logic, handle errors ✘ Avoid: Hardcoded secrets, ignoring errors, wrong node for task

Common Patterns

Extract → Process → Act

- id: GatherInfo      # LLM extracts
- id: ProcessData     # Code processes
- id: TakeAction      # Toolkit executes

Use for: User stories, tickets, documents Conditional Workflow

- id: CheckStatus     # Router
- id: PathA           # Approved
- id: PathB           # Rejected

Use for: Approvals, status routing Data Integration

- id: FetchData       # Toolkit or MCP
- id: Transform       # Code node
- id: Display         # Printer shows result

Use for: API integration, data processing Human-in-Loop

- id: GenerateDraft   # LLM creates content
- id: ReviewDraft     # HITL pauses for human decision
- id: Publish         # Toolkit publishes (on Approve/Edit)
- id: Cancelled       # Printer confirms cancellation (on Reject)

Use for: Content approval, ticket sign-off, compliance checkpoints

Troubleshooting

Issue	Cause	Solution
State variable not found	Not in state section	Add to `state:`
Node won’t execute	Missing parameters	Check Input Mapping
Wrong path taken	Router logic error	Review condition syntax
Toolkit call fails	Wrong mapping	Verify mapping types
MCP connection fails	Server not configured	Check MCP server settings
Printer not showing	Wrong input type	Verify printer input_mapping
No interrupt output	Missing `messages`	Add to output list

Pipelines Overview · States · Nodes Overview
Interaction Nodes · Execution Nodes
Control Flow Nodes · Utility Nodes
Entry Point · Nodes Connectors · Flow Editor · YAML Configuration

Chat & Conversations

Indexing

Agents & Pipelines

Credentials & Toolkits

Entity Management

State Types Comparison

Nodes by Category Comparison

Control Flow Comparison

Execution Nodes Comparison

Utility Nodes Comparison

Input Mapping Types

Connection Types Comparison

Interaction Nodes Comparison

Node Selection Decision Matrix

By Use Case

By Complexity

Quick Selection

Best Practices

State Management

Node Configuration

Flow Control

Execution

Common Patterns

Troubleshooting

Chat & Conversations

Indexing

Agents & Pipelines

Credentials & Toolkits

Entity Management

​State Types Comparison

​Nodes by Category Comparison

​Control Flow Comparison

​Execution Nodes Comparison

​Utility Nodes Comparison

​Input Mapping Types

​Connection Types Comparison

​Interaction Nodes Comparison

​Node Selection Decision Matrix

​By Use Case

​By Complexity

​Quick Selection

​Best Practices

​State Management

​Node Configuration

​Flow Control

​Execution

​Common Patterns

​Troubleshooting

​Related Documentation

State Types Comparison

Nodes by Category Comparison

Control Flow Comparison

Execution Nodes Comparison

Utility Nodes Comparison

Input Mapping Types

Connection Types Comparison

Interaction Nodes Comparison

Node Selection Decision Matrix

By Use Case

By Complexity

Quick Selection

Best Practices

State Management

Node Configuration

Flow Control

Execution

Common Patterns

Troubleshooting

Related Documentation