Extension Packages

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Introduction

Workflows' functionality can be extended and tailored to specific use cases, by creating custom components, which can be grouped and distributed together as Extension Packages.

Extension Packages can be created for workflows that use BigQuery and Snowflake connections.

Creating an Extension Package

Creating an extension package for Workflows involves some development work, as each custom component in the package needs to be programmed as a SQL Stored Procedure.

We have created a GitHub template that can be used as a starting point, as it contains the basic folder structure, configuration files, examples and documentation to create your first package.

Take a look at it in https://github.com/CartoDB/workflows-extension-template.

The repository also includes some utilities to test your custom components, and deploy directly to your data warehouse to ease development.

Additionally, the repository includes an script to package your extension, resulting in a ZIP file that can be used in Workflows to install the package.

Managing Extension Packages

To install new packages, or manage existing ones, simply click on Manage Extension Packages at the bottom of the component's panel in Workflows.

It allows uploading a ZIP file to install a new extension, and once installed its metadata can be inspected.

Access to Extension Packages

After installation, the custom components included in the extension can be found in the components panel, under the category defined for each by the extension's creator.

Each component included in an extension is installed as an stored procedure in the Workflows working location for each connection. This implies that they're only accessible by workflows that are created with the same connection, or with connections that share the same working location.

Disabling Extension Packages

Administrators of CARTO accounts can prevent users from installing extensions under Settings > Customizations > Workflows