# Compute node

A machine in a cluster that executes tasks. Compute nodes do the work; the head node coordinates it.

Source: https://university.eugo.io/glossary/compute-node

---

The distinction from the head node saves real confusion once clusters are involved: a path that works in your notebook is not necessarily readable from a compute node, which is why shared inputs belong in object storage.

## Related terms

- [Cluster](https://university.eugo.io/glossary/cluster) — A set of machines, one head node and one or more compute nodes, launched together to run distributed work.
- [Head node](https://university.eugo.io/glossary/head-node) — The machine in a cluster that coordinates work: it schedules tasks onto compute nodes and tracks their results.
- [Worker](https://university.eugo.io/glossary/worker) — A process on a compute node that executes tasks. Worker count, not node count, is what determines how many tasks run at once.