Data Sources
Data Components
Data components allow you to bring external data into your Robility flows. Whether you need to parse local files, query a live database, or fetch data from dynamic web services, these components act as the entry points for your data pipeline.
Capabilities & Supported Sources
| Category | Typical Use Cases | Key Components |
|---|---|---|
| Web & Search | Fetching web pages, RSS feeds, live news, or search engine results | Web Search, News Search, RSS Reader, URL |
| API & Messaging | Listening for external triggers or calling REST APIs | API Request, Webhook |
| Databases | Executing SQL queries and fetching structured records | SQL Database |
How Data Components Work
Each Data component executes tailored commands for retrieval, processing, and type checking:
1. Wrapper vs. Built-in: Some components act as lightweight wrappers around user-provided commands, while others include built-in scripts to handle fetching and variable-driven processing automatically.
2. Data Formatting: Output formats vary by component. Some output raw data, while others automatically convert, restructure, or validate the payload before passing it along.
2. Data Formatting: Output formats vary by component. Some output raw data, while others automatically convert, restructure, or validate the payload before passing it along.
Integration Patterns in Flows
You can implement Data components in your flows in two primary ways:
Isolated Execution Steps: Run the component as a deterministic, standalone step in a linear pipeline (e.g., fetch data → transform → store). Agent Tools: Connect the component directly to an Agent component. The agent will autonomously decide when to invoke the tool based on the user’s intent and prompt context.
Tutorials & Examples
Explore these practical step-by-step guides to see Data components in action:
1. Create a Document-Aware Chatbot: Use the
File component to load local files into context alongside user prompts.2. Build a Vector RAG Chatbot: Ingest documents, chunk text, and store embeddings for contextual vector search during chat sessions.
3. Configure Tools for Autonomous Agents: Attach Data components to agents to let them perform dynamic lookups and API calls on the fly.
4. Trigger Flows with Webhooks: Utilize the
Webhook component to automatically execute flows in response to external platform events.