diff --git a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/cli/ListNode.java b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/cli/ListNode.java
index ed96595..133b7d1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/cli/ListNode.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/cli/ListNode.java
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ public Integer call() throws Exception {
         System.out.println(
             ListCmd.table(80,nodeGroup.sources,List.of("name","type","fqdn","operation"),
                 List.of(n->n.name,
-                n->n.type,
+                n->n.type().display(),
                 NodeEntity::getFqdn,
                 n->n.operation
                 )
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/NodeEntity.java b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/NodeEntity.java
index 88d9ded..05214be 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/NodeEntity.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/NodeEntity.java
@@ -16,15 +16,36 @@
 @DiscriminatorColumn(name = "type", discriminatorType =  DiscriminatorType.STRING)
 public abstract class NodeEntity extends PanacheEntity implements Comparable<NodeEntity> {
 
+    public enum Type {
+        FINGERPRINT("fp"),
+        FIXED_THRESHOLD("ft"),
+        JQ("jq"),
+        JS("js"),
+        JSONATA("nata"),
+        RELATIVE_DIFFERENCE("rd"),
+        ROOT("root"),
+        SPLIT("split"),
+        SQL_JSONPATH_ALL_NODE("sql-all"),
+        SQL_JSONPATH_NODE("sql"),
+        USER_INPUT("user");
+
+        private final String display;
+
+        Type(String display) {
+            this.display = display;
+        }
+
+        public String display() {
+            return display;
+        }
+    }
+
     public static String FQDN_SEPARATOR = ":";
     public static String NAME_SEPARATOR = "=";
 
     public static enum MultiIterationType { Length, NxN}
     public static enum ScalarVariableMethod { First, All}
 
-    @Column(insertable=false, updatable=false)
-    @JsonIgnore
-    public String type; //maybe we want access to the type?
     public String name;
 
     @Column(columnDefinition = "TEXT")
@@ -132,8 +153,10 @@ public String getOperationEncoding(){
 
     protected abstract NodeEntity shallowCopy();
 
+    public abstract Type type();
+
     public boolean hasNonRootSource(){
-        return sources.stream().anyMatch(s->!s.type.equals("root"));
+        return sources.stream().anyMatch(s-> s.type() != Type.ROOT);
     }
 
     public NodeEntity copy(){
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/FingerprintNode.java b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/FingerprintNode.java
index 51452d4..af0a790 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/FingerprintNode.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/FingerprintNode.java
@@ -28,4 +28,9 @@ public FingerprintNode(String name, String operation, List<NodeEntity> sources)
     protected NodeEntity shallowCopy() {
         return new FingerprintNode(name,operation);
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public Type type() {
+        return Type.FINGERPRINT;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/FixedThreshold.java b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/FixedThreshold.java
index c878c04..c99a67e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/FixedThreshold.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/FixedThreshold.java
@@ -149,6 +149,11 @@ public void setFingerprintFilter(String fingerprintFilter) {
         operation = config.toString();
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public Type type() {
+        return Type.FIXED_THRESHOLD;
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected NodeEntity shallowCopy() {
         return new FixedThreshold(name, operation);
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/JqNode.java b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/JqNode.java
index 0f5b930..8c7d235 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/JqNode.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/JqNode.java
@@ -59,25 +59,24 @@ public static JqNode parse(String name, String input, Function<String,List<NodeE
 
     public JqNode(){
         super();
-        this.type="jq";//setting type because detached entities might not have this field
     }
     public JqNode(String name){
         super(name);
-        this.type = "jq";
     }
     public JqNode(String name,String operation){
         super(name,operation);
-        this.type = "jq";
     }
     public JqNode(String name,String operation,List<NodeEntity> sources){
         super(name,operation,sources);
-        this.type = "jq";
     }
     public JqNode(String name,String operation, NodeEntity...sources){
         super(name,operation,List.of(sources));
-        this.type = "jq";
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public Type type() {
+        return Type.JQ;
+    }
 
     public static String getCwd(){
         Path currentRelativePath = Paths.get("");
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/JsNode.java b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/JsNode.java
index 791dcb1..d2b0034 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/JsNode.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/JsNode.java
@@ -152,15 +152,17 @@ public static List<String> getParameterNames(String input, boolean removeSpread)
 
     public JsNode(){
         super();
-        this.type="ecma";
     }
     public JsNode(String name,String operation){
         super(name,operation);
-        this.type="ecma";
     }
     public JsNode(String name,String operation,List<NodeEntity> sources){
         super(name,operation,sources);
-        this.type="ecma";
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Type type() {
+        return Type.JS;
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/JsonataNode.java b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/JsonataNode.java
index d6d4d33..d016be2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/JsonataNode.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/JsonataNode.java
@@ -67,6 +67,10 @@ public static JsonataNode parse(String name, String input, Function<String,List<
         return rtrn;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public Type type() {
+        return Type.JSONATA;
+    }
 
     @Override
     protected NodeEntity shallowCopy() {
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/RelativeDifference.java b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/RelativeDifference.java
index f4f0adb..ab4d945 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/RelativeDifference.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/RelativeDifference.java
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ public RelativeDifference(String name, String operation) {
         config = new Json();
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public Type type() {
+        return Type.RELATIVE_DIFFERENCE;
+    }
+
     @PostLoad
     public void loadConfig(){
         if(this.config == null || this.config.isEmpty()){
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/RootNode.java b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/RootNode.java
index b308490..bc22c48 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/RootNode.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/RootNode.java
@@ -10,8 +10,13 @@ public class RootNode extends NodeEntity {
 
     public RootNode() {
         super();
-        this.type="root";
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public Type type() {
+        return Type.ROOT;
+    }
+
     //The root node does not shallow copy
     @Override
     protected NodeEntity shallowCopy() {
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/SplitNode.java b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/SplitNode.java
index 72a3fda..e10517f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/SplitNode.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/SplitNode.java
@@ -15,16 +15,19 @@
 public class SplitNode extends NodeEntity {
 
     public SplitNode() {
-        this.type = "split";
+        super();
     }
 
     public SplitNode(String name){
         super(name);
-        this.type = "split";
     }
     public SplitNode(String name, String operation, List<NodeEntity> sources){
         super(name, operation, sources);
-        this.type = "split";
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Type type() {
+        return Type.SPLIT;
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/SqlJsonpathAllNode.java b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/SqlJsonpathAllNode.java
index 98cc598..2415c30 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/SqlJsonpathAllNode.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/SqlJsonpathAllNode.java
@@ -59,11 +59,14 @@ public static SqlJsonpathAllNode parse(String name, String input, Function<Strin
 
     public SqlJsonpathAllNode(){
         super();
-        this.type = "sqlall";
     }
     public SqlJsonpathAllNode(String name, String operation, List<NodeEntity> sources){
         super(name,operation,sources);
-        this.type = "sqlall";
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Type type() {
+        return Type.SQL_JSONPATH_ALL_NODE;
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/SqlJsonpathNode.java b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/SqlJsonpathNode.java
index a7318f4..29106ff 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/SqlJsonpathNode.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/SqlJsonpathNode.java
@@ -60,11 +60,14 @@ public static SqlJsonpathNode parse(String name, String input, Function<String,
 
     public SqlJsonpathNode(){
         super();
-        this.type = "sql";
     }
     public SqlJsonpathNode(String name, String operation,List<NodeEntity> sources){
         super(name,operation,sources);
-        this.type = "sql";
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Type type() {
+        return Type.SQL_JSONPATH_NODE;
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/UserInputNode.java b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/UserInputNode.java
index 07dafcc..c690a8a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/UserInputNode.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/entity/node/UserInputNode.java
@@ -13,6 +13,11 @@ public UserInputNode(String name,String operation){
         super(name,operation);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public Type type() {
+        return Type.USER_INPUT;
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected NodeEntity shallowCopy() {
         return new UserInputNode(name,operation);
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/svc/NodeService.java b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/svc/NodeService.java
index b191157..bd770e0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/svc/NodeService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/hyperfoil/tools/h5m/svc/NodeService.java
@@ -251,15 +251,15 @@ public List<Map<String, ValueEntity>> calculateSourceValuePermutations(NodeEntit
     public List<ValueEntity> calculateValues(NodeEntity node, List<ValueEntity> roots) throws IOException {
         List<ValueEntity> rtrn = new ArrayList<>();
 
-        switch (node.type){
+        switch (node.type()){
             //nodes that operate one root at a time
-            case "ecma":
-            case "jq":
-            case "nata":
-            case "sql":
-            case "sqlall":
-            case "split":
-            case "fp":
+            case JS:
+            case JQ:
+            case JSONATA:
+            case SQL_JSONPATH_ALL_NODE:
+            case SQL_JSONPATH_NODE:
+            case SPLIT:
+            case FINGERPRINT:
                 for(int vIdx=0; vIdx<roots.size(); vIdx++){
                     ValueEntity root =  roots.get(vIdx);
                     try {
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ public List<ValueEntity> calculateValues(NodeEntity node, List<ValueEntity> root
                     }
                 }
                 break;
-            case "rd":
+            case RELATIVE_DIFFERENCE:
                 RelativeDifference relDiff = (RelativeDifference) node;
                 for(int rIdx=0; rIdx<roots.size(); rIdx++){
                     ValueEntity root =  roots.get(rIdx);
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ public List<ValueEntity> calculateValues(NodeEntity node, List<ValueEntity> root
                     rtrn.addAll(found);
                 }
                 break;
-            case "ft":
+            case FIXED_THRESHOLD:
                 FixedThreshold ft = (FixedThreshold) node;
                 for(int rIdx=0; rIdx<roots.size(); rIdx++){
                     ValueEntity root =  roots.get(rIdx);
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ public List<ValueEntity> calculateValues(NodeEntity node, List<ValueEntity> root
                 }
                 break;
             default:
-                System.err.println("calculateValues unknown node type: " + node.type);
+                System.err.println("calculateValues unknown node type: " + node.type());
         }
         rtrn.forEach(ValueEntity::getPath);//forcing entities to be loaded is so dirty
         return rtrn;
@@ -298,16 +298,16 @@ public List<ValueEntity> calculateValues(NodeEntity node, List<ValueEntity> root
 
     @Transactional
     public List<ValueEntity> calculateNodeValues(NodeEntity node,Map<String, ValueEntity> sourceValues,int startingOrdinal) throws IOException {
-        return switch(node.type){
-            case "jq" -> calculateJqValues((JqNode)node,sourceValues,startingOrdinal+1);
-            case "ecma" -> calculateJsValues((JsNode)node,sourceValues,startingOrdinal+1);
-            case "nata" -> calculateJsonataValues((JsonataNode)node,sourceValues,startingOrdinal+1);
-            case "sql" -> calculateSqlJsonpathValues((SqlJsonpathNode)node,sourceValues,startingOrdinal+1);
-            case "sqlall" -> calculateSqlAllJsonpathValues((SqlJsonpathAllNode)node, sourceValues, startingOrdinal+1);
-            case "split" -> calculateSplitValues((SplitNode)node,sourceValues,startingOrdinal+1);
-            case "fp" -> calculateFpValues((FingerprintNode)node,sourceValues,startingOrdinal+1);
+        return switch(node.type()){
+            case JQ -> calculateJqValues((JqNode)node,sourceValues,startingOrdinal+1);
+            case JS -> calculateJsValues((JsNode)node,sourceValues,startingOrdinal+1);
+            case JSONATA -> calculateJsonataValues((JsonataNode)node,sourceValues,startingOrdinal+1);
+            case SQL_JSONPATH_NODE -> calculateSqlJsonpathValues((SqlJsonpathNode)node,sourceValues,startingOrdinal+1);
+            case SQL_JSONPATH_ALL_NODE -> calculateSqlAllJsonpathValues((SqlJsonpathAllNode)node, sourceValues, startingOrdinal+1);
+            case SPLIT -> calculateSplitValues((SplitNode)node,sourceValues,startingOrdinal+1);
+            case FINGERPRINT -> calculateFpValues((FingerprintNode)node,sourceValues,startingOrdinal+1);
             default -> {
-                System.err.println("Unknown node type: "+node.type);
+                System.err.println("Unknown node type: "+node.type());
                 yield Collections.emptyList();
             }
         };