What effect do chained nodes have on system resources?

Chained nodes in Appian workflows refer to a sequence of nodes that are executed in a dependent manner. When these nodes are executed, they can significantly impact system resources. Each chained node requires the system to allocate resources, such as CPU and memory, to process the information sequentially. This means that while one node is processing, the system is limited in its ability to allocate those same resources to other operations.

As multiple chained nodes are executed, they can lead to higher overall resource usage, particularly if the nodes perform complex operations or if the workflow encounters large data sets. This sequential processing can drain resources away from other tasks that are running concurrently, which can potentially lead to performance bottlenecks or slower system responsiveness.

Understanding this impact is crucial for optimizing performance in Appian applications, especially when designing complex processes that may utilize chained nodes extensively.