Rendering braids

Use the Render Mode in the Channel Box or Extra Settings section in the Attribute Editor when viewing a curveShape node. This option controls whether a braid is rendered as a solid mesh (referred to in the interface as "Strands") or as hairs/strands (referred to in the interface as "fibers").

Render mode: "strands" (that is, geometry tubes)

mesh braid render

Render mode: "fibers"

hair braid render