There are many instances where it would be much easier to arrange the canvas if it were possible to simultaneously move a node and either all of its immediate connections or all of its downstream connections.
Proposed solution
Perhaps there could be toggles or modifier keys to initiate modes where it would be possible to do this.
Current workaround (optional)
Groups work pretty well when nodes are very nearby each other but become somewhat unwieldy for this purpose even at short distance separations between nodes.
I agree. I’m finding myself needing to do this moving-a-branch-of-nodes thing a lot.
Alternate proposed solution
Add functionality + keyboard shortcut to select all the downstream connected nodes.
So that moving those nodes is just moving your selected nodes as usual.
This may have the added benefit of being able to modify the selection before you perform movement. Because not every canvas graph may conform to the idea of “downstream nodes” (eg, it could be circular? or there could be a distant node that’s only remotely connected rather than semantically belonging to another node in the “previous” or “parent” or “category” sense). So being able to preview the selection and modify it before moving might be beneficial.