Input Processors

Input Processors define how data enters a Workflow, connecting Sources to the processing pipeline.

Overview

Input Processors serve as the entry point to your Workflows. They ingest data from various Sources—such as file systems, message queues, APIs, and streaming platforms—and prepare it for processing within the Workflow. Each Input Processor is designed for a specific ingestion pattern, from continuous streams to request-response APIs.

Available Input Processors

Event & Stream Processing

Asset	Description
Input Kafka	Ingest data from Apache Kafka topics with support for consumer groups, offset management, and multiple commit strategies.
Input Stream	Process continuous data streams from file systems, cloud storage, and network sources with compression support.

Message & Datagram

Asset	Description
Input Frame	Handle datagram-based sources like SQS and UDP that deliver data in discrete packets.
Input Message	Ingest messages from Timer and Email Sources for scheduled or event-triggered processing.

API & Service

Asset	Description
Input Request-Response	Provide a two-way HTTP interface for synchronous API calls with request/response handling.
Input Service	Connect to generic Service Sources for flexible integration with external systems.

How to Choose an Input Processor

If you need to...	Use this processor
Consume from Kafka topics	Input Kafka
Read files from S3, SMB, FTP, or local filesystem	Input Stream
Receive SQS messages or UDP packets	Input Frame
Trigger workflows on schedules or incoming emails	Input Message
Expose a REST API endpoint	Input Request-Response
Connect to a custom service integration	Input Service

See Also

• Sources - Define where data comes from — file systems, message queues, APIs, and more. Sources work with Input Processors to ingest data into Workflows.
• Output Processors - Define where data goes after processing — the counterpart to Input Processors.
• Flow Processors - Transform, route, and enrich data between Input and Output Processors.
• Formats - Parse and serialize data formats like JSON, XML, CSV, and Protocol Buffers.

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