Derivation Graph
Understand the derivation graph — a visual tree tracking every operation in a render's lineage
Last updated: 2026-07-11
Derivation Graph
Every render in 360 Hextile has a derivation graph — a visual tree showing exactly how it was created. Each node represents an operation applied to the image, and edges show parent-child relationships. The graph tracks the complete lineage from the original source image through every pass, edit, and transformation to the current state.
Understanding the Graph
Nodes are connected by lines showing parent-to-child relationships. The highlighted node is the active or head node — the one you are currently viewing. When you fork a render, the graph creates parallel branches, each representing a different creative direction.
The graph reads left to right (or top to bottom in compact mode), with the source image at the root and later operations branching outward.
Node Types (Ops)
Each node has an operation type that describes what it represents:
| Op | Description |
|---|---|
| source | The starting image — an upload, Seed Canvas, 360 LoRA output, or format convert input |
| pass | A generation pass — each tile-diffusion run produces a pass node |
| spot | A spot (inpaint) edit applied to a specific region |
| offset | Re-orientation — rotates the equirectangular projection to a new center |
| depinch | Pole fix — corrects distortion at the zenith and nadir poles |
| upscale | Resolution increase via Real-ESRGAN or similar upscaler |
Each node carries its own metadata: the operation type, timestamp, a preview thumbnail URL, and a full-resolution image URL.
Linear Lineage
Walking from any node back to the root follows a single source-first path called the lineage chain. Each node knows its treeParentId, forming a linked list back to the source. This chain is the exact sequence of operations that produced that node's image — no branching, no ambiguity.
The lineage is always linear within a single branch. Forks create additional branches, but each branch has its own distinct linear chain.
Fork Lanes
When you fork a render, each parallel branch gets its own lane in the graph visualization. Fork depth determines lane assignment — the first fork splits into adjacent lanes; deeper forks shift further out. This keeps the visual layout clean even with multiple concurrent branches.
Each fork is a full independent lineage. Operations applied to one fork do not affect the other.
GraphPanel
The GraphPanel is the interactive graph viewer embedded in the render detail page. It displays:
- Node cards with op type icons and timestamps
- Branch lines connecting parent and child nodes
- Lane columns separating parallel forks
- Source recipes — click any source node to inspect its original prompt and settings
- Scrub navigation — drag through nodes to preview each version in sequence
The panel supports zoom, pan, and collapse of inactive branches for large graphs.
Node Image URLs
Each graph node exposes two image URLs:
- Preview — a JPG thumbnail that loads instantly for quick scanning and scrubbing
- Full — the complete PNG at render resolution, available on demand
The preview is used throughout the UI (graph cards, render lists, navigation steppers). The full URL is fetched when you open a node in the 360 viewer or request a download.
Head vs Active Node
The head is the latest node in the current branch — the tip of the linear chain from source through the most recent operation. Every branch has exactly one head.
You can navigate to any node to make it the active node for further operations. Clicking an earlier node activates it, and your next pass, spot edit, or transformation will create a new child from that point. This is how you rewind the graph and try a different direction without losing the work ahead.
Switching active nodes does not delete anything — all nodes remain in the graph, and you can always navigate back.
Related guides: - Multi-Pass Rendering — Understanding pass nodes and progressive refinement - Spot Edit — Inpaint edits as graph nodes - De-Pinch — Pole correction workflow - Upscaling — Resolution increase operations