Extension Packages
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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.
To explore the available extension packages provided and maintained by CARTO, install new packages from a ZIP file, or manage already installed ones, simply click on Manage Extension Packages at the bottom of the component's panel in Workflows.
You will find three different tabs:
Explore: Here you will be able to see the catalog of available extensions. These extensions have been published by CARTO. By clicking on an extension's card you will access the details page with a deeper description of the extension and its components and settings.
Installed: This tab shows a list of installed extensions in the current connection. When a new version of the extension is available you will see an 'Outdated' tag. To update siply click on the three dots and "Update extension package".
Upload: This tab allows uploading a ZIP file for a custom extension. See the Creating an Extension Package section to find more information. After the upload, a details page will appear. Click on "Install extension" to install it. After that, the extension will be available in the Installed tab.
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.
Administrators of CARTO organizations can prevent users from installing extensions under Settings > Customizations > Workflows.
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.
