AutoGPT/docs/platform/blocks/basic.md

Basic Operations Blocks

Store Value

What it is

A basic block that stores and forwards a value.

What it does

This block takes an input value and stores it, allowing it to be reused without changes.

How it works

It accepts an input value and optionally a data value. If a data value is provided, it is used as the output. Otherwise, the input value is used as the output.

Inputs

Input	Description
Input	The value to be stored or forwarded
Data	An optional constant value to be stored instead of the input

Outputs

Output	Description
Output	The stored value (either the input or the data)

Possible use case

Storing a user's name at the beginning of a workflow to use it in multiple subsequent blocks without asking for it again.

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Print to Console

What it is

A basic block that prints text to the console for debugging purposes.

What it does

This block takes a text input and prints it to the console, then outputs a status message.

How it works

It receives a text input, prints it to the console with a "Print: " prefix, and then yields a "printed" status.

Inputs

Input	Description
Text	The text to be printed to the console

Outputs

Output	Description
Status	A message indicating that the text was printed ("printed")

Possible use case

Debugging a workflow by printing intermediate results or messages at various stages.

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Find in Dictionary

What it is

A basic block that looks up a value in a dictionary, object, or list using a given key.

What it does

This block searches for a specified key in the input data structure and returns the corresponding value if found.

How it works

It accepts an input (dictionary, object, or list) and a key. It then attempts to find the key in the input and return the corresponding value. If the key is not found, it returns the entire input as "missing".

Inputs

Input	Description
Input	The dictionary, object, or list to search in
Key	The key to look up in the input

Outputs

Output	Description
Output	The value found for the given key
Missing	The entire input if the key was not found

Possible use case

Extracting specific information from a complex data structure, such as finding a user's email address in a user profile dictionary.

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Agent Input

What it is

An input block that provides a way to accept user input in a workflow.

What it does

This block allows users to input values into the workflow, with options for naming, describing, and setting placeholder values.

How it works

It accepts a value from the user, along with metadata such as name, description, and optional placeholder values. The block then outputs the provided value.

Inputs

Input	Description
Value	The actual input value provided by the user
Name	A name for the input field
Description	An optional description of the input
Placeholder Values	Optional list of suggested values
Limit to Placeholder Values	Option to restrict input to placeholder values only

Outputs

Output	Description
Result	The value provided as input

Possible use case

Collecting user preferences at the start of a personalized recommendation workflow.

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Agent Output

What it is

An output block that records and formats the final results of a workflow.

What it does

This block takes a value and associated metadata, optionally formats it, and presents it as the output of the workflow.

How it works

It accepts an input value along with a name, description, and optional format string. If a format string is provided, it attempts to apply the formatting to the input value before outputting it.

Inputs

Input	Description
Value	The value to be recorded as output
Name	A name for the output
Description	An optional description of the output
Format	An optional format string to apply to the value

Outputs

Output	Description
Output	The formatted (if applicable) output value

Possible use case

Presenting the final results of a data analysis workflow in a specific format.

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Add to Dictionary

What it is

A basic block that adds a new key-value pair to a dictionary.

What it does

This block takes an existing dictionary (or creates a new one), a key, and a value, and adds the key-value pair to the dictionary.

How it works

It accepts an optional input dictionary, a key, and a value. If no dictionary is provided, it creates a new one. It then adds the key-value pair to the dictionary and returns the updated dictionary.

Inputs

Input	Description
Dictionary	An optional existing dictionary to add to
Key	The key for the new entry
Value	The value for the new entry

Outputs

Output	Description
Updated Dictionary	The dictionary with the new entry added
Error	An error message if the operation fails

Possible use case

Building a user profile by gradually adding new information as it's collected throughout a workflow.

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Add to List

What it is

A basic block that adds a new entry to a list.

What it does

This block takes an existing list (or creates a new one) and adds a new entry to it, optionally at a specified position.

How it works

It accepts an optional input list, an entry to add, and an optional position. If no list is provided, it creates a new one. It then adds the entry to the list at the specified position (or at the end if no position is given) and returns the updated list.

Inputs

Input	Description
List	An optional existing list to add to
Entry	The new item to add to the list
Position	An optional position to insert the new entry

Outputs

Output	Description
Updated List	The list with the new entry added
Error	An error message if the operation fails

Possible use case

Maintaining a to-do list in a task management workflow, where new tasks can be added at specific priorities (positions).

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Note

What it is

A basic block that displays a sticky note with custom text.

What it does

This block takes a text input and displays it as a sticky note in the workflow interface.

How it works

It simply accepts a text input and passes it through as an output to be displayed as a note.

Inputs

Input	Description
Text	The text to display in the sticky note

Outputs

Output	Description
Output	The text to display in the sticky note

Possible use case

Adding explanatory notes or reminders within a complex workflow to help users understand different stages or provide additional context.