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Dictionary management

Dictionaries replace hard-coded values entered in each node with a single place, defined per environment. This is the core mechanism for making workflows dynamic: a change happens in one place and applies to all workflows at the next deployment. To create and configure dictionaries, see Dictionaries.

How it fits together​

  • A dictionary value is expressed in the format {{dictionaries.nomDuDico.cleDuDico}} and is resolved dynamically according to the execution environment.
  • One dictionary per domain makes maintenance easier: api-erp (ERP variables), api-ecommerce, sftp-partner (SFTP access), config-global (global configuration).
  • A clear key naming convention avoids collisions and ambiguities:
✅ Good                    ❌ Avoid
api_base_url              url
api_client_id             id
sftp_host                 host1
sftp_port                 temp_value

Handy features​

  • Quick creation — when entering a value in a node, right-click → "Set as variable", then choose the dictionary to enrich: the hard-coded value is externalized without copy-paste.
  • Duplicating values — to initialize a new environment: click the three dots next to the source environment, then "Duplicate the key and its values" and choose the target environment.

Dictionaries vs authentication methods​

Both spaces can contain secrets. The difference is not "secret → authentication method, config → dictionary", but what is centralized:

DictionariesAuthentication methods
Centralize per-environment variablesCentralize an authentication scheme
Reusable in any field (URL, headers…)Selected in nodes that support auth
Values can be maskedValues are encrypted and masked
Golden rule

A secret can live in a dictionary, as long as it is hidden. The real criterion: if several nodes share the same auth scheme, centralize it in an authentication method. If a value — secret or not — varies by environment and is reused in fields, it goes in a dictionary. Full comparison: Authentication method management.

What to know before you start​

  • Dictionaries in triggers — a trigger configuration (e.g. SFTP connection: host, port, directory) accepts {{dictionaries.sftp_import.host}}: the same trigger points to different servers depending on the environment.
  • A secret value must be masked in the interface so it does not appear in clear text in traces.
Before deploying
  • Values are populated for all environments
  • Keys use a consistent naming convention
  • Secrets stored in dictionaries are hidden
  • Shared auth schemes are centralized in authentication methods
  • Hard-coded variables are externalized

Go further​

See also: Dictionaries