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Input Node Guide

Overview​

The Input Node is a fundamental component of NINA workflows, serving as the starting point for data input into your workflow. It allows you to provide initial values or files that will be processed by subsequent nodes in your workflow.

Use Cases​

  • Providing domain names for security scanning
  • Uploading files for analysis
  • Entering configuration parameters
  • Supplying target URLs or IP addresses
  • Setting baseline data for workflow execution

Creating an Input Node​

Basic Setup​

  1. Drag an Input Node from the node palette onto your workflow canvas
  2. Give your node a descriptive name (e.g., "domain-input", "target-list", "configuration")

Input Node being added to a workflow

Input Types​

Input Nodes support two primary input methods:

1. Text Values​

You can enter one or more text values directly into the node:

  1. In the node configuration panel, within the "Values" tab
  2. Enter each value on a separate line (if array) / Enter a JSON on each line

Configuring text values in an Input Node

2. File Upload​

If the input is too long, it is preferable to upload a file instead. Since entering a large amount of data in the "Values" field will force the node to fail

You can upload files to be used as input:

  1. In the node configuration panel, within the "Files" tab
  2. Click "Upload File" to select and upload your file(s)

Uploading files to an Input Node

Configuration Options​

Node Properties​

PropertyDescription
NameA descriptive name for the node

Advanced Settings​

Input Nodes in NINA automatically handle:

  • Proper formatting of input data for downstream nodes
  • Line-by-line processing of multi-line inputs
  • Secure storage of uploaded files

How Input Nodes Work​

When a workflow is executed:

  1. The Input Node processes the provided text values or uploaded files
  2. The data is prepared in the format expected by downstream nodes
  3. The Input Node completes immediately after processing the data
  4. Downstream nodes can then access and process this input data

Best Practices​

  • Use Descriptive Names: Give your Input Node a clear name that indicates what data it provides
  • Consistent Formatting: Ensure text inputs follow a consistent format (one item per line)
  • File Types: When uploading files, ensure they're in a format compatible with downstream nodes

Examples​

Example 1: Domain List Input​

example.com
test-domain.com
security-test.org

Example 2: Configuration Input​

threads=10
timeout=30
verbose=true

Example 3: File Upload​

Upload a CSV file containing targets, a wordlist for fuzzing, or configuration files.

Troubleshooting​

IssueResolution
Empty outputEnsure you've entered valid values or uploaded files correctly
Format errorsCheck that your input format matches what downstream nodes expect
File access issuesVerify file uploads completed successfully

Next Steps​

After configuring your Input Node, connect it to downstream nodes such as:

  • Operation Nodes: To run security tools on your input data
  • Script Nodes: To process or transform your input
  • Integration Nodes: Directly into an integration node to serve as a "query" parameter for example (more on this in integration nodes)

Input Node connected to downstream nodes in a workflow