Slots, Templates, and Dollar References

NodeFox uses slots as explicit data contracts between nodes. That design is simple but important.

Why slots matter

Slots force teams to answer:

• what data is entering this node,
• what shape is expected,
• which fields are optional versus mandatory for this operation.

That discipline prevents hidden coupling.

Dollar references as graph language

$ references are readable graph pointers, not magic strings.

Examples:

• $1 for a prior slot output,
• $1.customer.id for explicit field selection,
• templated mapping for Writer outputs.

Because references are explicit, debugging stays tractable when flows expand.

Template strategy

Use templates for output consistency:

• API payload templates for outbound writes,
• document templates for generated artifacts,
• response templates for user-facing summaries.

Template contracts are where quality and predictability meet.

Practical rule

If a downstream team cannot explain where a field came from, the workflow contract is not explicit enough.