Create a Flow

Learn how to create an automated workflow in Matterflow to gather, transform, and send data from Matter-enabled IoT devices to cloud or AI applications.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Flow

1. Create a New Flow
   Start by creating a new flow in the Matterflow interface. This will open the flow canvas.

2. Add a Node to the Canvas
   Drag a node, such as the Matter WS connection (In) node, from the left panel onto the canvas.

3. Configure the Node

   • Click the cog icon on the node to open its configuration panel.
   • Add the required details for the node to function.
   • Optionally, load test data (available in the data folder of the GitHub repository) to perform a "dry-run" of the flow.

4. Test the Flow

   • Click the Test button at the top of the canvas.
   • This allows you to verify if the flow is working as expected.

5. Inspect Node Outputs

   • Click the JSON brackets icon to open the inspection panel at the bottom of the screen.
   • Reload the data to view the node outputs. The inspection panel provides multiple views:
     • Raw Data
     • JSON View
     • Table View (if applicable)

6. Add Additional Nodes

   • Drag and drop additional nodes (e.g., manipulation nodes) to the canvas.
   • Connect these nodes to create a chain.

7. Inspect Outputs for Each Node

   • Configure and test each node sequentially.
   • Use the inspection panel to verify the outputs before proceeding.

8. Finalize the Flow

   • Include a final I/O node to write transformed data to a file or send it to the cloud.

9. Error Handling

   • If a node encounters an error, downstream nodes will not run.
   • Errors are visible in the inspection panel, making it easy to debug.

10. Start the Flow

    • Once satisfied, start the flow process.
    • The background process will run continuously, processing data in real-time as it is received.

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Node Categories

Explore the available nodes for building your flows. Each category has a dedicated guide:

• Cloud Nodes: Transfer data to cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
• Connection Nodes: Connect to local Matter devices or MQTT servers.
• Flow Control Nodes: Define common variables accessible across all nodes in a flow.
• I/O Nodes: Read from or write to local files (JSON, CSV, etc.).
• Manipulation Nodes: Transform and modify data.
• Visualization Nodes: Display data visually, if possible.
• Custom Nodes: Add your own functionality with Custom Nodes.

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With Matterflow, building and testing flows is intuitive, enabling you to process data in minutes. Explore the available nodes and unleash the power of your IoT devices!