I have made a simple stroke for an outline (simple line with open start and end). Now i converted it into a path (filled area). Usually you will get at least 2 neighbor nodes at the ends. Is there a fast way to merge them to one node, that is ideally placed at the center? Currently i used the buttons to split the path and reconnect the two open nodes to create one node out of two. Works fine. But without a shortcut and the need to select the two nodes again after you split them is very uncomfortable. Any known way to get this done easier?

If I follow your described workflow, after clicking Delete segment between 2 non-endpoint nodes, the 2 nodes ARE still selected, and I can click "Join selected nodes" immediately. This is in 0.48 for me. By your wording, it sounds like you may have an earlier version. Although my recollection is that this behavior has not changed.

The whole process can be done in 3 clicks:
1 - select the segment
2 - delete segment (split path) button
3 - join selected endnodes button

Still too rough?