Python Package

Install Flowfile as a Python package to build flows programmatically, run them in CI/CD, or open a flow you built in code in the visual editor. This page covers install and the two ways to launch the editor; the full API lives in the Python API Guide.

Installation

pip install flowfile

A first pipeline

Every flowfile method builds a lazy flow graph; nothing runs until you call .collect() (or execute the flow). Writes are lazy too — write_csv appends an Output node to the graph and returns a FlowFrame; the file is written when the graph runs, not on the write_csv call itself.

import flowfile as ff

SALES = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/edwardvaneechoud/flowfile/main/data/templates/supermarket_sales.csv"

revenue_by_line = (
    ff.read_csv(SALES)
    .with_columns((ff.col("unit_price") * ff.col("quantity")).alias("revenue"))
    .filter(ff.col("quantity") > 5)
    .group_by("product_line")
    .agg(ff.col("revenue").sum().alias("total_revenue"))
    .collect()
)

This reads a CSV, derives a column, filters, and aggregates — the same operations the visual editor exposes as nodes.

Running the Visual Editor

There is no ff.open_editor(). Launch the editor one of two ways:

Start the web UI (serves the editor at http://localhost:63578):

import flowfile as ff

ff.start_web_ui()

Or open a graph you built in code directly in the editor:

import flowfile as ff

graph = ff.create_flow_graph()
# ... add nodes to graph ...
ff.open_graph_in_editor(graph)

The editor is normally started from the command line instead:

flowfile run ui

On first use, the setup screen generates and stores the encryption master key.