Blocks & Nodes
In GLIK, agent applications are constructed using modular components known as blocks and nodes. While these terms are often used interchangeably, they serve distinct roles within the system — particularly in the context of deployment, execution, and platform integration.
This overview clarifies the difference between blocks and nodes, and explains how they operate across various app types in GLIK Cloud and GLIK Open Core environments.
What Are Blocks?
Blocks are the visual components available in the GLIK Studio interface. Users can drag, configure, and connect blocks to build workflows without writing code.
Represent high-level actions or logic units (e.g., LLM call, IF/ELSE, Variable Assigner)
Include UI configuration (e.g., dropdowns, variable bindings, content prompts)
Support nested logic, parallel flows, and scoped memory control
Blocks are the front-end abstraction of the orchestration logic and do not execute directly. Instead, they are compiled into runtime nodes.
What Are Nodes?
Nodes are the underlying runtime units that execute within GLIK’s orchestration engine. Each node corresponds to a block and is defined as part of a directed flow graph.
Nodes are generated when a user saves or deploys an app from GLIK Studio
They operate sequentially or conditionally depending on app logic
Each node processes input, updates memory, and passes results downstream
Nodes are used in:
Open Core — where flows are defined and deployed directly without visual UI
GLIK Cloud execution engine — where blocks are translated into nodes behind the scenes
App Type Integration
Each GLIK app type compiles blocks into nodes using a standardized orchestration model. Here’s how blocks and nodes fit across different app types:
Chatbot
Limited (LLM, Answer)
Stateless node chain
No memory, single-turn
Agent
Full block range
Autonomous node orchestration
Uses tools, memory, and feedback loops
Advanced Chat
Full block range + memory blocks
Stateful node execution
Supports conversation memory and escalation
Workflow
Deterministic blocks
Single-run execution graph
Designed for API automations and output transformation
Blocks are stored as configuration metadata in GLIK Cloud
Nodes are compiled representations stored in DSL or YAML in Open Core
Each node type has a unique schema: input bindings, execution context, return types
To extend or create new logic, developers may define custom nodes or plugins that render new blocks in the Studio.
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