Node family map
How Fusion node systems differ
Fusion does not pass the same kind of data through every wire. Shape nodes carry vector shapes, particle nodes carry simulations, classic 3D and USD carry scenes, while render nodes convert those systems back into normal images for final compositing.
Start here
12 guides that explain Fusion architecture
These pages explain why some nodes connect directly, why others require a renderer, and how different data systems eventually meet in the final 2D composite.
Core image pipeline
regular 2D nodes
MediaIn, Merge, Transform, Blur, Glow, Color Corrector and most familiar Fusion tools operate on flat image data: pixels, RGB, alpha, masks and image domains. This is the main 2D pipeline that Shape, Particle, 3D and USD systems usually return to after rendering.
S-nodes and mask tools
Shape vs masks
Rectangle, Ellipse and Polygon usually define where an effect is allowed to operate. SRectangle, SEllipse, SText, SMerge and SRender belong to a separate vector Shape system that must be rendered before it becomes a normal 2D image.
Simulation pipeline
Particle nodes
Nodes with a p prefix pass particle data rather than a finished image. Emitters create particles, forces change their motion, collision and behavior nodes modify the simulation, pMerge combines particle streams and pRender converts the result into an image.
Classic Fusion 3D
Fusion 3D
Text3D, ImagePlane3D, Shape3D, Merge3D, Camera3D, lights, materials and Renderer3D form Fusion's classic 3D scene pipeline. Before Renderer3D the wire represents a scene, not a finished 2D image.
Universal Scene Description
USD / U nodes
UCamera, UShape, UMerge, UMaterial, UTexture, UTransform and URenderer belong to Fusion's USD-oriented pipeline. They work with scene-description concepts such as hierarchy, variants, visibility, materials and assets rather than acting as replacements for classic Merge3D nodes.
Data boundaries
Merge & Render
Merge, MultiMerge, Merge3D, SMerge, pMerge, UMerge, Renderer3D, SRender, pRender and URenderer share similar names but operate in different Fusion data systems. Merge nodes combine compatible data; render nodes often convert a specialized system into a regular 2D image.
Motion analysis
Tracking nodes
Tracker, Planar Tracker, Surface Tracker and Camera Tracker first analyze movement in the shot. Their data can then drive graphics, masks, stabilization, screen replacements or a reconstructed 3D camera rather than acting as a final visual effect by themselves.
Image data and auxiliary channels
Color & channels
Color, Channel, Deep, Depth, Disparity, Stereo, VR, OCIO and DCTL tools can affect far more than the visible RGB result. They manage alpha, mattes, depth, auxiliary channels, color spaces, gamut and stereo-related information that determines whether a composite remains technically correct.
Surface appearance
Materials & light
Blinn, Phong, CookTorrance, MaterialMerge, PointLight, SpotLight, AmbientLight, DomeLight and USD material tools determine how 3D surfaces respond visually. Geometry defines shape; materials, textures, normals, reflections and lighting determine whether that shape reads as a believable object.
Design and animation
Motion graphics
Titles, lower thirds, lines, UI graphics and animated cards in Fusion are usually built from combinations of Text+, Shape, Transform, Merge, timing, duplication, trails, motion blur and finishing effects rather than one dedicated 'motion graphics' node type.
Production plumbing
Utility & data
Saver, Loader, SetDomain, AutoDomain, Crop, Resize, metadata tools, WirelessLink, Underlay and similar utilities rarely create a flashy look, but they make large Fusion compositions faster, clearer, safer and easier to maintain.
Big-picture map
Fusion architecture
A practical map of how regular 2D nodes, masks, Shape data, particles, classic 3D scenes, materials, USD, tracking, color channels and utility tools interact. Start here when Fusion feels like an unrelated collection of node types.