# Node Lifecycle

**URL:** <https://forum.knime.com/t/node-lifecycle/21102>\
**Category:** Node Development\
**Created:** [February 17, 2020, 5:18pm UTC](https://forum.knime.com/t/node-lifecycle/21102 "2020-02-17T17:18:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![AlexanderFillbrunn](https://forum-cdn.knime.com/user_avatar/forum.knime.com/alexanderfillbrunn/32/357_2.png) [@AlexanderFillbrunn](https://forum.knime.com/u/AlexanderFillbrunn)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2020, 9:15am UTC](https://forum.knime.com/t/node-lifecycle/21102/2 "2020-02-19T09:15:24Z")

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Hi @bfrutchey,  
the `configure` method is used to determine the output the node will produce when `execute` is called. This description of the output, e.g. the table spec if the output port is a data table, is then passed on to the following nodes. They in turn execute their configure method to pass on their output again. So any time the output might change, configure is called. Concretely, that is when the settings of the node change or when an upstream node’s settings changed, when a new connection into the node is made, or when the node is reset. I think the `resetAndConfigureLoopBody` method is used only by loops to reset all the nodes in the loop, as that is what happens before every iteration.  
Kind regards  
Alexander

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