> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://dripart-codex-simplify-get-started.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Where a workflow runs

> Compare local models, Partner Nodes, Comfy Cloud nodes, and the Comfy Cloud app.

A template is a ready-made workflow. It does not tell you by itself whether generation happens on your computer or on a hosted service. Look at the nodes and the model requirements in that workflow.

| What you use              | Where the generation runs     | What you typically need                                       |
| ------------------------- | ----------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Local model nodes         | On your own device            | Compatible hardware and model files downloaded to your device |
| API nodes (Partner Nodes) | On a partner's hosted service | Internet access, a Comfy account, and credits for paid calls  |
| Comfy Cloud nodes         | On Comfy's hosted GPUs        | Internet access, a Comfy account, and credits                 |

**Partner Nodes** and **Comfy Cloud nodes** can appear alongside local nodes in a workflow. A single workflow can use more than one execution method.

## Local models

A local model is a file you download and select in a loader node. ComfyUI uses your own hardware to run it. The file may be large, and the workflow cannot run until all required files are available in the expected folders. [Learn about model files](/basic-concepts/models).

## Partner Nodes

Partner Nodes call external hosted models from inside a ComfyUI workflow. You do not download that model's weights, but paid calls require credits and a Comfy account. The price depends on the node and its settings. Check the node's cost information and the [Partner Node pricing guide](/tutorials/partner-nodes/pricing) before you run it. [Learn how Partner Nodes work](/tutorials/partner-nodes/overview).

## Comfy Cloud nodes and the Comfy Cloud app

A **Comfy Cloud node** is a node in a workflow that runs a curated model on Comfy's GPUs. It uses credits and does not require you to download that model. See [Comfy Cloud nodes](/cloud-nodes/overview).

The **Comfy Cloud app** is the entire ComfyUI interface hosted in your browser. You can open templates there without installing ComfyUI locally. It is different from adding a Comfy Cloud node to a workflow on your own computer. See [Comfy Cloud](/get_started/cloud).

## If a template will not run

Read the message ComfyUI shows. A **missing model** means a local file must be downloaded or selected. A **missing node** means the workflow needs an unavailable node. A sign-in or credit message usually comes from a hosted node. [Find the next step for each symptom](/get_started/fix-a-workflow).