---
title: hou.node
description: Given a path string, return a Node object. Return None if the path does not refer to a node.
breadcrumbs: Houdini 22.0 > Python scripting > hou
nodeType: HOM function
source: https://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini/hom/hou/node_
generated_at: 2026-08-13T18:26:15.152Z
---

# hou.node HOM function

> Given a path string, return a Node object. Return None if the path does not refer to a node.

`node(path)` → [hou.OpNode](/docs/houdini/hom/hou/OpNode) or `None`

If the path starts with a `/`, Houdini will look for a node with that exact path. Otherwise, the Houdini searches relative to the current path. See [hou.pwd()](/docs/houdini/hom/hou/pwd) for more information about Houdini’s current path. For each occurrence of `..` in the path, Houdini will move up one node from the current location.

Raises [hou.NotAvailable](/docs/houdini/hom/hou/NotAvailable) if you call it from MPlay.

Be careful not to confuse this function with the class [hou.OpNode](/docs/houdini/hom/hou/OpNode).

```python
```python
>>> hou.node("/obj")
<hou.OpNode at /obj>
>>> hou.node("/obj").createNode("geo")
<hou.ObjNode of type geo at /obj/geo1>
>>> hou.node("/obj").createNode("geo")
<hou.ObjNode of type geo at /obj/geo2>
>>> hou.node("/obj/geo1")
<hou.ObjNode of type geo at /obj/geo1>
>>> hou.cd("/obj")
>>> hou.node("geo1")
<hou.ObjNode of type geo at /obj/geo1>
>>> hou.cd("/obj/geo2")
>>> hou.node("../geo1")
<hou.ObjNode of type geo at /obj/geo1>
>>> print hou.node("../geo3")
None
```
```

## See Also

- [hou.item()](/docs/houdini/hom/hou/item)
- [hou.items()](/docs/houdini/hom/hou/items)
- [hou.nodes()](/docs/houdini/hom/hou/nodes)
- [hou.pwd()](/docs/houdini/hom/hou/pwd)
- [hou.parent()](/docs/houdini/hom/hou/parent)
- [hou.root()](/docs/houdini/hom/hou/root)