Custom code steps

A custom code step lets you write a small piece of code that runs as one stage of an automation. Most steps in a workflow tool are ready-made, such as send an email or add a row. When none of them does exactly what you need, for example reformatting a messy date or calculating a custom discount, a code step fills the gap. Make, n8n, Pipedream, Zapier and GitHub are tools that offer something like it.

Code steps decide how far an automation can bend before it breaks. Without them, you may have to stack many steps or give up on an unusual requirement. With them, a developer can solve the odd case in a few lines. Most non-technical users will never write one, but they benefit when a contractor does. If your processes are simple and standard, you will rarely need this.

• Ask which languages are supported and which libraries or packages can be used.
• Check the limits on run time and memory, since long code steps may be stopped.
• Find out how errors are shown, so someone can tell what went wrong when a step fails.
• Confirm whether the feature is on the plan you would buy.