Functions Overview
==================

FlowKit is an external function repository for the AALI agent platform. It provides ready-to-use functions that can be dynamically discovered and executed through a gRPC interface.

.. warning::
   FlowKit is **not** designed to be a **standalone**. While you can interact with FlowKit's gRPC interface directly for testing and development, in production workflows the AALI Agent is the primary consumer that orchestrates function execution, handles type conversions, and manages workflow state.

.. note::
   For installation instructions, see :doc:`../getting_started/installation`.

Functions are organized into categories, each serving a specific purpose in building workflows. Categories include various utility functions, integrations, and domain-specific operations.

.. important::
   Use ``ListFunctions`` to discover all available functions and their categories. The exact categories and their contents may vary based on your FlowKit configuration.

Discovering Functions
---------------------

Always use ``ListFunctions`` to discover available functions dynamically:

**Python Example:**

.. code-block:: python

   import grpc
   import flowkit_pb2
   import flowkit_pb2_grpc

   # Connect to FlowKit
   channel = grpc.insecure_channel('localhost:50051')
   stub = flowkit_pb2_grpc.FlowKitStub(channel)

   # List all functions
   response = stub.ListFunctions(flowkit_pb2.ListFunctionsRequest())

   # Browse by category
   for name, definition in response.functions.items():
       print(f"{definition.category}: {name}")

**Go Example:**

.. code-block:: go

   import pb "github.com/ansys/aali-sharedtypes/pkg/aaliflowkitgrpc"

   // List all functions
   response, err := client.ListFunctions(ctx, &pb.ListFunctionsRequest{})

   // Browse functions
   for name, def := range response.Functions {
       fmt.Printf("%s: %s\n", def.Category, name)
   }

Basic Usage Example
-------------------

Here's how to call a simple function:

.. code-block:: python

   # Call GenerateUUID function
   response = stub.RunFunction(flowkit_pb2.RunFunctionRequest(
       function_name="GenerateUUID",
       inputs={}
   ))

   # Get the result
   uuid = response.outputs["result"]
   print(f"Generated UUID: {uuid}")

.. note::
   All function inputs and outputs are strings. Complex data structures must be JSON-encoded.

Next Steps
----------

- Add your own functions → :doc:`adding_functions`
- Explore the API Reference for detailed function signatures