Block SDK Guide

This guide explains how to create new blocks for the AutoGPT Platform using the SDK pattern with advanced features.

Overview

Blocks are reusable components that perform specific tasks in AutoGPT workflows. They can integrate with external services, process data, or perform any programmatic operation.

Basic Structure

1. Create Provider Configuration

First, create a _config.py file to configure your provider using the ProviderBuilder:

!!! note "Simple API key provider" ```python from backend.sdk import BlockCostType, ProviderBuilder

my_provider = (
    ProviderBuilder("my_provider")
    .with_api_key("MY_PROVIDER_API_KEY", "My Provider API Key")
    .with_base_cost(1, BlockCostType.RUN)
    .build()
)
```

For OAuth providers:

!!! note "OAuth provider configuration" ```python from backend.sdk import BlockCostType, ProviderBuilder from ._oauth import MyProviderOAuthHandler

my_provider = (
    ProviderBuilder("my_provider")
    .with_oauth(
        MyProviderOAuthHandler,
        scopes=["read", "write"],
        client_id_env_var="MY_PROVIDER_CLIENT_ID",
        client_secret_env_var="MY_PROVIDER_CLIENT_SECRET",
    )
    .with_base_cost(1, BlockCostType.RUN)
    .build()
)
```

2. Create the Block Class

Create your block file (e.g., my_block.py):

import uuid
from backend.sdk import (
    APIKeyCredentials,
    Block,
    BlockCategory,
    BlockOutput,
    BlockSchema,
    BlockSchemaInput,
    BlockSchemaOutput,
    CredentialsMetaInput,
    SchemaField,
)
from ._config import my_provider


class MyBlock(Block):
    class Input(BlockSchemaInput):
        credentials: CredentialsMetaInput = my_provider.credentials_field(
            description="API credentials for My Provider"
        )
        query: str = SchemaField(description="The query to process")
        limit: int = SchemaField(
            description="Number of results",
            default=10,
            ge=1,
            le=100,
        )
        advanced_option: str = SchemaField(
            description="Advanced setting",
            default="",
            advanced=True,
        )

    class Output(BlockSchemaOutput):
        results: list = SchemaField(description="List of results")
        count: int = SchemaField(description="Total count")

    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__(
            id=str(uuid.uuid4()),
            description="Brief description of what this block does",
            categories={BlockCategory.SEARCH},
            input_schema=self.Input,
            output_schema=self.Output,
        )

    async def run(
        self,
        input_data: Input,
        *,
        credentials: APIKeyCredentials,
        **kwargs
    ) -> BlockOutput:
        try:
            results = await self.process_data(
                input_data.query,
                input_data.limit,
                credentials
            )

            yield "results", results
            yield "count", len(results)

        except Exception as e:
            yield "error", str(e)

    async def process_data(self, query, limit, credentials):
        pass

!!! note "Input Schema Fields" - credentials: Use my_provider.credentials_field() to add provider authentication - query: Simple string field with description - limit: Integer field with validation constraints (ge=1, le=100) - advanced_option: Marked with advanced=True to hide from basic UI

!!! note "Output Schema Fields" - results: List of results from the block - count: Total count of results - The error output pin is already defined on BlockSchemaOutput

!!! note "Block Initialization" - id: Generate a unique ID using uuid.uuid4() - description: Brief description of what the block does - categories: Choose from BlockCategory enum (e.g., SEARCH, AI, PRODUCTIVITY) - input_schema / output_schema: Assign the Input and Output classes

!!! note "Run Method" - Implement your block logic in process_data() helper method - Use credentials.api_key.get_secret_value() to access the API key - Use yield to output results

Key Components Explained

Provider Configuration

The ProviderBuilder allows you to:

• .with_api_key(): Add API key authentication
• .with_oauth(): Add OAuth authentication
• .with_base_cost(): Set resource costs for the block
• .with_webhook_manager(): Add webhook support
• .with_user_password(): Add username/password auth

Block Schema

• Input/Output classes: Define the data structure using BlockSchema
• SchemaField: Define individual fields with validation
• CredentialsMetaInput: Special field for handling credentials

Block Implementation

1. Unique ID: Generate using uuid.uuid4()
2. Categories: Choose from BlockCategory enum (e.g., SEARCH, AI, PRODUCTIVITY)
3. async run(): Main execution method that yields outputs
4. Error handling: Error output pin is already defined on BlockSchemaOutput

Advanced Features

Testing

Add test configuration to your block:

!!! note "Test Configuration" python def __init__(self): super().__init__( # ... other config ... test_input={ "query": "test query", "limit": 5, "credentials": { "provider": "my_provider", "id": str(uuid.uuid4()), "type": "api_key" } }, test_output=[ ("results", ["result1", "result2"]), ("count", 2) ], test_mock={ "process_data": lambda *args, **kwargs: ["result1", "result2"] } )

OAuth Support

Create an OAuth handler in _oauth.py:

!!! note "OAuth Handler Implementation" ```python from backend.integrations.oauth.base import BaseOAuthHandler

class MyProviderOAuthHandler(BaseOAuthHandler):
    PROVIDER_NAME = "my_provider"

    def _get_authorization_url(self, scopes: list[str], state: str) -> str:
        # Implement URL generation for OAuth flow
        pass

    def _exchange_code_for_token(self, code: str, scopes: list[str]) -> dict:
        # Implement token exchange logic
        pass
```

Webhook Support

Create a webhook manager in _webhook.py:

!!! note "Webhook Manager Implementation" ```python from backend.integrations.webhooks._base import BaseWebhooksManager

class MyProviderWebhookManager(BaseWebhooksManager):
    PROVIDER_NAME = "my_provider"

    async def validate_event(self, event: dict) -> bool:
        # Implement event validation logic
        pass
```

File Organization

backend/blocks/my_provider/
├── __init__.py          # Export your blocks
├── _config.py           # Provider configuration
├── _oauth.py           # OAuth handler (optional)
├── _webhook.py         # Webhook manager (optional)
├── _api.py             # API client wrapper (optional)
├── models.py           # Data models (optional)
└── my_block.py         # Block implementations

Best Practices

1. Error Handling: Use BlockInputError for validation failures and BlockExecutionError for runtime errors (import from backend.util.exceptions). These inherit from ValueError so the executor treats them as user-fixable. See Error Handling in new_blocks.md for details.
2. Credentials: Use the provider's credentials_field() method
3. Validation: Use SchemaField constraints (ge, le, min_length, etc.)
4. Categories: Choose appropriate categories for discoverability
5. Advanced Fields: Mark complex options as advanced=True
6. Async Operations: Use async/await for I/O operations
7. API Clients: Use Requests() from SDK or external libraries
8. Testing: Include test inputs/outputs for validation

Common Patterns

Making API Requests

from backend.sdk import Requests

async def run(self, input_data: Input, *, credentials: APIKeyCredentials, **kwargs):
    headers = {
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {credentials.api_key.get_secret_value()}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json"
    }

    response = await Requests().post(
        "https://api.example.com/endpoint",
        headers=headers,
        json={"query": input_data.query}
    )

    data = response.json()
    yield "results", data.get("results", [])

Multiple Auth Types

async def run(
    self,
    input_data: Input,
    *,
    credentials: OAuth2Credentials | APIKeyCredentials,
    **kwargs
):
    if isinstance(credentials, OAuth2Credentials):
        # Handle OAuth credentials
        token = credentials.access_token.get_secret_value()
    else:
        # Handle API key credentials
        token = credentials.api_key.get_secret_value()

!!! note "Authentication Types" - OAuth2Credentials: Access token via credentials.access_token.get_secret_value() - APIKeyCredentials: API key via credentials.api_key.get_secret_value()

Handling Files

When your block works with files (images, videos, documents), use store_media_file():

from backend.data.execution import ExecutionContext
from backend.util.file import store_media_file
from backend.util.type import MediaFileType

async def run(
    self,
    input_data: Input,
    *,
    execution_context: ExecutionContext,
    **kwargs,
):
    # PROCESSING: Need local file path for tools like ffmpeg, MoviePy, PIL
    local_path = await store_media_file(
        file=input_data.video,
        execution_context=execution_context,
        return_format="for_local_processing",
    )

    # EXTERNAL API: Need base64 content for APIs like Replicate, OpenAI
    image_b64 = await store_media_file(
        file=input_data.image,
        execution_context=execution_context,
        return_format="for_external_api",
    )

    # OUTPUT: Return to user/next block (auto-adapts to context)
    result = await store_media_file(
        file=generated_url,
        execution_context=execution_context,
        return_format="for_block_output",
    )
    yield "image_url", result

!!! note "File Handling Patterns" - PROCESSING: Use "for_local_processing" when you need a local file path for tools like ffmpeg, MoviePy, PIL - EXTERNAL API: Use "for_external_api" when sending content to APIs like Replicate or OpenAI (returns base64 data URI) - OUTPUT: Use "for_block_output" to return results - this automatically adapts: workspace:// in CoPilot, data URI in graphs

Return format options:

• "for_local_processing" - Local file path for processing tools
• "for_external_api" - Data URI for external APIs needing base64
• "for_block_output" - Always use for outputs - automatically picks best format

Testing Your Block

# Run all block tests
poetry run pytest backend/blocks/test/test_block.py -xvs

# Test specific block
poetry run pytest 'backend/blocks/test/test_block.py::test_available_blocks[MyBlock]' -xvs

Integration Checklist

• Create provider configuration in _config.py
• Implement block class with Input/Output schemas
• Generate unique block ID with uuid.uuid4()
• Choose appropriate block categories
• Implement async run() method
• Handle errors gracefully
• Add test configuration
• Export block in __init__.py
• Test the block
• Document any special requirements

Example Blocks for Reference

• Simple API: /backend/blocks/firecrawl/ - Basic API key authentication
• OAuth + API: /backend/blocks/linear/ - OAuth and API key support
• Webhooks: /backend/blocks/exa/ - Includes webhook manager

Study these examples to understand different patterns and approaches for building blocks.