Installs, launches, and runs ComfyUI locally or on Comfy Cloud: comfy-cli lifecycle, custom nodes/models, REST/WebSocket prompt submit with parameter injection. Use when generating images, video, or audio via ComfyUI, SDXL, Flux, Wan, Hunyuan, ControlNet, or img2img. Not for authoring API-format workflow JSON (comfyui-workflow-builder), model-specific prompt craft (comfyui-prompt-engineer), or dimensioned printable CAD/STL.
Install with Codex or Claude Copy this prompt, paste it into Codex, Claude, or another assistant, and let it review the skill page and install it for you.
A direct command skips the review prompt. Inspect the source before running it.
Installs, launches, and runs ComfyUI locally or on Comfy Cloud: comfy-cli lifecycle, custom nodes/models, REST/WebSocket prompt submit with parameter injection. Use when generating images, video, or audio via ComfyUI, SDXL, Flux, Wan, Hunyuan, ControlNet, or img2img. Not for authoring API-format workflow JSON (comfyui-workflow-builder), model-specific prompt craft (comfyui-prompt-engineer), or dimensioned printable CAD/STL.
version
5.1.1
license
MIT
platforms
["macos","linux","windows"]
compatibility
Requires ComfyUI (local, Comfy Desktop, or Comfy Cloud) and comfy-cli (auto-installed via pipx/uvx by the setup script).
prerequisites
{"commands":["python3"]}
setup
{"help":"Run scripts/hardware_check.py FIRST to decide local vs Comfy Cloud; then scripts/comfyui_setup.sh auto-installs locally (or use Cloud API key for platform.comfy.org)."}
Generate images, video, audio, and 3D content through ComfyUI using the official comfy-cli for setup/lifecycle and direct REST/WebSocket API for workflow execution.
The official CLI handles installation and server management. The REST/WS API fills the execution gap — the scripts handle param injection, execution monitoring, and output download that the CLI doesn't do.
Reference docs (references/)
Load these at the indicated times:
File
When to load
official-cli.md
When you need any comfy ... command flags or lifecycle details
rest-api.md
When you need REST + WebSocket endpoints (local or cloud), payload schemas
workflow-format.md
When you need API-format JSON structure, common node types, or parameter mapping
template-integrity.md
When starting from an official comfyui-workflow-templates template — covers Reroute bypass, dotted dynamic-input keys (values.a, resize_type.width), Cloud quirks (302 redirect, 1 concurrent free-tier job, 1080p VRAM ceiling), Discord-compatible ffmpeg stitch. Authored by @purzbeats.
Scripts (scripts/)
Script
Purpose
_common.py
Shared HTTP, cloud routing, node catalogs (do NOT run directly)
hardware_check.py
Probe GPU/VRAM/disk → recommend local vs Comfy Cloud
Read a workflow → list controllable params + model deps
check_deps.py
Check workflow against running server → list missing nodes/models
auto_fix_deps.py
Run check_deps then comfy node install / comfy model download
run_workflow.py
Inject params, submit, monitor, download outputs (HTTP or WS)
run_batch.py
Submit a workflow N times with sweeps, parallel up to your tier
ws_monitor.py
Real-time WebSocket viewer for executing jobs (live progress)
health_check.py
Verification checklist runner — comfy-cli + server + models + smoke test
fetch_logs.py
Pull traceback / status messages for a given prompt_id
Example workflows (workflows/)
SD 1.5, SDXL, Flux Dev, SDXL img2img, SDXL inpaint, ESRGAN upscale, AnimateDiff video, Wan T2V. See workflows/README.md.
When to Use
User asks to generate images with Stable Diffusion, SDXL, Flux, SD3, etc.
User wants to run a specific ComfyUI workflow file
User wants to chain generative steps (txt2img → upscale → face restore)
User needs ControlNet, inpainting, img2img, or other advanced pipelines
User asks to manage ComfyUI queue, check models, or install custom nodes
User wants video/audio/3D generation via AnimateDiff, Hunyuan, Wan, AudioCraft, etc.
Not for FDM/SLA printable parts. ComfyUI 3D nodes (if any) are generative assets, not dimensioned CAD. For Meshy / STL / Bambu / manifold print workflows load: 3d-print-master, meshy-3d, parametric-fdm-cad, mesh-print-validate.
Prerequisites
python3 must be on PATH
For local installation: NVIDIA GPU with ≥6 GB VRAM (≥8 GB for SDXL, ≥12 GB for Flux/video), OR AMD GPU with ROCm support (Linux), OR Apple Silicon Mac (M1+) with ≥16 GB unified memory (≥32 GB recommended)
Intel Macs and machines with no GPU will NOT work — use Comfy Cloud instead
For Comfy Cloud: API key from https://platform.comfy.org/login (paid subscription required to run workflows; free tier is read-only)
Windows host is primary (PowerShell). Adjust path separators and shell syntax for Linux/macOS as needed.
Procedure
Step 0: Ask Local vs Cloud (ALWAYS FIRST)
When a user asks to set up ComfyUI, the FIRST thing to do is ask whether they want Comfy Cloud (hosted, zero install, API key) or Local (install ComfyUI on their machine). Do NOT start running install commands or hardware checks until they've answered.
Suggested script:
"Do you want to run ComfyUI locally on your machine, or use Comfy Cloud?
Comfy Cloud — hosted on RTX 6000 Pro GPUs, all common models pre-installed, zero setup. Requires an API key (paid subscription required to actually run workflows; free tier is read-only). Best if you don't have a capable GPU.
Local — free, but your machine MUST meet the hardware requirements:
NVIDIA GPU with ≥6 GB VRAM (≥8 GB for SDXL, ≥12 GB for Flux/video), OR
AMD GPU with ROCm support (Linux), OR
Apple Silicon Mac (M1+) with ≥16 GB unified memory (≥32 GB recommended).
Intel Macs and machines with no GPU will NOT work — use Cloud instead.
Which would you like?"
Routing:
Cloud → skip to Path A below
Local → run hardware check first, then pick a path from Paths B–E based on the verdict
Unsure → run the hardware check and let the verdict decide
Step 1: Verify Hardware (ONLY if user chose local)
python3 scripts/hardware_check.py --json
# Optional: also probe `torch` for actual CUDA/MPS:
python3 scripts/hardware_check.py --json --check-pytorch
Verdict
Meaning
Action
ok
≥8 GB VRAM (discrete) OR ≥32 GB unified (Apple Silicon)
Local install — use comfy_cli_flag from report
marginal
SD1.5 works; SDXL tight; Flux/video unlikely
Local OK for light workflows, else Path A (Cloud)
cloud
No usable GPU, <6 GB VRAM, <16 GB Apple unified, Intel Mac, Rosetta Python
Switch to Cloud unless user explicitly forces local
The script also surfaces wsl: true (WSL2 with NVIDIA passthrough) and rosetta: true (x86_64 Python on Apple Silicon — must reinstall as ARM64).
If verdict is cloud but the user wants local, do NOT proceed silently. Show the notes array verbatim and ask whether they want to (a) switch to Cloud or (b) force a local install (will OOM or be unusably slow on modern models).
Step 2: Choose Installation Path
Use the hardware check first. The table below is the fallback for when the user has already told you their hardware:
Situation
Recommended Path
verdict: cloud from hardware check
Path A: Comfy Cloud
No GPU / want to try without commitment
Path A: Comfy Cloud
Windows + NVIDIA + non-technical
Path B: ComfyUI Desktop
Windows + NVIDIA + technical
Path C: Portable or Path D: comfy-cli
Linux + any GPU
Path D: comfy-cli (easiest)
macOS + Apple Silicon
Path B: Desktop or Path D: comfy-cli
Headless / server / CI / agents
Path D: comfy-cli
For the fully automated path (hardware check → install → launch → verify):
bash scripts/comfyui_setup.sh
# Or with overrides:
bash scripts/comfyui_setup.sh --m-series --port=8190 --workspace=/data/comfy
This runs hardware_check.py internally, refuses to install locally when the verdict is cloud (unless --force-cloud-override), picks the right comfy-cli flag, and prefers pipx/uvx over global pip to avoid polluting system Python.
Path A: Comfy Cloud (No Local Install)
For users without a capable GPU or who want zero setup. Hosted on RTX 6000 Pro.
Pricing:https://www.comfy.org/cloud/pricingConcurrent jobs: Free/Standard 1, Creator 3, Pro 5. Free tier cannot run workflows via API — only browse models. Paid subscription required for /api/prompt, /api/upload/*, /api/view, etc.
Path B: ComfyUI Desktop (Windows / macOS)
One-click installer for non-technical users. Currently Beta.
# SDXL (general purpose, ~6.5 GB)
comfy model download \
--url "https://huggingface.co/stabilityai/stable-diffusion-xl-base-1.0/resolve/main/sd_xl_base_1.0.safetensors" \
--relative-path models/checkpoints
# SD 1.5 (lighter, ~4 GB, good for 6 GB cards)
comfy model download \
--url "https://huggingface.co/stable-diffusion-v1-5/stable-diffusion-v1-5/resolve/main/v1-5-pruned-emaonly.safetensors" \
--relative-path models/checkpoints
# Flux Dev fp8 (smaller variant, ~12 GB)
comfy model download \
--url "https://huggingface.co/Comfy-Org/flux1-dev/resolve/main/flux1-dev-fp8.safetensors" \
--relative-path models/checkpoints
# CivitAI (set token first):
comfy model download \
--url "https://civitai.com/api/download/models/128713" \
--relative-path models/checkpoints \
--set-civitai-api-token "YOUR_TOKEN"
List installed: comfy model list
Step 4: Install Custom Nodes
comfy node install comfyui-impact-pack # popular utility pack
comfy node install comfyui-animatediff-evolved # video generation
comfy node install comfyui-controlnet-aux # ControlNet preprocessors
comfy node install comfyui-essentials # common helpers
comfy node update all
comfy node install-deps --workflow=workflow.json # install everything a workflow needs
Step 5: Get a Workflow JSON in API Format
Workflows must be in API format (each node has class_type). They come from:
ComfyUI web UI → Workflow → Export (API) (newer UI) or the legacy "Save (API Format)" button (older UI)
This skill's workflows/ directory (ready-to-run examples)
Community downloads (civitai, Reddit, Discord) — usually editor format, must be loaded into ComfyUI then re-exported
Editor format (top-level nodes and links arrays) is NOT directly executable. The scripts detect this and tell you to re-export.
If starting from an official comfyui-workflow-templates template, load references/template-integrity.md for Reroute bypass, dotted dynamic-input keys, and Cloud quirks.
Step 6: Inspect the Workflow Schema
python3 scripts/extract_schema.py workflow_api.json --summary-only
# → {"parameter_count": 12, "has_negative_prompt": true, "has_seed": true, ...}
python3 scripts/extract_schema.py workflow_api.json
# → full schema with parameters, model deps, embedding refs
Step 7: Check Dependencies
python3 scripts/check_deps.py workflow_api.json
# → are this workflow's nodes/models/embeddings installed?
python3 scripts/auto_fix_deps.py workflow_api.json
# → auto-install missing nodes and models
# Local
curl -s http://127.0.0.1:8188/queue | python3 -m json.tool
curl -X POST http://127.0.0.1:8188/queue -d '{"clear": true}'# cancel pending
curl -X POST http://127.0.0.1:8188/interrupt # cancel running
curl -X POST http://127.0.0.1:8188/free \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"unload_models": true, "free_memory": true}'# Cloud — same paths under /api/, plus:
python3 scripts/fetch_logs.py --tail-queue --host https://cloud.comfy.org
Cloud Specifics
Base URL:https://cloud.comfy.org
Auth:X-API-Key header (or ?token=KEY for WebSocket)
API key: set $COMFY_CLOUD_API_KEY once and the scripts pick it up automatically
Output download:/api/view returns a 302 to a signed URL; the scripts follow it and strip X-API-Key before fetching from the storage backend (don't leak the API key to S3/CloudFront)
Endpoint differences from local ComfyUI:
/api/object_info, /api/queue, /api/userdata — 403 on free tier; paid only
/history is renamed to /history_v2 on cloud (scripts route automatically)
/models/<folder> is renamed to /experiment/models/<folder> on cloud (scripts route automatically)
clientId in WebSocket is currently ignored — all connections for a user receive the same broadcast. Filter by prompt_id client-side.
subfolder is accepted on uploads but ignored — cloud has a flat namespace
Concurrent jobs: Free/Standard: 1, Creator: 3, Pro: 5. Extras queue automatically. Use run_batch.py --parallel N to saturate your tier.
Decision Tree
User says
Tool
Command
Lifecycle (use comfy-cli)
"install ComfyUI"
comfy-cli
bash scripts/comfyui_setup.sh
"start ComfyUI"
comfy-cli
comfy launch --background
"stop ComfyUI"
comfy-cli
comfy stop
"install X node"
comfy-cli
comfy node install <name>
"download X model"
comfy-cli
comfy model download --url <url> --relative-path models/checkpoints
"list installed models"
comfy-cli
comfy model list
"list installed nodes"
comfy-cli
comfy node show installed
Execution (use scripts)
"is everything ready?"
script
health_check.py (optionally with --workflow X --smoke-test)
"what can I change in this workflow?"
script
extract_schema.py W.json
"check if W's deps are met"
script
check_deps.py W.json
"fix missing deps"
script
auto_fix_deps.py W.json
"generate an image"
script
run_workflow.py --workflow W --args '{...}'
"use this image" (img2img)
script
run_workflow.py --input-image image=./x.png ...
"8 variations with random seeds"
script
run_batch.py --count 8 --randomize-seed ...
"show me live progress"
script
ws_monitor.py --prompt-id <id>
"fetch the error from job X"
script
fetch_logs.py <prompt_id>
Direct REST
"what's in the queue?"
REST
curl http://HOST:8188/queue (local) or --host https://cloud.comfy.org
"cancel that"
REST
curl -X POST http://HOST:8188/interrupt
"free GPU memory"
REST
curl -X POST http://HOST:8188/free
Pitfalls
API format required — every script and the /api/prompt endpoint expect API-format workflow JSON. The scripts detect editor format (top-level nodes and links arrays) and tell you to re-export via "Workflow → Export (API)" (newer UI) or "Save (API Format)" (older UI).
Server must be running — all execution requires a live server. comfy launch --background starts one. Verify with curl http://127.0.0.1:8188/system_stats.
Model names are exact — case-sensitive, includes file extension. check_deps.py does fuzzy matching (with/without extension and folder prefix), but the workflow itself must use the canonical name. Use comfy model list to discover what's installed.
Missing custom nodes — "class_type not found" means a required node isn't installed. check_deps.py reports which package to install; auto_fix_deps.py runs the install for you.
Working directory — comfy-cli auto-detects the ComfyUI workspace. If commands fail with "no workspace found", use comfy --workspace /path/to/ComfyUI <command> or comfy set-default /path/to/ComfyUI.
Cloud free-tier API limits — /api/prompt, /api/view, /api/upload/*, /api/object_info all return 403 on free accounts. health_check.py and check_deps.py handle this gracefully and surface a clear message.
Timeout for video/audio workflows — auto-detected when an output node is VHS_VideoCombine, SaveVideo, etc.; the default jumps from 300 s to 900 s. Override explicitly with --timeout 1800.
Path traversal in output filenames — server-supplied filenames are passed through safe_path_join to refuse anything escaping --output-dir. Keep this protection on — workflows with custom save nodes can produce arbitrary paths.
Workflow JSON is arbitrary code — custom nodes run Python, so submitting an unknown workflow has the same trust profile as eval. Inspect workflows from untrusted sources before running.
Auto-randomized seed — pass seed: -1 in --args (or use --randomize-seed and omit the seed) to get a fresh seed per run. The actual seed is logged to stderr.
tracking prompt — first run of comfy may prompt for analytics. Use comfy --skip-prompt tracking disable to skip non-interactively. comfyui_setup.sh does this for you.
Verification
Use python3 scripts/health_check.py to run the whole checklist at once. Manual checks:
hardware_check.py verdict is ok OR the user explicitly chose Comfy Cloud
comfy --version works (or uvx --from comfy-cli comfy --help)
curl http://HOST:PORT/system_stats returns JSON
comfy model list shows at least one checkpoint (local) OR /api/experiment/models/checkpoints returns models (cloud)
Workflow JSON is in API format (each node has class_type, not top-level nodes/links arrays)
check_deps.py reports is_ready: true (or only node_check_skipped on cloud free tier)
Test run with a small workflow completes; outputs land in --output-dir:
