Name the sizes a node can ask for

Raw cpus and gpus are a property of the machines an installation has, so a node
written against a cluster quietly stops meaning anything when the cluster is
replaced. A node says "gpu-small" instead, and what that is stored here —
editable, and read again every time the node is built, so changing the flavor
changes what the next run gets.

Memory joins the schema properly (`ram`, in MB, accepting "2G"), along with
`duration_s` for how long a node is expected to take. That one is recorded and
shown and nothing else yet: a statement for whoever is planning around the node,
not a limit — the limit is still `timeout`.

A flavor and a number for the same thing is refused, compared by value so an
editor writing the whole object back with its defaults still round-trips. A name
nothing stores is refused at the save, which covers the canvas and `fluksio
sync` at once, and deleting one a node still asks for says which node.

Four sizes are seeded on an installation that has none, and never re-seeded:
re-adding one somebody deliberately removed is an argument nobody wins.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01A6HeySA27EkGANZN95QySW

backend/fluksio/alembic/versions/c7e2b9f34a15_flavor_table.py

@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+"""flavor
+
+A named amount of machine — cores, cards and memory — so a node can ask for one
+by name. Seeded with a few sizes on first start, and editable afterwards: what
+"gpu-small" means is a property of the machines an installation has, and those
+change.
+
+Revision ID: c7e2b9f34a15
+Revises: b3f1a7c50d92
+Create Date: 2026-08-27
+
+"""
+
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+import sqlmodel.sql.sqltypes
+from alembic import op
+
+# revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
+revision = "c7e2b9f34a15"
+down_revision = "b3f1a7c50d92"
+branch_labels = None
+depends_on = None
+
+
+def upgrade():
+    op.create_table(
+        "flavor",
+        sa.Column("name", sqlmodel.sql.sqltypes.AutoString(length=64), nullable=False),
+        sa.Column("cpus", sa.Integer(), nullable=False),
+        sa.Column("gpus", sa.Integer(), nullable=False),
+        sa.Column("ram", sa.Integer(), nullable=False),
+        sa.Column(
+            "description",
+            sqlmodel.sql.sqltypes.AutoString(length=255),
+            nullable=False,
+        ),
+        sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint("name"),
+    )
+
+
+def downgrade():
+    op.drop_table("flavor")

backend/fluksio/api/main.py

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from fluksio.api.routes import (
     artifacts,
     cloud,
     dashboards,
+    flavors,
     flows,
     login,
     messages,
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ api_router = APIRouter()
 api_router.include_router(login.router)
 api_router.include_router(users.router)
 api_router.include_router(utils.router)
+api_router.include_router(flavors.router)
 api_router.include_router(flows.router)
 api_router.include_router(flows.ws_router)
 api_router.include_router(secrets.router)

backend/fluksio/api/routes/flavors.py

@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+"""Named amounts of machine, for nodes to ask for by name.
+
+A node saying ``gpu-small`` keeps meaning something after the cluster it was
+written against is replaced; one saying eight cores and sixteen gigabytes
+quietly stops. So the sizes live here, editable, and a node refers to one.
+
+Reading them is open to anyone signed in — the node panel offers them in a
+dropdown. Changing one is a superuser's, because it changes what every node
+that names it gets.
+"""
+
+from typing import Any
+
+from fastapi import APIRouter, Depends, HTTPException
+from fastapi.concurrency import run_in_threadpool
+from sqlmodel import select
+
+from fluksio.api.deps import (
+    FlowControllerDep,
+    SessionDep,
+    get_current_active_superuser,
+    get_current_user,
+)
+from fluksio.flow.resources import FLAVOR_NAME
+from fluksio.models import (
+    Flavor,
+    FlavorCreate,
+    FlavorPublic,
+    FlavorsPublic,
+    FlavorUpdate,
+    Message,
+)
+
+router = APIRouter(
+    prefix="/flavors", tags=["flavors"], dependencies=[Depends(get_current_user)]
+)
+
+
+def _get(session: SessionDep, name: str) -> Flavor:
+    flavor = session.get(Flavor, name)
+    if flavor is None:
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail=f"No flavor named '{name}'")
+    return flavor
+
+
+@router.get("/", response_model=FlavorsPublic)
+def read_flavors(session: SessionDep) -> Any:
+    """Every size a node can ask for."""
+    flavors = list(session.exec(select(Flavor).order_by(Flavor.name)).all())
+    return FlavorsPublic(data=flavors, count=len(flavors))
+
+
+@router.post(
+    "/",
+    response_model=FlavorPublic,
+    dependencies=[Depends(get_current_active_superuser)],
+)
+def create_flavor(session: SessionDep, body: FlavorCreate) -> Any:
+    if not FLAVOR_NAME.match(body.name):
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=422,
+            detail="A flavor name is lowercase letters, digits, dashes and "
+            "underscores, starting with a letter",
+        )
+    if session.get(Flavor, body.name) is not None:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=409, detail=f"A flavor named '{body.name}' already exists"
+        )
+    flavor = Flavor(**body.model_dump())
+    session.add(flavor)
+    session.commit()
+    session.refresh(flavor)
+    return flavor
+
+
+@router.patch(
+    "/{name}",
+    response_model=FlavorPublic,
+    dependencies=[Depends(get_current_active_superuser)],
+)
+def update_flavor(session: SessionDep, name: str, body: FlavorUpdate) -> Any:
+    """Change what a size means. Every node naming it gets the new one."""
+    flavor = _get(session, name)
+    flavor.sqlmodel_update(body.model_dump(exclude_unset=True))
+    session.add(flavor)
+    session.commit()
+    session.refresh(flavor)
+    return flavor
+
+
+@router.delete(
+    "/{name}",
+    response_model=Message,
+    dependencies=[Depends(get_current_active_superuser)],
+)
+async def delete_flavor(
+    session: SessionDep, controller: FlowControllerDep, name: str
+) -> Any:
+    """Remove a size, as long as no node still asks for it."""
+    _get(session, name)
+    used_by = await run_in_threadpool(_usages, controller, name)
+    if used_by:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=409,
+            detail=f"'{name}' is still asked for by {', '.join(used_by)}",
+        )
+    session.delete(session.get(Flavor, name))
+    session.commit()
+    return Message(message=f"Deleted flavor '{name}'")
+
+
+def _usages(controller: FlowControllerDep, name: str) -> list[str]:
+    """Which nodes name this flavor, published or in a draft."""
+    used: list[str] = []
+    for flow_name in controller.store.list_flows():
+        seen = set()
+        for draft in (False, True):
+            if draft and not controller.store.has_draft(flow_name):
+                continue
+            try:
+                flow = controller.store.read_flow(flow_name, draft=draft)
+            except Exception:
+                continue
+            for node in flow.nodes:
+                if node.resources is not None and node.resources.flavor == name:
+                    seen.add(f"{flow_name}.{node.id}")
+        used.extend(sorted(seen))
+    return used

backend/fluksio/api/routes/flows.py

@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ from fluksio.flow.store import (
     LibNotFound,
     StaleVersion,
 )
-from fluksio.models import Message, Run, RunArtifact, RunMetric, RunNode
+from fluksio.models import Flavor, Message, Run, RunArtifact, RunMetric, RunNode
 
 router = APIRouter(
     prefix="/flows", tags=["flows"], dependencies=[Depends(get_current_user)]
@@ -368,6 +368,31 @@ def read_flow(name: str, controller: FlowControllerDep) -> Any:
     return _detail(controller, _read_flow(controller, name))
 
 
+def _check_flavors(definition: FlowDef) -> None:
+    """Refuse a size nobody stored, here rather than when the node is built.
+
+    Catching it at the save covers the canvas and ``fluksio sync`` in one
+    place; a node that only finds out at build time is a red node somebody has
+    to go and look at.
+    """
+    named = {
+        node.resources.flavor
+        for node in definition.nodes
+        if node.resources is not None and node.resources.flavor
+    }
+    if not named:
+        return
+    with Session(engine) as session:
+        known = set(session.exec(select(Flavor.name)).all())
+    unknown = sorted(named - known)
+    if unknown:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=422,
+            detail=f"No flavor named '{unknown[0]}' "
+            f"(known: {', '.join(sorted(known)) or 'none'})",
+        )
+
+
 @router.put("/{name}", response_model=FlowDetail)
 async def save_flow(
     name: str,
@@ -390,6 +415,8 @@ async def save_flow(
     if len(duplicates) != len(definition.nodes):
         raise HTTPException(status_code=400, detail="Node names must be unique")
 
+    _check_flavors(definition)
+
     try:
         stored = await run_in_threadpool(
             controller.store.write_draft, definition, definition.version

backend/fluksio/core/db.py

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from sqlmodel import Session, SQLModel, create_engine, select
 
 from fluksio import crud
 from fluksio.core.config import settings
-from fluksio.models import User, UserCreate
+from fluksio.models import Flavor, User, UserCreate
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -110,8 +110,40 @@ def init_db(session: Session) -> None:
         user = crud.create_user(session=session, user_create=user_in)
 
 
+#: The sizes an installation starts with. Written once, when there are none,
+#: and editable from there — what a name means is a property of the machines
+#: this installation has, and nothing here knows what those are.
+SEED_FLAVORS: tuple[dict[str, Any], ...] = (
+    {"name": "small", "cpus": 1, "ram": 2048, "description": "A poll, a threshold"},
+    {"name": "medium", "cpus": 4, "ram": 8192, "description": "A step that computes"},
+    {"name": "large", "cpus": 8, "ram": 16384, "description": "A heavy step"},
+    {
+        "name": "gpu-small",
+        "cpus": 4,
+        "gpus": 1,
+        "ram": 16384,
+        "description": "One card, and cores to feed it",
+    },
+)
+
+
+def seed_flavors(session: Session) -> None:
+    """Give a new installation sizes to pick from, once.
+
+    Only when there are none at all: they are editable, and re-adding one that
+    somebody deliberately removed would be an argument nobody can win.
+    """
+    if session.exec(select(Flavor)).first() is not None:
+        return
+    for row in SEED_FLAVORS:
+        session.add(Flavor(**row))
+    session.commit()
+    logger.info("seeded %d resource flavors", len(SEED_FLAVORS))
+
+
 def prepare(engine: Engine) -> None:
     """Everything that has to be true before the app serves a request."""
     migrate(engine)
     with Session(engine) as session:
         init_db(session)
+        seed_flavors(session)

backend/fluksio/flow/controller.py

@@ -64,7 +64,12 @@ from fluksio.flow.pipeline import (
 )
 from fluksio.flow.placement import Placer
 from fluksio.flow.remote import RemoteWorkerHub
-from fluksio.flow.resources import ResourceAccountant, derive_env
+from fluksio.flow.resources import (
+    ResourceAccountant,
+    UnknownFlavor,
+    derive_env,
+    resolve_flavor,
+)
 from fluksio.flow.schemas import (
     BrainEdge,
     BrainGraph,
@@ -869,11 +874,10 @@ class FlowController:
     # Building
     # -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-    def _runs_elsewhere(self, node_def: NodeDef) -> bool:
+    def _runs_elsewhere(self, wanted: Resources | None) -> bool:
         """Whether this node asks for more than this machine could ever give."""
-        if node_def.resources is None or self.placer is None:
+        if wanted is None or self.placer is None:
             return False
-        wanted = node_def.resources
         return not self.placer.local.fits(wanted.cpus, wanted.gpus, wanted.ram or 0)
 
     def _placed(
@@ -1016,6 +1020,18 @@ class FlowController:
                     # one importing torch is correct on the GPU box and a
                     # missing module here, so checking it here would fail a
                     # node that is fine.
+                    try:
+                        # A named size is read now rather than stored on the
+                        # node, so editing the flavor edits the next run.
+                        wanted = (
+                            resolve_flavor(node_def.resources)
+                            if node_def.resources is not None
+                            else None
+                        )
+                    except UnknownFlavor as exc:
+                        entry.status = NodeStatus.ERROR
+                        entry.error = str(exc)
+                        return entry
                     remote_only = (
                         node_def.device
                         and node_def.device_policy == "require"
@@ -1025,7 +1041,7 @@ class FlowController:
                         problem = self.remote.compile(
                             node_def.device or "", owner, local, code
                         )
-                    elif self._runs_elsewhere(node_def):
+                    elif self._runs_elsewhere(wanted):
                         # Asks for more than this machine has, so it will run on
                         # one that has it. Same reason as a device: checking the
                         # import here would fail a node that is fine there.
@@ -1043,13 +1059,13 @@ class FlowController:
                         if node_def.timeout is not None
                         else settings.FLOW_NODE_TIMEOUT
                     )
-                    if node_def.resources is not None and self.placer is not None:
+                    if wanted is not None and self.placer is not None:
                         # Says how much of a machine it takes, so which machine
                         # and how much of it are one decision — including when
                         # it also names a device, which used to mean the two
                         # answers disagreed and nothing was accounted at all.
                         function = self._placed(
-                            node_def.resources,
+                            wanted,
                             node_def.device,
                             node_def.device_policy,
                             owner,

backend/fluksio/flow/resources.py

@@ -26,14 +26,21 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 import logging
 import os
+import re
 import threading
 from collections.abc import Callable
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 
+from sqlmodel import Session
+
 from fluksio.flow.schemas import Resources
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+#: What a flavor may be called. Dashes allowed, unlike a flow or node name —
+#: "gpu-small" reads better than "gpu_small" on a dropdown.
+FLAVOR_NAME = re.compile(r"^[a-z][a-z0-9_-]*$")
+
 #: Every spelling of "how many threads may you use" that a scientific stack
 #: reads out of the environment at import. Set together, because a process
 #: usually pulls in more than one of them.
@@ -175,6 +182,42 @@ def derive_env(wanted: Resources, allocation: Allocation) -> dict[str, str]:
     return env
 
 
+class UnknownFlavor(ValueError):
+    """A node asks for a size that is not stored here."""
+
+
+def resolve_flavor(wanted: Resources) -> Resources:
+    """The concrete numbers behind a declaration.
+
+    Read when the node is built rather than stored on it, so editing a flavor
+    changes what the next run gets. A node that names one that has been deleted
+    is an error rather than a default: running a training step against a size
+    nobody chose is worse than a node that says what is wrong with it.
+    """
+    if not wanted.flavor:
+        return wanted
+    # Imported here: this module is the books, and the books have no business
+    # knowing about the database until somebody asks for a stored size.
+    from fluksio.core.db import engine
+    from fluksio.models import Flavor
+
+    with Session(engine) as session:
+        row = session.get(Flavor, wanted.flavor)
+    if row is None:
+        raise UnknownFlavor(
+            f"flavor '{wanted.flavor}' does not exist — `fluksio flavors` lists them"
+        )
+    # Built fresh rather than copied, so the flavor-and-numbers check runs on
+    # the result and this cannot quietly produce something invalid.
+    return Resources(
+        cpus=row.cpus,
+        gpus=row.gpus,
+        ram=row.ram,
+        env=wanted.env,
+        duration_s=wanted.duration_s,
+    )
+
+
 def fair_share_env(cpus: int, workers: int) -> dict[str, str]:
     """Thread caps for the shared pool, where nothing declared anything.
 

backend/fluksio/flow/schemas.py

@@ -9,12 +9,18 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import re
 from typing import Any, Literal
 
-from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, Field, field_validator
+from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, Field, field_validator, model_validator
 
 from fluksio.flow.messages import MessageSpec
 
 NAME_PATTERN = re.compile(r"^[a-z][a-z0-9_]*$")
 
+#: Megabytes, gigabytes, or a bare number already in megabytes.
+_SIZE = re.compile(r"^\s*(\d+)\s*([mg]b?)?\s*$", re.IGNORECASE)
+#: Seconds, minutes, hours or days — one unit, so there is one thing to read.
+_SPAN = re.compile(r"^\s*(\d+)\s*([smhd])?\s*$", re.IGNORECASE)
+_SPAN_SECONDS = {"s": 1, "m": 60, "h": 3600, "d": 86400}
+
 
 def _validate_name(value: str) -> str:
     if not NAME_PATTERN.match(value):
@@ -24,6 +30,27 @@ def _validate_name(value: str) -> str:
     return value
 
 
+def _megabytes(value: Any) -> Any:
+    """``2G`` and ``512M`` and ``512`` all mean a number of megabytes."""
+    if not isinstance(value, str):
+        return value
+    match = _SIZE.match(value)
+    if not match:
+        raise ValueError(f"'{value}' is not a size — write 512M, 2G, or 512")
+    amount, unit = int(match.group(1)), (match.group(2) or "m").lower()
+    return amount * 1024 if unit.startswith("g") else amount
+
+
+def _seconds(value: Any) -> Any:
+    """``2h``, ``30m``, ``90s`` and ``90`` all mean a number of seconds."""
+    if not isinstance(value, str):
+        return value
+    match = _SPAN.match(value)
+    if not match:
+        raise ValueError(f"'{value}' is not a duration — write 90s, 30m, 2h, or 90")
+    return int(match.group(1)) * _SPAN_SECONDS[(match.group(2) or "s").lower()]
+
+
 class Resources(BaseModel):
     """What one execution of a node needs to have to itself.
 
@@ -64,10 +91,27 @@ class Resources(BaseModel):
         default=None,
         ge=1,
         description=(
-            "Megabytes held for the whole execution. Counted against machines "
-            "that said how much they have, and ignored by those that did not — "
-            "which is a machine with nothing to say about memory, not one with "
-            "none."
+            "Megabytes held for the whole execution; accepts '512M' or '2G'. "
+            "Counted against machines that said how much they have, and "
+            "ignored by those that did not — which is a machine with nothing "
+            "to say about memory, not one with none."
+        ),
+    )
+    flavor: str | None = Field(
+        default=None,
+        description=(
+            "A stored size by name, standing in for cpus, gpus and ram. Read "
+            "again every time the node is built, so editing the flavor edits "
+            "what the next run gets."
+        ),
+    )
+    duration_s: int | None = Field(
+        default=None,
+        ge=1,
+        description=(
+            "How long one execution is expected to take; accepts '30m' or "
+            "'2h'. A statement about the node for whoever is planning around "
+            "it, not a limit — the limit is `timeout`."
         ),
     )
     env: dict[str, str] = Field(
@@ -80,6 +124,25 @@ class Resources(BaseModel):
         ),
     )
 
+    _parse_ram = field_validator("ram", mode="before")(_megabytes)
+    _parse_duration = field_validator("duration_s", mode="before")(_seconds)
+
+    @model_validator(mode="after")
+    def _a_flavor_says_it_all(self) -> Resources:
+        """A flavor and a number for the same thing is two answers.
+
+        Compared by value rather than by what was set, because an editor that
+        writes the whole object back sends the defaults with it — and a node
+        that says `flavor` and `cpus: 1` has not actually asked for anything
+        the flavor does not already cover.
+        """
+        if self.flavor and (self.cpus != 1 or self.gpus != 0 or self.ram is not None):
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"flavor '{self.flavor}' already says how much — "
+                "drop cpus, gpus and ram, or drop the flavor"
+            )
+        return self
+
 
 class NodeDef(BaseModel):
     """A node as stored: identity, configuration and ports.

backend/fluksio/models.py

@@ -462,3 +462,55 @@ class RunArtifact(SQLModel, table=True):
         default_factory=lambda: datetime.now(UTC),
         sa_type=UTCDateTime,
     )
+
+
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Flavors
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+class FlavorBase(SQLModel):
+    """A named amount of machine, so a node can ask for one by name.
+
+    The point is not to save typing. Cores and megabytes are a property of the
+    machines an installation actually has, and they change when those machines
+    do — so a node saying "gpu-small" keeps meaning something after the cluster
+    is replaced, where a node saying 8 and 16384 quietly stops.
+    """
+
+    cpus: int = Field(default=1, ge=1)
+    gpus: int = Field(default=0, ge=0)
+    #: Megabytes. A flavor always says, which is what a node asking for one is
+    #: buying — the raw form leaves memory unstated and unaccounted.
+    ram: int = Field(default=2048, ge=1)
+    description: str = Field(default="", max_length=255)
+
+
+class Flavor(FlavorBase, table=True):
+    """A resource size somebody named, stored so nodes can refer to it."""
+
+    __tablename__ = "flavor"
+
+    name: str = Field(primary_key=True, max_length=64)
+
+
+class FlavorCreate(FlavorBase):
+    name: str = Field(max_length=64)
+
+
+class FlavorUpdate(SQLModel):
+    """Everything but the name: renaming would orphan the nodes that ask."""
+
+    cpus: int | None = Field(default=None, ge=1)
+    gpus: int | None = Field(default=None, ge=0)
+    ram: int | None = Field(default=None, ge=1)
+    description: str | None = Field(default=None, max_length=255)
+
+
+class FlavorPublic(FlavorBase):
+    name: str
+
+
+class FlavorsPublic(SQLModel):
+    data: list[FlavorPublic]
+    count: int

backend/fluksio/sdk/__init__.py

@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ def node(
     device: str | None = None,
     device_policy: str = "require",
     cache: bool = True,
-    resources: dict[str, Any] | None = None,
+    resources: dict[str, Any] | str | None = None,
 ) -> Callable[[F], F]:
     """Mark a function as a node, declaring its ports.
 
@@ -302,14 +302,22 @@ def node(
     library that sizes itself to every visible core is told otherwise. ``env``
     is for the tuning the engine must not invent, such as ``XLA_FLAGS``.
     Declaring nothing is the default and changes nothing.
+
+    A string is a stored flavor — ``resources="gpu-small"`` — which is the same
+    thing as ``{"flavor": "gpu-small"}`` and stands in for cpus, gpus and ram.
+    Sizes accept ``"2G"``; ``duration_s`` accepts ``"30m"``.
     """
     if device_policy not in ("require", "prefer"):
         raise SyncError("device_policy is 'require' or 'prefer'")
+    if isinstance(resources, str):
+        resources = {"flavor": resources}
     if resources is not None:
-        unknown = sorted(set(resources) - {"cpus", "gpus", "env"})
+        known = {"cpus", "gpus", "ram", "flavor", "duration_s", "env"}
+        unknown = sorted(set(resources) - known)
         if unknown:
             raise SyncError(
-                f"resources={{'{unknown[0]}': ...}} is not one of cpus, gpus, env"
+                f"resources={{'{unknown[0]}': ...}} is not one of "
+                f"{', '.join(sorted(known))}"
             )
     if timeout is not None and timeout < 0:
         raise SyncError(

backend/fluksio/sdk/cli.py

@@ -558,6 +558,35 @@ def _portal_phrase(portal: dict[str, Any]) -> tuple[str, str]:
     return "portal unreachable" + (f" ({trouble[:60]})" if trouble else ""), "red"
 
 
+def _resource_lines(machines: dict[str, Any]) -> list[str]:
+    """One line per machine: what it holds, and what is queued for it."""
+    targets = machines.get("targets") or []
+    if not targets:
+        return []
+    waiting = len(machines.get("waiting") or [])
+    lines = []
+    for target in targets:
+        parts = []
+        for label, level in (
+            ("cpu", target.get("cpus")),
+            ("gpu", target.get("gpus")),
+        ):
+            # A machine with no card says nothing about cards.
+            if level and level.get("total"):
+                parts.append(
+                    f"{label} {level['total'] - level['free']}/{level['total']}"
+                )
+        ram = target.get("ram_mb")
+        if ram and ram.get("total"):
+            parts.append(
+                f"ram {(ram['total'] - ram['free']) // 1024}/{ram['total'] // 1024}G"
+            )
+        lines.append(f"{str(target.get('target', '')):<16}" + " · ".join(parts))
+    if waiting:
+        lines[-1] += f"   {waiting} waiting"
+    return [f"resources   {lines[0]}"] + [f"            {line}" for line in lines[1:]]
+
+
 def _status_screen(client: Client) -> Any:
     """One frame: health, the flows, and the failures under them."""
     from rich.console import Group
@@ -576,6 +605,11 @@ def _status_screen(client: Client) -> Any:
         # Never enrolled, or an engine too old to answer. Neither is worth
         # failing a status screen over.
         portal = {}
+    try:
+        machines = client.resources()
+    except (SyncError, ApiError):
+        # An engine that accounts nothing, or one too old to answer.
+        machines = {}
 
     healthy = summary.get("status") == "ok"
     head = Text()
@@ -625,7 +659,9 @@ def _status_screen(client: Client) -> Any:
             Text(" · ".join(notes), style="red" if flow.get("error_count") else "dim"),
         )
 
-    parts: list[Any] = [head, facts, ""]
+    parts: list[Any] = [head, facts]
+    parts += [Text(line, style="dim") for line in _resource_lines(machines)]
+    parts.append("")
     parts.append(
         table if flows else Text("No flows yet. `fluksio sync` uploads yours.", "dim")
     )
@@ -727,6 +763,27 @@ def cmd_runs(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
     return 0
 
 
+def cmd_flavors(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
+    """The named sizes a node can ask for."""
+    try:
+        with _client_for(args) as client:
+            rows = client.flavors()
+    except (SyncError, ApiError) as exc:
+        return _fail(str(exc))
+    except httpx.HTTPError as exc:
+        return _unreachable(exc)
+    if not rows:
+        _say("No flavors. A node can still say cpus and gpus itself.")
+        return 0
+    for row in rows:
+        cards = f"{row['gpus']:>3} gpu" if row.get("gpus") else " " * 7
+        _say(
+            f"{row['name']:<14}{row['cpus']:>3} cpu {row['ram'] // 1024:>5} GB"
+            f"{cards}  {row.get('description', '')}"
+        )
+    return 0
+
+
 def _grid(
     definition: dict[str, Any], values: list[str], seed: int | None
 ) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
@@ -909,6 +966,12 @@ def add_parsers(subparsers: Any) -> None:
     with_engine(parser, local=True)
     parser.set_defaults(func=cmd_runs)
 
+    parser = subparsers.add_parser(
+        "flavors", help="the named resource sizes a node can ask for"
+    )
+    with_engine(parser)
+    parser.set_defaults(func=cmd_flavors)
+
     parser = subparsers.add_parser(
         "sweep", help="one flow, once per combination of the parameters given"
     )

backend/fluksio/sdk/client.py

@@ -272,6 +272,16 @@ class Client:
         result = self._call("GET", "/flows/")
         return list(result.get("data") or [])
 
+    def flavors(self) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+        """The named sizes a node can ask for."""
+        result = self._call("GET", "/flavors/")
+        return list(result.get("data") or [])
+
+    def resources(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        """Every machine, what is free of it, and which nodes are queued."""
+        result: dict[str, Any] = self._call("GET", "/workers/resources")
+        return result
+
     # -- how the engine is doing -------------------------------------------
 
     def summary(self) -> dict[str, Any]:

backend/scripts/bench_startup.py

@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@ log = logging.getLogger("bench")
 
 #: A flow that computes nothing, so what is timed is the getting-started.
 BENCH_FLOW = "bench_startup"
-NODE_SOURCE = '"""Does nothing, on purpose."""\n\n\ndef process(n):\n    return {"out": n}\n'
+NODE_SOURCE = (
+    '"""Does nothing, on purpose."""\n\n\ndef process(n):\n    return {"out": n}\n'
+)
 
 
 class Api:

backend/tests/api/routes/test_flavors.py

@@ -0,0 +1,180 @@
+"""Named sizes: storing them, and what happens to a node that asks for one."""
+
+import pytest
+from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+from sqlmodel import Session, select
+
+from fluksio.core.config import settings
+from fluksio.core.db import seed_flavors
+from fluksio.models import Flavor
+
+
+def test_an_installation_starts_with_sizes_to_pick_from(
+    client: TestClient, superuser_token_headers: dict[str, str]
+) -> None:
+    response = client.get(
+        f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/flavors/", headers=superuser_token_headers
+    )
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    names = {row["name"] for row in response.json()["data"]}
+    assert {"small", "medium", "large", "gpu-small"} <= names
+
+
+def test_seeding_leaves_an_installation_that_has_its_own_alone(db: Session) -> None:
+    """Re-adding a size somebody deliberately removed is an argument to avoid."""
+    before = {row.name for row in db.exec(select(Flavor)).all()}
+    seed_flavors(db)
+    assert {row.name for row in db.exec(select(Flavor)).all()} == before
+
+
+def test_a_size_can_be_added_changed_and_removed(
+    client: TestClient, superuser_token_headers: dict[str, str]
+) -> None:
+    created = client.post(
+        f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/flavors/",
+        headers=superuser_token_headers,
+        json={"name": "gpu-big", "cpus": 16, "gpus": 4, "ram": 65536},
+    )
+    assert created.status_code == 200
+    assert created.json()["gpus"] == 4
+
+    again = client.post(
+        f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/flavors/",
+        headers=superuser_token_headers,
+        json={"name": "gpu-big", "cpus": 1},
+    )
+    assert again.status_code == 409
+
+    changed = client.patch(
+        f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/flavors/gpu-big",
+        headers=superuser_token_headers,
+        json={"cpus": 32},
+    )
+    assert changed.status_code == 200
+    # Only what was sent: the rest of the size is untouched.
+    assert (changed.json()["cpus"], changed.json()["gpus"]) == (32, 4)
+
+    removed = client.delete(
+        f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/flavors/gpu-big", headers=superuser_token_headers
+    )
+    assert removed.status_code == 200
+    listed = client.get(
+        f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/flavors/", headers=superuser_token_headers
+    ).json()
+    assert "gpu-big" not in {row["name"] for row in listed["data"]}
+
+
+def test_changing_a_size_is_a_superusers(
+    client: TestClient, normal_user_token_headers: dict[str, str]
+) -> None:
+    """Reading is open — the node panel offers them — and writing is not."""
+    assert (
+        client.get(
+            f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/flavors/", headers=normal_user_token_headers
+        ).status_code
+        == 200
+    )
+    refused = client.post(
+        f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/flavors/",
+        headers=normal_user_token_headers,
+        json={"name": "sneaky", "cpus": 99},
+    )
+    assert refused.status_code == 403
+
+
+def test_a_name_nobody_could_type_is_refused(
+    client: TestClient, superuser_token_headers: dict[str, str]
+) -> None:
+    refused = client.post(
+        f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/flavors/",
+        headers=superuser_token_headers,
+        json={"name": "GPU Big!", "cpus": 1},
+    )
+    assert refused.status_code == 422
+
+
+def test_a_flow_cannot_name_a_size_that_does_not_exist(
+    client: TestClient, superuser_token_headers: dict[str, str]
+) -> None:
+    """Caught at the save, which covers the canvas and `fluksio sync` at once."""
+    response = client.put(
+        f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/flows/flavor_check",
+        headers=superuser_token_headers,
+        json={
+            "name": "flavor_check",
+            "version": 1,
+            "nodes": [
+                {"id": "fit", "type": "python", "resources": {"flavor": "imaginary"}}
+            ],
+        },
+    )
+    assert response.status_code == 422
+    assert "imaginary" in str(response.json()["detail"])
+
+
+def test_a_size_a_node_still_asks_for_is_not_deleted(
+    client: TestClient, superuser_token_headers: dict[str, str]
+) -> None:
+    client.post(
+        f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/flavors/",
+        headers=superuser_token_headers,
+        json={"name": "in-use", "cpus": 2},
+    )
+    client.put(
+        f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/flows/flavor_user",
+        headers=superuser_token_headers,
+        json={
+            "name": "flavor_user",
+            "version": 1,
+            "nodes": [
+                {"id": "fit", "type": "python", "resources": {"flavor": "in-use"}}
+            ],
+        },
+    )
+    try:
+        refused = client.delete(
+            f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/flavors/in-use", headers=superuser_token_headers
+        )
+        assert refused.status_code == 409
+        assert "flavor_user.fit" in refused.json()["detail"]
+    finally:
+        client.delete(
+            f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/flows/flavor_user", headers=superuser_token_headers
+        )
+        client.delete(
+            f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/flavors/in-use", headers=superuser_token_headers
+        )
+
+
+def test_a_named_size_resolves_to_the_numbers_stored_for_it(db: Session) -> None:
+    from fluksio.flow.resources import UnknownFlavor, resolve_flavor
+    from fluksio.flow.schemas import Resources
+
+    resolved = resolve_flavor(Resources(flavor="gpu-small", duration_s=60))
+    seeded = db.get(Flavor, "gpu-small")
+    assert (resolved.cpus, resolved.gpus, resolved.ram) == (
+        seeded.cpus,
+        seeded.gpus,
+        seeded.ram,
+    )
+    # What the node said about itself survives; the flavor only sizes it.
+    assert resolved.duration_s == 60
+    assert resolved.flavor is None
+
+    # Read at build time, so editing a flavor edits what the next run gets.
+    seeded.cpus = 12
+    db.add(seeded)
+    db.commit()
+    assert resolve_flavor(Resources(flavor="gpu-small")).cpus == 12
+
+    with pytest.raises(UnknownFlavor, match="does not exist"):
+        resolve_flavor(Resources(flavor="never-stored"))
+
+
+def test_declaring_nothing_never_looks_anything_up() -> None:
+    """The common node pays nothing for a feature it does not use."""
+    from fluksio.flow.resources import resolve_flavor
+    from fluksio.flow.schemas import Resources
+
+    wanted = Resources(cpus=2)
+    assert resolve_flavor(wanted) is wanted

backend/tests/flow/test_resources.py

@@ -150,3 +150,36 @@ def test_declaring_nothing_stays_exactly_as_it_was():
 def test_a_misspelled_resource_is_refused():
     with pytest.raises(ValueError):
         Resources(cpu=4)
+
+
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Sizes with names, and sizes written out
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def test_a_size_can_be_written_the_way_people_write_sizes():
+    assert Resources(ram="2G").ram == 2048
+    assert Resources(ram="512M").ram == 512
+    assert Resources(ram="512").ram == 512
+    assert Resources(ram=512).ram == 512
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="not a size"):
+        Resources(ram="a lot")
+
+
+def test_a_duration_is_one_unit_and_says_so_when_it_is_not():
+    assert Resources(duration_s="2h").duration_s == 7200
+    assert Resources(duration_s="30m").duration_s == 1800
+    assert Resources(duration_s="90").duration_s == 90
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="not a duration"):
+        Resources(duration_s="1h30m")
+
+
+def test_a_flavor_and_a_number_for_the_same_thing_is_two_answers():
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="already says how much"):
+        Resources(flavor="gpu-small", cpus=4)
+
+    # The defaults are not an answer: an editor writing the whole object back
+    # sends them, and that must survive the round trip.
+    assert Resources(flavor="gpu-small", cpus=1, gpus=0).flavor == "gpu-small"
+    # Neither is a duration, which a flavor says nothing about.
+    assert Resources(flavor="gpu-small", duration_s="2h").duration_s == 7200