How do I hide a geometry node in blender?

To "hide" a geometry node in Blender typically refers to collapsing it to minimize its visual footprint within the Node Editor, making your node tree more organized and easier to navigate. This action condenses the node, hiding its internal sockets while still allowing you to see its name and often its main input/output.

Understanding Node Hiding: Collapsing Nodes

When you collapse a node, you are not deleting it or disabling its functionality; you are simply making it more compact. This is incredibly useful in complex geometry node setups where many nodes can quickly clutter your workspace. The primary method for achieving this is through a simple keyboard shortcut.

Step-by-Step: Collapsing a Geometry Node

Collapsing a node is a straightforward process:

Select the Node: In your Geometry Node Editor, click on the specific geometry node you wish to hide (collapse).
Press the Hotkey: With the node selected, press the H key on your keyboard.
- Immediately, the node will collapse, becoming a smaller, more compact version of itself. You'll still see its title, but most of its input and output sockets will be hidden, significantly reducing its size.
Uncollapse the Node: To reveal the node's full details and sockets again, simply select the collapsed node and press H once more.

This method allows you to quickly toggle the visual state of individual nodes, providing a cleaner overview of your node tree.

Why Collapse Nodes? Benefits for Node Tree Management

Collapsing nodes offers several advantages for maintaining a tidy and efficient workflow:

Improved Readability: A compact node tree is much easier to read and understand at a glance, especially when dealing with hundreds of nodes.
Better Organization: By collapsing nodes that are finalized or less frequently adjusted, you can focus on the active parts of your node setup.
Reduced Visual Clutter: Minimize the visual noise in your Node Editor, making it less overwhelming and more productive.
Faster Navigation: With fewer large nodes taking up space, you can navigate your node tree more quickly and efficiently.

Advanced Node Visibility and Organization

Beyond simple collapsing, Blender offers other methods to manage node visibility and organize your node trees effectively:

Muting Nodes (M):
- Pressing M on a selected node will "mute" it, disabling its effect on the geometry without removing it from the tree or hiding its visual structure. Muted nodes often appear desaturated. This is useful for debugging or temporarily removing a node's influence. Press M again to unmute.
Framing Nodes (Shift + P):
- Select multiple nodes and press Shift + P to create a "Frame" around them. This is a visual grouping tool that helps categorize related nodes within your editor, without altering their function. Frames can be named and colored for better organization.
Grouping Nodes (Ctrl + G):
- Select several nodes and press Ctrl + G to create a "Node Group." This encapsulates a set of nodes into a single, reusable node. Node groups are powerful for creating custom, complex functions that can be used multiple times within the same tree or across different Blender files. When you create a group, the original selected nodes are replaced by a single group node. You can then collapse this group node further using H.

Quick Reference: Node Visibility Shortcuts

Action	Shortcut	Description
Collapse Node	`H`	Hides all input/output sockets, making the node compact. Press again to uncollapse.
Mute Node	`M`	Disables the node's effect. Press again to unmute.
Frame Nodes	`Shift+P`	Creates a visual frame around selected nodes for organization.
Group Nodes	`Ctrl+G`	Encapsulates selected nodes into a single, reusable node group.

By utilizing these tools, especially the H key for collapsing, you can maintain a clean, efficient, and understandable geometry node setup in Blender, regardless of its complexity.