user: How do I use Inputs in Blender? Include parameters, examples, warnings and best practices.

assistant: Mesh
:   The input surface geometry on which points or instances will be scattered.

Selection
:   Determines which faces or parts of the mesh are used for scattering.
    Unselected areas will not receive any scattered elements.

Density Method
:   Determines how the number of scattered points is controlled.

    Density:
    :   Uses a density field to define how many points are scattered per unit area.

    Amount:
    :   Uses a fixed number of total scattered points across the surface.

Distribution Method Density
:   Determines the pattern of scattered points when *Density* is used.

    Random:
    :   Distributes points randomly across the surface.

    Poisson Disk:
    :   Distributes points evenly using a minimum separation distance.

Density Density
:   Controls the number of scattered points per unit area when using the *Density* method.

Amount Amount
:   The total number of points to scatter when using the *Amount* method.

Distribution Mask
:   A mask that limits the areas where scattering occurs.
    Values closer to `1.0` allow scattering, while values near `0.0` exclude it.

Minimum Distance Poisson Disk
:   Defines the minimum spacing between scattered points when using *Poisson Disk* distribution.
    Higher values result in more evenly spaced points but fewer total points.

Keep Surface
:   Keeps the original surface geometry in the output, instead of outputting only the instances.

Scatter on Instances
:   Enables scattering directly on existing instances rather than on a single mesh surface.

Seed
:   Random seed value used to vary the distribution pattern of scattered points or instances.

### Instancing

Input Type
:   Defines how the instance geometry input is provided.

    Data-Block:
    :   Instances are created from an object or collection data-block.

    Geometry:
    :   Instances are created from input geometry provided to the node.

Instance Type Data-Block
:   When using *Data-Block* input, determines whether to instance an *Object* or a *Collection*.

Object / Collection Data-Block
:   The specific object or collection to instance when using *Data-Block* input mode.

Instance Geometry
:   The geometry to instance when using *Geometry* input mode.

Viewport Visibility
:   Controls the percentage of scattered instances that are visible in the viewport.

Realize Instances
:   Converts all instances into real geometry, producing a single combined geometry output.
    This can be required for some subsequent geometry operations or modifiers.

### Pick Instance Data-Block Collection

When instancing from a collection, this option enables random or controlled selection
of which child object to instance per scattered point.

Reset Transform
:   Resets the transform of instances before applying the scattering transform.

Instance Seed
:   Controls the randomization of instance selection and transforms per scattered element.

#### Transform

Surface Offset
:   Moves instances along the element normal, offsetting them from the surface.

Align Rotation
:   Aligns instance rotation to the orientation of the geometry element (e.g., normal direction).

Alignement Axis

Scale
:   Controls the uniform or per-axis scaling of instances.

##### Randomize

Can be enabled through the boolean found in the panel header.

Offset
:   The maximum translation offset for each axis. Defines the random range for instance movement.

Rotation
:   The maximum rotation for each axis. Defines how much each instance can be rotated.

Scale Axes
:   Determines how scaling is applied.

    Uniform:
    :   Applies a single random scale factor uniformly to all axes.

    Axes:
    :   Applies an independent random scale factor to each axis.

Scale
:   The maximum scaling factor applied to each instance.

Flipping
:   Randomly flips instances along one or more axes, effectively mirroring them.

Seed
:   An integer value that initializes the random number generator.
    Changing the seed produces a different random arrangement while keeping the same parameters.

### Masking

Image Mask
:   An image used to control scattering density or placement via UV mapping.

UV Map
:   The UV map used to interpret the image mask for controlling distribution.