Templates
Templates are reusable pipeline blueprints that capture a complete pipeline graph -- sources, transforms, sinks, their configurations, and how they connect. Save common patterns as templates so your team can spin up new pipelines in seconds without rebuilding from scratch.
Template library
Templates are found in the Library page (accessible from the sidebar), under the Templates tab. The page displays all templates available to your team as a card grid. Each card shows:
- Name -- The template name.
- Category -- A label such as Logging, Metrics, Archival, Streaming, or a custom category you define.
- Description -- A short summary of what the template does.
- Node and edge count -- How many pipeline components and connections the template contains.
Templates are shared across all environments within a team. Any team member with the Editor role or above can create and use templates.
Saving a pipeline as a template
You can save any pipeline from the pipeline editor as a reusable template.
Open a pipeline
Navigate to the pipeline editor for the pipeline you want to save as a template.
Click Save as Template
In the editor toolbar, click the Save as Template button. A dialog opens.
Fill in the details
- Name -- A descriptive name (e.g., "Kafka to Elasticsearch").
- Description -- Explain what the template does and when to use it.
- Category -- Choose an existing category or type a custom one (e.g., "Logging", "Metrics", "Security").
Save
Click Save Template. The template now appears in the template library for all team members.
Creating a pipeline from a template
Open the Library
Navigate to Library > Templates in the sidebar. Make sure you have an environment selected in the header.
Choose a template
Browse the template cards and click Use Template on the one you want.
Customize
VectorFlow creates a new pipeline in the current environment with the template's graph pre-loaded. The pipeline opens in the editor where you can rename it, adjust configurations, and wire in environment-specific settings like secrets.
What templates include
Templates save the complete pipeline graph:
- Nodes -- Every source, transform, and sink component, including its component type, component key, display name, and configuration.
- Edges -- All connections between components, preserving the data flow topology.
- Layout -- The X/Y positions of nodes on the canvas, so the visual layout is preserved.
What templates do not include
Templates are designed to be portable across environments, so they intentionally exclude:
- Secrets -- Secret values (API keys, passwords, tokens) are never stored in templates. You must configure secrets in the target environment after creating a pipeline from a template.
- Certificates -- TLS certificates are environment-specific and are not included.
- Environment bindings -- Templates are not tied to any specific environment. They can be used in any environment within the team.
- Shared component links -- Nodes that are linked to shared components have their links stripped when saved as a template. The node's configuration snapshot is preserved, but the template node becomes a standalone component.
- Deployment state -- Pipelines created from templates start as drafts. You deploy them when ready.
After creating a pipeline from a template, review the configuration and add any required secrets or environment-specific values before deploying.
Managing templates
- Delete -- Click the trash icon on a template card to permanently remove it. This does not affect pipelines that were already created from the template.
- Templates cannot be edited after creation. To update a template, save the revised pipeline as a new template and delete the old one.
Template categories
Templates are organized by category. Built-in categories include:
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Getting Started | Simple example pipelines for learning VectorFlow. |
| Logging | Log collection, parsing, and routing patterns. |
| Archival | Long-term storage and compliance pipelines. |
| Streaming | Real-time event streaming configurations. |
| Metrics | Metric collection and aggregation patterns. |
You can also create custom categories by typing any name in the Category field when saving a template.