Endpoint Tasks

Introduction

Tasks are the bread and butter of AireGlu Endpoints. There are a number of included Tasks you can use, or you can write your own adapters to create custom tasks.

HTTP Request

The HTTP Request task is used to communicate with external services. You can use this to send data to your APIs, or fetch data from other sources.

HTTP Response Handler

The Response Handler can only be used when linked to an HTTP Request. This handles what is returned from the request (e.g. the data from your API). You don't have to include this if you don't care about the result of your request, but more often than not the two come as a pair.

MESH Message

The MESH Message task lets you create and send mail via the MESH workflow system.

Email

The Email task allows you to send an email. This can be sent from your own email servers, or from AireGlu's default email server.

SMS

The SMS task allows you to send text messages using either the MessageBird or GOV.UK notify services

Job

The Job task allows an endpoint to be run at a specified time or interval, much like a scheduled task or cron job.

Fax

The Fax task allows you to send a message or PDF to a Fax machine. A PDF is required and can be part of your input data.

HTTP Response

Lets you specify an HTTP response that the Endpoint should return as its result.

HTTP Redirect

Lets you specify a redirection that should occur as the result of the Endpoint. Useful for sending the user to a "Thank you" page for instance.

Mapping

The Mapping task is for data transformation. It can be used to reformat the data, or modify it in the pipeline. The output of this can be used in any subsequent tasks.

PDF

The PDF task lets you return a PDF document as the result of the Endpoint.

Context Data

The Context Data panel is found on the right-hand side of many tasks. It provides access to many options for dynamic data, as well as referencing data from within the endpoint pipeline itself.

Data objects

Data Objects, indicated by the List icon, provide access to the input data that was originally sent in to the endpoint, and the outputs of any Mapping tasks and from HTTP Response Handlers. Changing the Data Origin field allows you to choose between available data sets. You can use these either by dragging the required field to the left hand side where you need it, or by clicking to the destination point and hitting the arrow.

Preview

The Preview tab, indicated by the Eye icon, will show you the shape of the output from your task. This will execute any functions or get any data based on the sample data provided in the initial Input step to show you what your task will really look like. This required you to correct any issues before it can complete and display.

Secrets

Secrets, indicated by a Key icon, let you add private data to your requests. This data cannot be seen once created, so is suitable for things like authentication details. You can use these either by dragging the required field to the left hand side where you need it, or by clicking to the destination point and hitting the arrow. You can read more about Secrets here.

Variables

Finally, the dollar icon represents Variables. These, like secrets, are account-wide and provide common data that can be reused between endpoints. This data is visible and editable however, so should not be considered public. You can use these either by dragging the required field to the left hand side where you need it, or by clicking to the destination point and hitting the arrow. You can read more about Variables here.

Filters

Filters are used to look at available data, and determine if a task should run. It uses a JSONPath expression that returns true or false to decide where to run the task, or skip it.

Tests

Tests are used to make sure the task works as expected. By providing different input data, it will compare the real output of the task against the provided expected output. This ensures that the task works as expected, and that modifications do not cause problems.