Workflow definition schema

preview

We're still working on this feature, but we'd love for you to try it out!

This feature is currently provided as part of a preview program pursuant to our pre-release policies.

Schema

Workflow definitions are written in YAML. Keys use a camelCase naming convention.

name (Required)

Type: String
Format: Must conform to the regex ^[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_-]*$.
Max. length: 100
Description: name values are case-insensitive. For example, ExampleWorkflow, exampleworkflow, and EXAMPLEWORKFLOW are all considered to represent the same workflow definition.

description (Optional)

Type: String
Format: Must conform to the regex ^[A-Za-z0-9 _-]*$.
Max. length: 200
Description: A description of the workflow that explains its purpose.

workflowInputs (Optional)

Type: Map of maps
Max. size: 100
Description: A map of workflow inputs that the workflow accepts.
Example:
```
workflowInputs:
    myInput1:
      type: String
    myInput2:
      type: Number
      defaultValue: 42
```
workflowInputs.<inputName> (Required)
- Type: String (conforming to expression-safe pattern)
- Min. length: 1
- Max. length: 50
- Description: The name of the workflow input.
workflowInputs.<inputName>.type (Required)
- Type: Enum (Boolean, List, Map, String, Int, Float)
- Description: The data type of the workflow input.
workflowInputs.<inputName>.defaultValue (Optional)
- Type: Any; must conform to type.
- Description: The default value for the workflow input.
steps (Required)
- Type: Array of maps
- Description: The steps to be performed when the workflow definition is run. There must be at least one step.
Importante
Steps will run in the order they’re defined in the steps array.
If a different ordering is desired, a “jump” can be performed by setting the steps[*].next property to the name of the desired step to jump to.
- steps[*].name (Required)
  - Type: String (conforming to expression-safe pattern; cannot be end)
  - Max. length: 100
  - Description: The name of the step to be referenced by steps[*].next. It cannot be the special keywords end, continue, or break, as these are used to indicate a terminating step, a continuation of a loop, or to break out of a loop.
- steps[*].type (Required)
  - Type: String
  - Description: The type of the step, indicating what the step does when run. Refer to Step Types for the available options.
- steps[*].next (Optional)
  - Type: String (conforming to expression-safe pattern)
  - Description:
    - The name of the next step to run when this step completes successfully. The special keyword end can be used to indicate that this step should be the last one to run.
    - If next is omitted, the following entry in the definition’s steps array will be used as the implicit next step. If there is no following entry, the workflow will be completed.

Step Types

action

A step that runs a specific action. Refer to Action Catalog for the available options.

steps[*].action (Required)
- Type: String
- Description: The fully qualified name of the action function to run. It should follow the following convention:
  <company domain>.<category of work>.<action name in camelCase>
- Example:
  - Action using New Relic services (e.g. through NerdGraph): newrelic.dashboards.getDashboard
  - Action using Slack: slack.chat.postMessage
steps[*].version (Required)
- Type: String
- Description: The version of the action function to run.
steps[*].inputs (Optional)
- Type: Map of values (includes expressions)
- Description:
  - The inputs to pass to the action function. The specific inputs accepted are defined by each action.
  - Inputs can use expressions. See the Expressions Strings section for details.
Importante
No sensitive data (no API keys or secrets, no PII, PHI or any personally identifiable data) should be passed-in as arguments.

steps[*].inputs.selectors (Optional)

Type: list of map in the form of name with expression.
Description:
- The selectors input allows to redefine the output to only return the specified elements.
- Expression can be used. See the Expressions Strings section for details.

Example

In the given example we are getting the pageUrl and statusDescription as response of http.get action.

name: status
    description: A workflow for checking the status of New Relic components

    steps:
      - name: query1
        type: action
        action: http.get
        version: 1
        inputs:
          url: "https://status.newrelic.com/api/v2/status.json"
          selectors:
            - name: statusCode
              expression: '.statusCode'
            - name: pageUrl
              expression: '.responseBody | fromjson | .page.url'
            - name: statusDescription
              expression: '.responseBody | fromjson | .status.description'

      - name: logOutput1
        type: action
        action: newrelic.ingest.sendLogs
        version: 1
        inputs:
          logs:
            - message: "status is '${{ .steps.query1.outputs.statusDescription }}' details at ${{ .steps.query1.outputs.pageUrl }}"

loop

A loop will iterate over a given collection defined by in and create loop variables index and element for each of its iteration. These loop variables are accessible within the loop only with expression ${{ .steps.<loopStepName>.loop.element }} or ${{ .steps.<loopStepName>.loop.index }

For more details see below:

You can use the loop to iterate through a list, map, or collection.

for (Required)
- Type: Constant
- Description: Signal starting of a loop.
in (Required)
- Type: string (expression)
- Description: An expression that needs to be evaluated to a collection of elements.

steps (Required)

Description: Steps to be executed each iteration of the loop. A step can be any type of step, including another loop.

Examples: The following shows how to execute the loop workflowInputs. Note, that the result must be a type of collection.

name: myWorkflow
    steps:
      - name: loopStep
        type: loop
        for:
          in: '${{ .workflowInputs.count }}'
          steps:
            - name: step1
              type: action
              action: example.messaging.sayHello
              version: '1.0.0'
              inputs:
                name: '${{ .steps.loopStep.loop.element }}' # not exist outside of this loop
                index: '${{ .steps.loopStep.loop.index }}' # not exist outside of this loop

Importante

element and index are automatically assigned as part of the loop.
Index is a zero-based.
The element can be a complex type if you have a collection of complex elements.
All loop variables and outputs from steps within the loop have loop-level scope. These variables are cleared after exiting the loop and accessing them outside of the loop will result in null value. Loop can access variables that are outside of the loop if it’s previously defined.

Simple for loop on integers

name: myWorkflow
    steps:
      - name: loopStep
        type: loop
        for:
          in: ${{ [range(1; 6)] }}
          steps:
            - name: step1
              type: action
              action: example.messaging.sayHello
              version: '1.0.0'
              inputs:
                name: '${{ .steps.loopStep.loop.element }}'  # [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
                index: '${{ .steps.loopStep.loop.index }}' # [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]

Simple loop for map

name: myWorkflow
    steps:
      - name: loopStep
        type: loop
        for:
          in: '${{ [ { "key1": "val1" }, { "key2": "val2"} ] }}'
          steps:
            - name: step1
              type: action
              action: example.messaging.sayHello
              version: '1.0.0'
              inputs:
                name: '${{ .steps.loopStep.loop.element }}'  # [{ "key1": "val1" }, { "key2": "val2"}]
                index: '${{ .steps.loopStep.loop.index }}' # [0, 1]

Jump within a loop

Only jumping between named steps belonging to the same for loop is allowed. Jumping in or out of a for loop, to an inner/outer loop, or between two different for loops, is not allowed.

name: myWorkflow
    steps:
      - name: firstStep
        type: action
        action: example.messaging.sayHello
        version: '1.0.0'
      - name: loopStep
        type: loop
        for:
          in: '${{ .workflowInputs.count }}'
          steps:
            - name: step1
              type: action
              action: example.messaging.sayHello
              version: '1.0.0'
              inputs:
                name: '${{ .steps.loopStep.loop.element }}'
              next: step3                                 # Okay within the loop
            - name: step2
              type: action
              action: example.messaging.sayHello
              version: '1.0.0'
              inputs:
                name: '${{ .steps.step1.outputs.greeting }}'
            - name: step3
              type: action
              action: example.messaging.sayHello
              version: '1.0.0'
              next: firstStep                            # Not okay, first step is not in the loop context

Use break/continue in a loop

To change the flow of a for loop, you can use next: break or next: continue. Note that break and continue are reserved jump targets defined implicitly within a loop. Using use next: break or next: continue outside of a loop will jump to the end of the workflow steps.

The end serves as the same as break if it's used inside a loop

Next can be used in both switch steps or any type of step.

name: myWorkflow
  steps:
    - name: loopStep
      type: loop
      for:
        in: '${{ [range(1; 6)] }}'
        steps:
          - name: insideLoopStep1
            type: action
            action: example.messaging.sayHello
            version: '1.0.0'
            inputs:
              name: '${{ .steps.loopStep.loop.element }}'
            next: continue
          - name: insideLoopStep2
            type: action
            action: example.messaging.sayHello
            version: '1.0.0'
            inputs:
              name: '${{ .steps.loopStep.loop.element }}'
    - name: loopStepAgain
      type: loop
      for:
        in: '${{ .workflowInputs.count }}'
        steps:
          - name: switchStep
            type: switch
            switch:
              - condition: '${{ .steps.loopStepAgain.loop.index >= 0 }}'
                next: break
          - name: insideLoopStepAgain
            type: action
            action: example.messaging.sayHello
            version: '1.0.0'
            inputs:
              name: '${{ .steps.loopStepAgain.loop.element }}'

steps[*].for (Required)
- Type: constant
- Description: Signal starting of a loop

steps[*].in (Required)

Type: string (expression)
Description: An expression that need to evaluate to a collection of elements.

steps[*].steps (Optional)

Description: Steps to be executed each iteration of the loop. See definition for steps above.

Example:

name: myWorkflow
  steps:
    - name: loopStep
      type: loop
      for:
        in: "${{ [range(1; 5)] }}""
        steps:
          - name: step1
            type: action
            action: newrelic.ingest.sendLogs
            version: 1
            inputs:
              logs:
                - message: "Loop: ${{ .steps.loopStep.loop.element }}"

switch

A step that checks various conditionals and takes the first branch that evaluates to true.
A switch can contain any number of condition elements in a list. It will check the conditions in order and process the first one that evaluates to true. If none evaluate to true, it will run its next step as defined in steps[*].next
steps[*].switch (Required)
- Type: array
- Description: An array of switch cases, specifying the ordered list of conditions to evaluate.
steps[*].switch[*].condition (Required)
- Type: string (expression)
- Description: The condition of the switch case. If evaluated to true, the case’s next step will be executed.

steps[*].switch[*].next (Required)

Type: string (conforming to expression-safe pattern)
Description: The name of the step to run if the case’s condition evaluates to true. The special keyword end can be used to indicate that this step should be the last one to run.

- name: hasCompleted
  type: switch
  switch:
    - condition: ${{ .steps.waitForCompletion.outputs.automationExecutionStatus == "Failed" }}
      next: displayError
    - condition: ${{ .steps.waitForCompletion.outputs.automationExecutionStatus == "Success" }}
      next: displaySuccess
  next: displayUnexpected

wait

A step that causes the workflow run to wait a certain number of seconds before continuing. It can also listen for one or more signals. If no signal is received during the wait, it will proceed as normal. The signals are defined in a list. Each signal must have a corresponding next step defined. The first signal to be received is the one that will be processed. The value received for the signal will be stored in the step output for the wait step and can be used for logic our processing in later steps.

Example:

name: waitSignalExample
  workflowInputs:
  steps:
    - name: waitStep
      type: wait
      seconds: 300
      signals: [{name: 'mySignalName', next: 'firstStep'}]
    - name: endStep
      type: action
      action: newrelic.ingest.sendLogs
      version: 1
      inputs:
        logs:
          - message: "didn't get signal"
      next: end
    - name: firstStep
      type: action
      action: newrelic.ingest.sendLogs
      version: 1
      inputs:
        logs:
          - message: ${{ .steps.waitStep.outputs.signalInputs.myString }}

steps[*].seconds (Required)
- Type: number
- Description: The number of seconds to wait before continuing the workflow run.
steps[*].signals
- Type: array
- Description: The signals which, when received, will divert the program flow.
steps[*].signals[*].name
- Type: string
- Description: The name of the signal to listen for.
steps[*].signals[*].next
- Type: string
- Description: The Step to execute if the specified signal is received.

Shared Types

Expression strings

Several properties accept string values with embedded expressions that are evaluated during workflow execution, allowing for dynamic values to be used within workflow definitions. Expression strings can contain one or multiple expressions, each of which are enclosed within double curly braces. The content within the braces is evaluated using jq.

jq provides the ability to access and operate on values in many ways. For example, the length of a workflow input string could be achieved with the following: ${{ .workflowInputs.myString | length }}

To build and test JQ expression this tool can be used.

Expression properties

A number of properties can be accessed with expressions. These properties live in a “scope” object, so expressions must start with a period (.) to access those properties of the scope object.

The available properties are:

workflowInputs - object containing the inputs passed to the workflow on start.
- Example: ${{ .workflowInputs.myInput }}
steps - object containing a property for each step in the workflow
- steps.<stepName> - object containing properties for a specific step
  - steps.<stepName>.outputs - object containing result properties, specific to the step/action.
    - Example: ${{ .steps.myStep.outputs.myResult }}

Expression evaluation results

A single jq expression can evaluate to any JSON type, but it’s important to note that the final result of an entire expression string will be dependent on the string content (if any) surrounding the expression(s).

If the entirety of an expression string consists of a single expression, then it will be evaluated to the jq expression’s result—maintaining the JSON type of the result. For example, if a workflow is passed an array as input, the string ${{ .workflowInputs.myArray }} would evaluate to an array. This can be useful for passing complex data within a workflow.

If the expression string contains content other than a single expression, then it will be evaluated to a string result. For example, this occurs when an expression has content before/after it or if the string has multiple expressions within it. Each expression within the string is evaluated and converted to a string representation.

Example:

For the following examples, assume myArray has a value of [1, 2, 3].

Expression string	Result data	Result type
`${{ .workflowInputs.myArray }}`	[1, 2, 3]	array of numbers
`${{ .workflowInputs.myArray \| length }}`	3	number
`${{ .workflowInputs.myArray \| length > 0 }}`	true	boolean
`Input is not empty: ${{ .workflowInputs.myArray \| length > 0 }}`	"Input is not empty: true"	string
`${{ .workflowInputs.myArray }} has length ${{ .workflowInputs.myArray \| length }}`	" has length 3"	string

Expression-Safe Pattern

Properties that can be used in expressions must conform to the following regex: ^[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*$

Secret References

Secret values can be used in actions via reference strings that specify the name of a secret to look up in the Secrets Service. To reference a secret in a workflow definition, use the syntax:

${{ :secrets:<SECRET_NAME> }} for a secret not in a namespace
${{ :secrets:<NAMESPACE>:<SECRET_NAME> }} for a secret in a namespace

An expression string can contain a mix of secret references and JQ expressions and/or multiple secret references.

Examples:

steps:
  - name: bearer_auth
    type: action
    action: http.post
    inputs:
      headers:
        Authorization: Bearer ${{ :secrets:<SECRET_NAME> }}

Examples

Hello World

name: helloWorld
description: 'A hello world workflow'

workflowInputs:
  name:
    type: String
    defaultValue: World
    required: false
    validations:
      - type: maxLength
        errorMessage: "name must be at most 100 characters"
        length: 100
  slackTokenSecret:
    type: String
    defaultValue: "${{ :secrets:SLACK_TOKEN }}"
  slackChannel:
    type: String
    defaultValue: my-channel
    validations:
      - type: regex
        errorMessage: "A slack channel name must be lowercase and can only contain letters, numbers, and hyphens"
        pattern: "^[a-z0-9\\-]+$"
    required: true

steps:
  - name: init1
    type: assign
    inputs:
      greeting: Hello ${{ .workflowInputs.name }}

  - name: logName
    type: action
    action: newrelic.ingest.sendLogs
    version: 1
    inputs:
      logs:
        - message: ${{ .steps.init1.outputs.greeting }}

  - name: waiting1
    type: wait
    seconds: 1

  - name: queryForLog
    type: action
    action: newrelic.nrdb.query
    version: 1
    inputs:
      query: >-
        FROM Log SELECT * WHERE message LIKE '${{ .steps.init1.outputs.greeting
        }}'

  - name: checkResult
    type: switch
    switch:
      - condition: ${{ .steps.queryForLog.outputs.results | length > 0 }}
        next: FoundMessage

  - name: waitingMessage
    type: action
    action: slack.chat.postMessage
    version: 1
    inputs:
      channel: ${{ .workflowInputs.slackChannel }}
      text: Waiting for log message...
      token: ${{ .workflowInputs.slackTokenSecret }}
    next: waiting1

  - name: FoundMessage
    type: action
    action: slack.chat.postMessage
    version: 1
    inputs:
      channel: ${{ .workflowInputs.slackChannel }}
      text: Found message! ${{ .steps.queryForLog.outputs.results[0].message }}
      token: ${{ .workflowInputs.slackTokenSecret }}

preview

Schema.css-21sua1{background:none;border:none;width:0;padding:0;}

name (Required)

description (Optional)

workflowInputs (Optional)

Importante

Step Types

action

Importante

loop

switch

wait

Shared Types

Expression strings

Expression properties

Expression evaluation results

Expression-Safe Pattern

Secret References

Examples

Schema