Core concepts

Automate.ax automations are TypeScript programs. You write ordinary functions, imports, objects, and modules; Automate.ax supplies durable triggers, integration authentication, deployment, and execution.

import { automation } from "automate.ax"
import { markAsRead, onNewEmail } from "automate.ax/gmail"

export default automation("Mark incoming mail as read", () => {
  const email = onNewEmail()

  markAsRead({ messageIds: email.messageId })
})

This small program contains the main concepts:

Concept	Role
Automation	A named TypeScript program deployed as part of a project.
Trigger	Declares the event that can start the automation and exposes its data as a signal.
Signal	A typed reference to a value that will exist during execution.
Action	Performs work after its signal dependencies are ready.
Integration account	Gives an action or trigger access to an external service without exposing credentials to code.
Deployment	Plans the programs, resolves authorization, configures event sources, and publishes the project runtime.

The call to onNewEmail declares a Gmail subscription. Its email result is a signal, so email.messageId is also a signal. Passing it to markAsRead makes that action depend on the incoming event.

Source order describes the automation, but signal dependencies decide when actions are ready. Independent actions may execute concurrently.

Where to go next

Read Automations and Signals first. Use the Actions reference and Triggers reference for exact integration contracts.

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Concepts

Reference

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