ComfyUI is an
open source
Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open-source model is a decentralized sof ...
,
node-based program that allows users to generate images from a series of
text prompts. It uses free
diffusion models such as
Stable Diffusion
Stable Diffusion is a deep learning, text-to-image model released in 2022. It is primarily used to generate detailed images conditioned on text descriptions, though it can also be applied to other tasks such as inpainting, outpainting, and genera ...
as the base model for its image capabilities combined with other tools such as
ControlNet ControlNet is an open industrial network protocol for industrial automation applications, also known as a fieldbus. ControlNet was earlier supported by ControlNet International, but in 2008 support and management of ControlNet was transferred to O ...
and LCM
Low-rank adaptation with each tool being represented by a node in the program.
History
''ComfyUI'' was released on GitHub in January 2023. According to comfyanonymous, the creator, a major goal of the project was to improve on existing software designs in terms of the
user interface
In the industrial design field of human–computer interaction, a user interface (UI) is the space where interactions between humans and machines occur. The goal of this interaction is to allow effective operation and control of the machine f ...
.
The creator had been involved with
Stability AI but by 3 June 2024 that involvement had ended and an organization called Comfy Org had been created along with the core developers.
In July 2024,
Nvidia
Nvidia CorporationOfficially written as NVIDIA and stylized in its logo as VIDIA with the lowercase "n" the same height as the uppercase "VIDIA"; formerly stylized as VIDIA with a large italicized lowercase "n" on products from the mid 1990s to ...
announced support for ComfyUI within its
RTX Remix modding
''Modding'' is a slang expression derived from the English verb " to modify". The term refers to modification of hardware, software, or anything else, to perform a function not originally intended by the designer, or to achieve bespoke specific ...
software.
In August 2024, support was added for the
Flux
Flux describes any effect that appears to pass or travel (whether it actually moves or not) through a surface or substance. Flux is a concept in applied mathematics and vector calculus which has many applications to physics. For transport ...
diffusion model developed by Black Forest Labs, and Comfy Org joined the Open Model Initiative created by the
Linux Foundation
The Linux Foundation (LF) is a non-profit technology consortium founded in 2000 as a merger between Open Source Development Labs and the Free Standards Group to standardize Linux, support its growth, and promote its commercial adoption. Addi ...
.
As of November 2024, the project has 58.6k stars on GitHub.
ComfyUI is one of the most popular user interfaces for Stable Diffusion, along with
Automatic1111.
Features
''ComfyUI''
's main feature is that it is node based.
Each node has a function such as "load a model" or "write a prompt".
The nodes are connected to form a
control-flow graph
In computer science, a control-flow graph (CFG) is a representation, using graph notation, of all paths that might be traversed through a program during its execution. The control-flow graph was discovered by Frances E. Allen, who noted tha ...
called a workflow.
When a prompt is queued, a highlighted frame appears around the currently executing node, starting from "load checkpoint" and ending with the final image and its save location.
Workflows commonly consist of tens of nodes, forming a complex
directed acyclic graph
In mathematics, particularly graph theory, and computer science, a directed acyclic graph (DAG) is a directed graph with no directed cycles. That is, it consists of vertices and edges (also called ''arcs''), with each edge directed from one v ...
.
Node types include loading a model, specifying prompts, samplers, schedulers,
VAE decoders, face restoration and upscaling models, LoRAs,
embeddings, and ControlNets.
Several samplers are supported, such as Euler, Euler_a, dpmpp_2m_sde and dpmpp_3m_sde.
Workflows can be saved to a file, allowing users to re-use node workflows and share them with other users.
The file format for the workflows is in
JSON
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation, pronounced ; also ) is an open standard file format and data interchange format that uses human-readable text to store and transmit data objects consisting of attribute–value pairs and arrays (or other s ...
and can be embedded in the generated images.
Users have also created custom extensions to the base system which are exposed as new nodes,
such as the extension for AnimateDiff, which aims to create videos.
''ComfyUI'' has been described as more complex compared to other diffusion UIs such as Automatic1111.
A default node group is also included with the program.
As of December 2024, 1,674 nodes were supported.
''ComfyUI'' Supports multiple text-to-image models including, Stable Diffusion, Flux and
Tencent
Tencent Holdings Ltd. () is a Chinese multinational technology and entertainment conglomerate and holding company headquartered in Shenzhen. It is one of the highest grossing multimedia companies in the world based on revenue. It is also the wo ...
's Hunyuan-DiT, as well as custom models from
Civitai
Civitai is an online platform and marketplace for generative AI content, primarily focused on AI-generated images and models.
History
Civitai was founded in 2022 by Justin Maier. By January 2023, the site reached 100,000 registered users an ...
like ''Pony''.
LLMVision extension compromise
In June 2024, a hacker group called "Nullbulge" compromised an extension of ComfyUI to add malicious code to it.
The compromised extension, called ComfyUI_LLMVISION, was used for integrating the interface with AI language models
GPT-4
Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4 (GPT-4) is a multimodal large language model created by OpenAI and the fourth in its GPT series. It was released on March 14, 2023, and has been made publicly available in a limited form via ChatGPT Plus, ...
and
Claude 3
Claude is a family of large language models developed by Anthropic. The first model was released in March 2023. Claude 3, released in March 2024, can also analyze images.
Training
Claude models are generative pre-trained transformers. They ha ...
, and was hosted on
GitHub
GitHub, Inc. () is an Internet hosting service for software development and version control using Git. It provides the distributed version control of Git plus access control, bug tracking, software feature requests, task management, co ...
. Nullbulge hosted a list of hundreds of ComfyUI users' login details across multiple services on its website, while users of the extension reported receiving numerous login notifications. vpnMentor conducted security research on the extension and claimed it could "steal
crypto wallets, screenshot the user’s screen, expose device information and
IP address
An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label such as that is connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.. Updated by . An IP address serves two main functions: network interface ident ...
es, and steal files that contain certain keywords or extensions".
Nullbulge's website claims they targeted users who committed "one of our sins", which included AI-art generation, art theft, promoting cryptocurrency, and any other kind of theft from artists such as from
Patreon
Patreon (, ) is a membership platform that provides business tools for content creators to run a subscription service. It helps creators and artists earn a monthly income by providing rewards and perks to their subscribers. Patreon charges a com ...
. They claimed that they were "a collective of individuals who believe in the importance of protecting artists' rights and ensuring fair compensation for their work" and that they believed that "AI-generated artwork is detrimental to the creative industry and should be discouraged".
References
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[{{cite web , author1=comfyanonymous , title=Initial commit. , url=https://github.com/comfyanonymous/ComfyUI/commit/220afe33101a3874cf40e9cc221d27f8a8b1fae1 , website=github , access-date=10 July 2024]
[{{cite web , author1=comfyanonymous , title=ComfyUI , url=https://github.com/comfyanonymous/ComfyUI , website=github , access-date=10 July 2024]
[{{cite web , last1=Harper , first1=Christopher , title=Nvidia's RTX Remix goes open source —chipmaker adds Rest API to interface with ComfyUI for AI remastering or generating new graphics in real time , url=https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/nvidia-rtx-remix-goes-open-source , website=]Tom's Hardware
''Tom's Hardware'' is an online publication owned by Future plc and focused on technology. It was founded in 1996 by Thomas Pabst. It provides articles, news, price comparisons, videos and reviews on computer hardware and high technology. The si ...
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[{{cite web , author1=机器之心 , title=当韩国女团BLACKPINK进军二次元,清华叉院AI神器原来还能这么玩-36氪 , url=https://36kr.com/p/2520471518996233 , script-website=zh: 36氪 , language=zh , date=16 November 2023]
[{{cite web , author1=comfyanonymous , title=ComfyUI is now 4 months old! , url=https://blog.comfyui.ca/comfyui/update/2023/05/18/ComfyUi-is-4-months-old.html , website=ComfyUI blog , access-date=11 July 2024 , language=en , date=18 May 2023]
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[{{cite web , last1=田口 , first1=和裕 , title=画像生成AI「Stable Diffusion」使い倒すならコレ! 「ComfyUI」基本の使い方 (1/3) , url=https://ascii.jp/elem/000/004/184/4184300/ , website= ascii.jp , language=ja]
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[{{cite web , last1=田口 , first1=和裕 , title=Macで始める画像生成AI 「Stable Diffusion」ComfyUIの使い方 (3/5) , url=https://ascii.jp/elem/000/004/190/4190538/3/ , website= ascii.jp , language=ja , date= 27 March 2024]
[{{cite web , author1=しらいはかせ , title=画像生成AIを使い倒す!「Stability Matrix」で使えるWebUIを紹介【生成AIストリーム】 , url=https://forest.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/serial/aistream/1554982.html , website=]Impress Watch
The Independent Monitor for the Press (IMPRESS) is an independent press regulator in the UK. It was the first to be recognised by the Press Recognition Panel. Unlike the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), IMPRESS is fully compliant w ...
, language=ja , date=18 December 2023
[{{Cite web , last=Maiberg , first=Emanuel , date=2024-06-11 , title=Hackers Target AI Users With Malicious Stable Diffusion Tool on GitHub to Protest 'Art Theft' , url=https://www.404media.co/hackers-target-ai-users-with-malicious-stable-diffusion-tool-on-github/ , access-date=2024-06-14 , website=]404 Media
''404 Media'' is an online publication focusing on technology and internet reporting. The publication covers topics such as hacker, hacking, sex work, niche online communities, and the right to repair movement. The publication is worker-owned.
...
, language=en
[{{cite book , last1=Phoenix , first1=James , last2=Taylor , first2=Mike , title=Prompt engineering for generative AI: future-proof inputs for reliable AI outputs at scale , date=2024 , publisher=O'Reilly , location=Beijing Boston , isbn=978-1098153434 , edition=First , section=AUTOMATIC1111 Web User Interface , quote = Advanced users may also want to explore ComfyUI, as it supports more advanced workflows and increased flexibility (including image-to-video), but we deemed this too complex for the majority of use cases, which can easily be handled by AUTOMATIC1111.]
[{{cite book , last1=Zhu , first1=Andrew , title=Using Stable Diffusion with Python: Leverage Python to control and automate high-quality AI image generation using Stable Diffusion , date=2024 , publisher=Packt Publishing , isbn=978-1835084311 , quote=ComfyUI is a node-based UI that utilizes Stable Diffusion. It allows users to construct tailored workflows, including image post-processing and conversions. It is a potent and adaptable graphical user interface for Stable Diffusion, characterized by its node-based design.]
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[{{cite web , author1=田口和裕 , title=画像生成AI「Stable Diffusion」の代替に? 話題の「FLUX.1」を試した (1/7) , url=https://ascii.jp/elem/000/004/214/4214157/ , website=ASCII.jp , language=ja , date=August 7, 2024]
[{{cite book , last1=Pérez-Colado , first1=Iván J. , last2=Freire-Morán , first2=Manuel , last3=Calvo-Morata , first3=Antonio , last4=Pérez-Colado , first4=Víctor M. , last5=Fernández-Manjón , first5=Baltasar , title=2024 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON) , chapter=AI Asyet Another Tool in Undergraduate Student Projects: Preliminary Results , date=8 May 2024 , pages=1–7 , doi=10.1109/EDUCON60312.2024.10578883, isbn=979-8-3503-9402-3 ]
[{{cite web , author1=故渊 , title=7 年老显卡 GTX 1080 能跑,图片生成视频模型 Stable Video Diffusion 更新 - IT之家 , url=https://www.ithome.com/0/734/991.htm , website=ithome , date=November 25, 2023]
[{{cite arXiv , last1=Xue , first1=Xiangyuan , last2=Lu , first2=Zeyu , last3=Huang , first3=Di , last4=Ouyang , first4=Wanli , last5=Bai , first5=Lei , title=GenAgent: Build Collaborative AI Systems with Automated Workflow Generation -- Case Studies on ComfyUI , date=2 Sep 2024 , class=cs.CL , eprint=2409.01392]
[{{cite arXiv , last1=Gal , first1=Rinon , last2=Haviv , first2=Adi , last3=Alaluf , first3=Yuval , last4=Bermano , first4=Amit H. , last5=Cohen-Or , first5=Daniel , last6=Chechik , first6=Gal , title=ComfyGen: Prompt-Adaptive Workflows for Text-to-Image Generation , date=2024 , class=cs.CL , eprint=2410.01731]
[{{cite web , last1=Wheatley , first1=Mike , title=Linux Foundation's latest initiative aims to promote 'irrevocable' open-source AI models , url=https://siliconangle.com/2024/08/12/linux-foundations-latest-initiative-aims-promote-irrevocable-open-source-ai-models/ , website=SiliconANGLE , date=12 August 2024]
[{{cite web , last1=Zeman , first1=Benjamin , title=Adobe Photoshop's Firefly vs. ComfyUI and Stable Diffusion , url=https://www.xda-developers.com/adobe-photoshops-firefly-vs-comfyui-and-stable-diffusion/ , website=XDA , language=en , date=6 December 2024]
[{{cite web , last1=Zeman , first1=Benjamin , title=How to build basic workflows in ComfyUI , url=https://www.xda-developers.com/comfyui-how-to-workflows/ , website=XDA , language=en , date=4 December 2024]
[{{cite journal , last1=Hu , first1=Qihan , last2=Xu , first2=Zhenghui , last3=Du , first3=Peng , last4=Zeng , first4=Hao , last5=Ma , first5=Tongqing , last6=Zhao , first6=Youbing , last7=Xie , first7=Hao , last8=Zhang , first8=Peng , last9=Liu , first9=Shuting , last10=Zang , first10=Tongnian , last11=Wang , first11=Xuemei , title=CanFuUI: A Canvas-Centric Web User Interface for Iterative Image Generation with Diffusion Models and ControlNet , journal=AI-generated Content , date=2024 , volume=1946 , pages=128–138 , doi=10.1007/978-981-99-7587-7_11 , url=https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-7587-7_11 , publisher=Springer Nature Singapore , language=en , quote=Currently, the most popular user interfaces for Stable Diffusion are Stable Diffusion WebUI and ComfyUI.]
Open-source artificial intelligence
Free and open-source software
Free software programmed in Python