How to Install Custom Nodes in ComfyUI

This guide will show you different methods to install custom nodes in ComfyUI

What are Custom Nodes ?

Custom nodes are extensions for ComfyUI that add new functionality like advanced image processing, machine learning fine-tuning, color adjustments, and more. These community-developed nodes can significantly expand ComfyUI’s core capabilities.

Before installing custom nodes, it’s important to review them carefully. Since ComfyUI is an open-source project, malicious plugins could potentially exploit custom nodes:

1. Only install custom nodes from trusted authors and those commonly used by the community
2. Understand the plugin’s functionality before installing and avoid unknown sources to ensure system security
3. Avoid installing obscure or suspicious plugins - unverified plugins may pose security risks that could lead to system compromise

All custom node installations require completing these two steps:

1. Clone the node code to the ComfyUI/custom_nodes directory
2. Install the required Python dependencies

This guide covers three installation methods. Here’s a comparison of their pros and cons. While ComfyUI Manager isn’t yet part of the core dependencies, it will be in the future. We still provide other installation guides to meet different needs.

Method	Advantages	Disadvantages
ComfyUI Manager (Recommended)	1. Automated installation 2. Dependency handling 3. GUI interface	Cannot directly search for nodes not registered in the registry
Git Clone	Can install nodes not registered in the registry	1. Requires Git knowledge 2. Manual dependency handling 3. Installation risks
Repository ZIP Download	1. No Git required 2. Manual control	1. Manual dependency handling 2. No version control 3. Installation risks

Tip: Before installing custom nodes, check the plugin’s README file to understand installation methods, usage, and requirements like specific models, dependency versions, and common issue solutions.

Method 1: ComfyUI Manager (Recommended)

1. Click the `Manager` button in ComfyUI interface

   
2. Select `Install Custom Nodes`

   
3. Browse the custom nodes list

   Custom nodes listed in ComfyUI Manager aren’t necessarily safe. Understand their functionality before installing and ensure you only install trusted plugins and those from popular authors to avoid potential device risks.

   

   1. Nodes marked with ⚠️ may have dependency conflicts with other plugins
   2. Author names marked with ✅ indicate their activity level on Github
   3. Potential plugin risks are highlighted in red - ensure plugin safety before installing
4. Click the `Install` button for the desired node

   

   Find the node you want to install and click the Install button.

   

   • At this step, if you select the nightly version, it will directly download the latest source code of the plugin from Github. However, if your Manager’s security_level is set to normal, you will not be allowed to download the source code directly from Github because the code has not been scanned.
   • If you select other versions such as latest or a stable version with a number, the code will be downloaded from https://registry.comfy.org/, which means the code has been reviewed and will not trigger a security check.

   The nightly version is usually the latest version, but since it is downloaded directly from Github and has not been reviewed, there is a certain code risk. If you really need to install the nightly version, please set the Manager’s security_level to weak. The configuration file path is ComfyUI/user/default/ComfyUI-Manager/config.ini. Please note that this is not our recommended configuration and should only be used temporarily.

5. Wait for dependencies to install and restart ComfyUI

   Manager will automatically install dependencies and prompt you to restart ComfyUI when complete

   
6. Verify successful installation

   Check ComfyUI Manager after restart to confirm the plugin installed successfully and there are no import failed errors

   

Method 2: Manual Installation Using Git

Suitable for new nodes not found in Manager or when specific versions are needed. Requires Git installed on your system.

1. Get the repository URL

   Click the “Code” button on GitHub and copy the HTTPS link

2. Navigate to custom_nodes directory

   cd /path/to/ComfyUI/custom_nodes
   
3. Clone the repository

   git clone [repository URL]
   
4. Install dependencies

   Dependencies must be installed in your ComfyUI environment - be careful not to mix with your system environment to avoid contamination

   Windows Portable

   For Windows portable version, install dependencies in the embedded Python environment

   python_embeded\python.exe -m pip install -r ComfyUI\custom_nodes\[node directory]\requirements.txt
   

   Manual Install

   Install dependencies in your ComfyUI environment

   cd [node directory]
   pip install -r requirements.txt
   
5. Restart ComfyUI and refresh browser

   Restart ComfyUI and refresh your browser. Check startup logs for any import failed errors

Method 3: ZIP Download Installation

Suitable for users who cannot use Git or Manager

We don’t recommend this installation method as it loses version control capabilities

1. Click `Code` → `Download ZIP` on GitHub

   Click Code → Download ZIP on the GitHub page

   
2. Extract the ZIP file

   Extract the downloaded ZIP file

3. Copy extracted folder to `ComfyUI/custom_nodes/` directory

   Copy the extracted folder to ComfyUI/custom_nodes/ directory

4. Install dependencies manually (same as Git method step 4)

   Restart ComfyUI and refresh browser

5. Verify successful installation

   Check ComfyUI Manager after restart to confirm the plugin installed successfully and there are no import failed errors

Custom Node Resources

In ComfyUI, besides the basic node extension functionality, custom nodes can also include the following additional resources:

• Node Documentation: This feature supports all custom and basic nodes. You can use it to view node documentation, understand the purpose and usage of nodes, and contribute documentation via PRs to the author.
• Custom Node Workflow Templates: Workflow templates provided by node authors as example workflows, which can be browsed and loaded from the ComfyUI templates.
• Multi-language Support

If you are a custom node developer, you can add these resources to make your custom node more user-friendly.