Loop

In the nodal model, a loop is a circularly linked list formed from nodal associations. Since none of the nodes in a loop is a starting or finishing point, a loop can be referenced by any of its node-items. This means that a reference to a loop can also encapsulate the concept of an item of current focus, a concept used heavily by nodal reduction

In nodal reduction, a node's value (obtained by calling nodeGet/SetValue with the key parameter set to zero) is called the current focus and it is a node in the loop. This node of current-focus is the one which will receive the next quantum of execution from its parent node, and is part of a loop of nodes which all reveive quanta as the loop is rotated by the nodal reduction process.

Note that although one node can be the value of many associations at the same time, it can only occupy a single loop at any one time, because its position in a loop is determined by its prev and next associations. Since the loop is occupied by the recipients of the nodes energy, the node plays the role of parent to the items in the loop.