Custom Functions

In the world of no-code development, efficiency and reusability are key. Xano's custom functions give you the power to create logic that can be seamlessly integrated into various parts of your workspace, saving you time and effort. Let's dive into the world of Xano functions and explore how they can supercharge your development process.

Understanding Xano Functions

Xano functions are reusable blocks of logic that you can create and incorporate into API endpoints, tasks, or even other functions. They follow the same workflow as API endpoints, consisting of inputs, a function stack (where you build your logic), and an optional response.

Creating a Custom Function

Let's walk through the process of creating a custom function that calculates a person's age based on their birth date.

1. Navigate to the "Functions" page under the "Library" section in Xano.
2. Click on the "Create Function" button to start building your custom function.
3. Give your function a descriptive name, such as "CalculateAge."
4. Define an input parameter called "birthdate" of the type "Timestamp." This will be the birth date you want to use for calculating the age.
5. In the function stack, create a variable to store the current timestamp by using the `now` keyword.
6. Subtract the `birthdate` input from the current timestamp to get the time difference in milliseconds.
7. Divide the time difference by the number of milliseconds in a year (31536000000) to get the age in years.
8. Apply the `floor` filter to round down the age to the nearest integer.
9. Save your function, and you're ready to use it!

Integrating Functions into Your Workspace

Now that you've created a custom function, let's see how you can incorporate it into different parts of your Xano workspace.

API Endpoints

Imagine you have a "Get User Record" API endpoint that retrieves user information, including the user's name, email, and birth date. To display the user's age along with their details, follow these steps:

1. Open the "Get User Record" API endpoint.
2. In the function stack, add a new step by clicking on "Add to function stack" and then "Custom Functions."
3. Select the "CalculateAge" function you created earlier.
4. Map the `birthdate` input of the function to the `birth_date` field from your user record by using the `user.birth_date` expression.
5. Add the calculated age to the response by creating a new field, such as `age`, and assigning the output of the "CalculateAge" function to it.

Now, when you run the "Get User Record" API endpoint, you'll see the user's age displayed alongside their other details.

Tasks and Other Functions

Functions can also be incorporated into tasks and even other functions within your Xano workspace. Simply follow the same steps as above, adding the custom function to the function stack and mapping any required inputs.

Converting API Endpoints to Functions

If you've already built some logic within an API endpoint and want to convert it into a reusable function, Xano has you covered. You can easily convert an API endpoint into a function by following these steps:

1. Open the API endpoint you want to convert.
2. Navigate to the "Settings" tab.
3. Click on the "Convert to Function" button.
4. Provide a name for your new function.
5. Xano will create a new function with the logic from your API endpoint.

Optionally, you can clone the API endpoint before converting it if you want to keep the original endpoint intact.

Conclusion

Xano's custom functions are a game-changer for no-code developers, enabling you to build reusable logic and streamline your development process. Whether you're a no-code enthusiast, citizen developer, traditional developer, or part of a startup or small business, Xano functions can help you achieve your goals more efficiently. Embrace the power of reusable logic and take your no-code development to new heights with Xano functions.