> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL.
> For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.ovalbee.com/llms.txt.
> For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.ovalbee.com/_mcp/server.

# Run flow

> Start the chain of nodes connected to this node. Performs no work itself.

## Overview

Starts every node connected after it, so one click or one schedule runs the whole chain. It does no work of its own.

Use it as the entry point of a flow, especially when several independent branches should start together.

For example, use `Run flow` to launch multiple import branches in parallel, where each [Import images](/node-library/nodes/supervisely-import-images) node writes images into its own [Dataset](/node-library/nodes/dataset-ops-dataset).

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  n1["Run flow"]

  n1 --> n2["Import images"]
  n1 --> n3["Import images"]
  n1 --> n4["Import images"]

  n2 --> d1["Dataset"]
  n3 --> d2["Dataset"]
  n4 --> d3["Dataset"]
```

## How it works

Completes immediately, without doing any work of its own.

Starts every node connected downstream, so parallel branches begin together.

## FAQ

#### How do I start the flow with this node?

Select the node and press **Run node** in the sidebar. A schedule set on this node starts it the same way, except while flow scheduling is paused.

#### Does it start another flow?

No. It starts only the nodes connected after it in the same flow, and each of those starts the nodes after it when it completes.

#### Why didn't a connected node start?

A node that still has a task running from an earlier run is skipped. So is a node with **Require configuration** turned on whose required fields are empty. Nothing connected after a skipped node runs either.

#### Does this node change any data?

No. It has no inputs or outputs, and only starts the nodes connected after it.

#### How is it different from Wait?

Run flow fans execution out into parallel branches. [Wait](/node-library/nodes/flow-control-wait) does the opposite: it joins branches back and continues only after all of them finish.

## JSON config

Machine-readable node interface for automation and advanced usage.

#### Show JSON

```json
{
  "name": "Run flow",
  "description": "Start the chain of nodes connected to this node. Performs no work itself.",
  "category": "Flow control",
  "namespace": null,
  "templateKey": "flow_control/run_flow",
  "version": "v1",
  "inputs": [],
  "outputs": [],
  "runtime": {
    "type": "headless",
    "devices": [
      "cpu"
    ],
    "dockerImage": null
  },
  "automation": {
    "manual_run": true
  }
}
```