Choose Your Source

Start with the shape of the gameplay data, not the SaveFlow class list.

Fast Decision Table

Your data looks like	Start with	Why
One scene object owns visible Godot node state	SaveFlowNodeSource	The object can gather built-in node state and selected child participants.
One GDScript system/model owns typed fields	SaveFlowTypedDataSource	The data shape is typed, but SaveFlow still stores a Variant payload.
One C# DTO/state object owns the data	SaveFlowTypedStateSource	The C# source owns source-generated JSON payload lifecycle.
One runtime set changes during gameplay	SaveFlowEntityCollectionSource	The list needs identity, descriptors, and factory restore.
Several Sources should save/load together	SaveFlowScope	The domain needs an explicit boundary.
You need project-specific gather/apply logic	SaveFlowDataSource	The state is too custom for built-ins or typed helpers.

I Need To Save One Node

Use SaveFlowNodeSource.

This is the right default for scene-authored Godot objects:

• transform
• animation state
• common control values
• selected child node state

If the data is already visible as node properties, a built-in selection may be enough.

Do not use it as a vacuum cleaner for an entire scene. If a child object already has its own Source, include that Source directly.

I Need To Save One Typed Model

Use SaveFlowTypedDataSource in GDScript or SaveFlowTypedStateSource in C#.

This is the right default for system data:

• settings
• profile state
• chapter progress
• inventory counters

Prefer typed fields over raw dictionaries when the data shape belongs to your project.

Use a custom SaveFlowDataSource only when the system really needs custom gather/apply logic.

I Need To Save Runtime Objects

Use SaveFlowEntityCollectionSource.

This is the right default for objects that appear and disappear during gameplay:

• pickups
• enemies
• dropped items
• spawned actors

Each entity needs a stable identity and enough descriptor data for a factory to restore it.

Use Clear And Restore when stale runtime children must never survive load. Use Create Missing when the collection may already contain some valid entities and only missing ones should be spawned.

I Need To Save A Domain

Use SaveFlowScope.

This is the right default when several Sources form one domain:

• profile
• world
• room
• settings

Save and load the Scope when your gameplay workflow wants that domain to move together.

Wrong Turns To Avoid

Do not use SaveFlowScope when the real answer is still "save this object".

Do not make a parent SaveFlowNodeSource recursively save a runtime entity container.

Do not store UI text as save data if the UI can be rebuilt from gameplay data.

Do not use raw dictionaries for project-owned data when typed data or typed state would be clearer.