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Overview

Modules are reusable subgraphs that appear as a single node in a workflow. You create and manage your modules from the Modules page in the platform scope. From there you can create a new module, build its internal workflow, expose inputs and outputs via the Module I/O panel, and then use the module in any workflow like any other node. For an introduction to what modules are and how they fit with workflows and the Library, see Modules in Key Concepts.

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Where to Find Your Modules

All of your modules are listed on the Modules page. In the sidebar, under the PLATFORM section, click Modules. The page shows a grid of your modules with search and filters. Use + Create Module in the top right to create a new one.

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Creating a Module

1

Open the Create Module dialog

On the Modules page, click + Create Module in the top right. A dialog opens asking for the module name and an optional description.
2

Enter name and description

Enter a Name for the module. You can add a Description (optional) to explain what the module does (up to 140 characters). The dialog also links to the Trickest documentation for more guidance.
3

Create and open the editor

Click Create Module. You are redirected to the module editor, where you can start building the module.

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Building the Module

Build the module like any other workflow. Add and connect nodes (tools, scripts, and optionally other modules) on the canvas. The Module I/O panel appears to the left of the canvas. When the module is new, it shows No inputs exposed yet and No outputs exposed yet; the module does not expose any inputs or outputs until you define them.
You must run the module (click Execute in the top bar) at least once before you can define its inputs and outputs. Until then, the Available section in the Module I/O panel will be empty or will not show the inputs and outputs from your nodes. If the list looks empty or confusing, run the module first.

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Defining Module Inputs and Outputs

After the module has been executed, the Module I/O panel shows an Available section that lists:
  • Inputs from the nodes in the module that can be exposed as module inputs.
  • Outputs from the nodes in the module that can be exposed as module outputs.
If you do not see any inputs or outputs under Available, run the module once using Execute, then check the panel again. To expose an input or output:
1

Add from Available

In the Module I/O panel, find the input or output you want under Available and click the + button next to it (for outputs, the tooltip may say “Expose as module output”).
2

Name the input or output

Give the input or output a custom name (recommended) or keep the default. A custom name makes the module easier to use when you add it to other workflows.
3

Confirm

Click the checkmark to confirm. The input or output is then part of the module’s interface and appears when you use the module in another workflow.
You can repeat this for as many inputs and outputs as you need. Only the inputs and outputs you expose in the Module I/O panel are visible when the module is used as a node elsewhere.

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Using a Module in a Workflow

When you build or edit a workflow, you can add a module like any other node. Open the Node Library, search for your module by name, and add it with the + button. The module appears on the canvas as a single node. In the workflow’s Inputs panel you can set values for the module’s exposed inputs, and you can connect the module’s exposed outputs to downstream nodes. The module’s Execution tab describes it as a reusable workflow and shows its inputs and outputs. To change the module’s internal workflow or its exposed inputs and outputs, use Open Editor to open the module in its own editor. From the module editor you can also view the module’s full execution history, including runs started directly from the module and runs triggered when the module is invoked as a node in other workflows.

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Next Steps

Navigating the Editor

Learn the workflow editor layout and how to move between workflows and modules.

Building and Debugging a Workflow

Add nodes, connect them, and run and debug workflows.

Modules (Key Concepts)

Understand what module nodes are and how they relate to workflows and the Library.