By alchemist on

Within the context of Drupal (version 4.6.5), what exactly is a node? What does it define?

Regards,
Kory

⋅ Categories: Drupal 4.6.x

Comments

jasonwhat’s picture

jasonwhat commented

I'm sure there is info. about this in the Handbook, just click the link above. Quickly, a node is any piece of content in Drupal. Pages, stories, blog entries are all examples of nodes in Drupals. Why is it called a "node?" Hey, why is it called "taxonomy" instead of "categories?" I think it has something to do with the concept that content in drupal is dynamic and can be anywhere and everywhere at once. A node can be inserted to any page view, any category, wherever you want really. It is not a static piece of content that sits at one url. All you need to know: a node is any content piece on Drupal.

Anonymous’s picture

Anonymous (not verified) commented

You can find info about nodes here: http://drupal.org/node/21947 and here: http://drupal.org/handbook/modules/node

Rob Safuto
Media Master
http://www.podcastnyc.net

colorado’s picture

colorado commented

There are pages that are generated dynamically which are not nodes. For example, a listing of nodes generated by the views.module or search results. Those are not actual nodes.

Content-> Configure-> Content Types is a good place to look at the types of nodes enabled on your drupal site. Content Types there could just as well be called Node Types.

---
"Please drupal responsibly: give as much help as you get."

puregin’s picture

puregin commented

Hi Kory (and others)

If I may ask, in the interests of improving documentation:

What led you to ask about nodes? Something in the documentation or interface of you Drupal site? Something else you were reading?

Did you find what you needed in the handbooks or in other sections of the Drupal.org site?

Is there anything we could do to make it easier to find the information you need?

Thanks, Djun

--
puregin

alchemist’s picture

alchemist commented

Hi Djun,

I was browing the list of available modules, and there were several modules that allow the user to control and manipulate nodes. I am a software engineer (embedded OS and Telecom background) but I'm new to web and drupal-style technology, so I wanted to know what nodes are in the context of drupal. I did a quick search of the manual and I did not come up with anything. I'm sure its in there, but I probably overlooked it.

Regards,
Kory

sepeck’s picture

sepeck commented

THis page
http://drupal.org/handbooks

Installation and configuration section see the INtroduction to Drupal terminology page.

-Steven Peck
---------
Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide -|- Black Mountain

-Steven Peck
---------
Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide

dado’s picture

dado commented

from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dict.asp?Word=node
node - a connecting point at which several lines come together

in a computing context especially, nodes are supposed to be interconnected, by definition. Since Drupal nodes lack any node-to-node relationship, the term "node" is a misnomer, I think.
Really Drupal nodes are more "leaves" of content.
UNTIL a relationships API is finally implemented. Then Drupal nodes might be actual (interconnected) nodes.

dado
http://schtickdisc.org