> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.blinkops.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Functions

> Use expression language functions to manipulate and transform dynamic variables in Blink workflows.

To apply functions to a dynamic variable or a static variable you must wrap the chosen function in the double curly brackets syntax: `{{}}`, as seen in the following example.
In the following example we are using the [`decode_base_64(s)` string manipulation function](#string-manipulation-functions) to decode a Base64-encoded string (a static variable) and return the original decoded string.

<Frame>
  <video controls autoPlay muted zoom loop allowFullScreen className="w-full aspect-video" src="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/w9w2njanl2wwjv0g7o39g/DynamicVarFunction.mp4?rlkey=ch4elbek8opipcgdd2qol363j&st=lxbb5x10&raw=1" />
</Frame>

<Tip>
  You can also use [Utility Actions](/docs/workflows/building-workflows/actions/utility-actions/utility-actions) to apply specific function logic to dynamic variables throughout the workflow.
</Tip>

## Supported Functions

### String Manipulation Functions

<div className="integrations-table">
  | Function                | Description                                                                                                                   |
  | ----------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
  | `split(s, separator)`   | Slices s into all substrings separated by a defined separator and returns a slice of the substrings between those separators. |
  | `replace(s, old, new)`  | Returns a copy of the string s with all instances of `old` replaced by `new`.                                                 |
  | `trim(s, cutset)`       | Returns a slice of the string s with all leading and trailing Unicode code points contained in cutset removed.                |
  | `trim_space(s)`         | Returns a slice of the string s, with all leading and trailing white space removed, as defined by Unicode.                    |
  | `trim_prefix(s)`        | Returns s without the provided leading prefix string. If s doesn't start with prefix, s is returned unchanged.                |
  | `trim_suffix(s)`        | Returns s without the provided trailing suffix string. If s doesn't end with suffix, s is returned unchanged.                 |
  | `str(input)`            | Converts an input to a string value.                                                                                          |
  | `max_str(input)`        | Receives a list of strings and returns the largest one (by lexicographical order.)                                            |
  | `max_num(input)`        | Receives a list of numbers and returns the largest one.                                                                       |
  | `query_escape(input)`   | Escapes the given string into URL query encoding.<br />Example: `query_escape("hello world!")` -> `"hello+world%21"`          |
  | `query_unescape(input)` | Decodes the given URL query encoded string.<br />Example: `query_unescape("hello-world%21")` -> `"hello world!"`              |
  | `encode_base_64(input)` | Encodes any input value to a Base64-encoded string.                                                                           |
  | `decode_base_64(s)`     | Decodes a Base64-encoded string and returns the original decoded string.                                                      |
  | `is_uuid(input)`        | Checks if the input string is a valid UUID.<br />Returns `true` if it's a valid UUID format, `false` otherwise.               |
  | `to_lower(input)`       | Changes all input characters to lower case                                                                                    |
  | `to_upper(input)`       | Changes all input characters to upper case                                                                                    |
</div>

***

### Table Manipulation Functions

<div className="integrations-table">
  | Function                | Description                                                  |
  | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
  | `table_to_csv(input)`   | Produces CSV output from a table format step output.         |
  | `table_to_ascii(input)` | Produces ASCII table output from a table format step output. |
  | `table_to_html(input)`  | Produces HTML table output from table step output.           |
</div>

***

### Array & List Functions

<div className="integrations-table">
  | Function                  | Description                                       |
  | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
  | `reverse(arr)`            | Returns an array in reverse order of its indices. |
  | `empty(arr)`              | Checks whether an array or string is empty.       |
  | `not_empty(arr)`          | Checks whether an array or string is not empty.   |
  | `safe_contains(arr, val)` | Checks if an array contains a value safely.       |
  | `query_arr_format(arr)`   | Formats an array for query usage.                 |
  | `range(start, end)`       | Generates a numeric range between two values.     |
</div>

***

### Numeric Functions

<div className="integrations-table">
  | Function         | Description                                             |
  | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
  | `int(input)`     | Converts input to an integer.                           |
  | `float(input)`   | Converts input to a float.                              |
  | `safe_add(a, b)` | Safely adds two numbers.                                |
  | `safe_sub(a, b)` | Safely subtracts two numbers.                           |
  | `increment(n)`   | Increments a number by one.                             |
  | `divide(a, b)`   | Divides two numbers.                                    |
  | `modulo(a, b)`   | Returns the remainder of division.                      |
  | `max_num(input)` | Receives a list of numbers and returns the largest one. |
</div>

***

### Boolean & Comparison Functions

<div className="integrations-table">
  | Function         | Description                                       |
  | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
  | `boolean(input)` | Converts input into a boolean value.              |
  | `bool(input)`    | Alias for boolean conversion.                     |
  | `exists(input)`  | Returns true if the input exists and is not null. |
  | `safe_eq(a, b)`  | Safely checks equality between two values.        |
  | `safe_lt(a, b)`  | Safely checks if a is less than b.                |
  | `safe_gt(a, b)`  | Safely checks if a is greater than b.             |
</div>

***

### JSON & Object Functions

<div className="integrations-table">
  | Function               | Description                                |
  | ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
  | `prettify_json(input)` | Format a JSON with human-readable spacing. |
  | `prettifyJSON(input)`  | Alias for prettify\_json.                  |
  | `obj(kv...)`           | Creates a JSON object.                     |
  | `arr(values...)`       | Creates a JSON array.                      |
  | `bool_or_null(v)`      | Returns a boolean or null.                 |
  | `int_or_null(v)`       | Returns an integer or null.                |
  | `float_or_null(v)`     | Returns a float or null.                   |
  | `obj_or_null(v)`       | Returns an object or null.                 |
  | `arr_or_null(v)`       | Returns an array or null.                  |
</div>

***

### Utility & Generator Functions

<div className="integrations-table">
  | Function                                | Description                                                            |
  | --------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
  | `random(min, max)`                      | Returns a randomly generated number between two values.                |
  | `random_uuid()`                         | Returns a randomly generated UUID.                                     |
  | `sort_events(arr)`                      | Sorts events chronologically.                                          |
  | `md5(input)`                            | Returns an MD5 hash of the input.                                      |
  | `parse_severity(input)`                 | Parses a severity value.                                               |
  | `quote_literal(input)`                  | Escapes and quotes an input value.                                     |
  | `value_or_default(value, defaultValue)` | Returns `value` if it is not `null`; otherwise returns `defaultValue`. |
</div>

***

### URL & Map Functions

<div className="integrations-table">
  | Function                               | Description                                 |
  | -------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
  | `query_escape(input)`                  | URL-encodes a query string.                 |
  | `query_unescape(input)`                | Decodes a URL-encoded query string.         |
  | `encode_url_with_percent_space(input)` | Encodes a URL using percent-encoded spaces. |
  | `keyvalue_to_map(input)`               | Converts key-value pairs into a map.        |
  | `merge_maps(m1, m2)`                   | Merges two maps together.                   |
  | `cleanup_map(map)`                     | Removes empty or null values from a map.    |
  | `append_keyvalue_to_map(map, kv)`      | Appends a key-value pair to a map.          |
  | `map_to_query(map)`                    | Converts a map into a query string.         |
  | `decode_key_value_body(body)`          | Decodes a URL-encoded request body.         |
</div>

***

### Date-Time Functions

<Note>
  Please note that the following date & time formats are accepted.

  1. Epoch time in seconds: `1725916800`
  2. Epoch time in milliseconds: `1725916800000`
  3. RFC3339: `2006-01-02T15:04:05Z07:00`
  4. ISO: `2006-01-02T15:04:05Z0700`
  5. RFC3339 Nano:` 2006-01-02T15:04:05.999999999Z07:00`

  The **default date format** is dates in UTC timezone in [RFC3339 format](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc3339).
</Note>

<div className="integrations-table">
  | Function                    | Description                                               |
  | --------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
  | `now()`                     | Returns the current time in RFC3339 format.               |
  | `now_unix()`                | Returns the elapsed epoch current time in seconds.        |
  | `now_unix_mili()`           | Returns the elapsed epoch current time in milliseconds.   |
  | `today()`                   | Returns the current date at midnight UTC.                 |
  | `to_date(input)`            | Converts input into a date object.                        |
  | `to_epoch(input)`           | Converts a date to epoch seconds.                         |
  | `to_epoch_mili(input)`      | Converts a date to epoch milliseconds.                    |
  | `to_local_time(date, tz)`   | Formats the date as local time in a given time zone.      |
  | `date_format(layout, date)` | Formats the date using Golang layout conventions.         |
  | `max_date(input)`           | Receives a list of dates and returns the most recent one. |
  | `add(date, duration)`       | Adds a duration to a date.                                |
  | `sub(date, duration)`       | Subtracts a duration from a date.                         |
</div>

***

#### Date Arithmetic

To add and subtract time interval from another time use **+** and **-**

```bash theme={"dark"}
to_date("2022-11-13T08:26:02Z") + "3h"  ==> 2022-11-13T11:26:02Z
to_date("2022-11-13T08:26:02Z") - "5m"  ==> 2022-11-13T08:21:02Z
```

Supported intervals:

```bash theme={"dark"}
	"s":  Second
	"m":  Minute
	"h":  Hour
```

<Note>**Note**: **Day**, **Month** and **Year** are not supported because they have variable lengths.</Note>

#### To Date

Use `to_date` to transform date string representation or date represented as Epoch time (seconds since 1970-01-01) into date. This enables performing date operations on the date such as **+/-**.

```bash theme={"dark"}
to_date("2022-11-13T08:26:02Z") + "3h"  ==> 2022-11-13T11:26:02Z
to_date(211863600) ==> 1976-09-18T03:00:00Z
```

#### To Epoch

Transforms the date string into Epoch time (seconds since 1970-01-01).
Also works with input which is already an Epoch, in which case it returns the input as is.

```bash theme={"dark"}
to_epoch("1976-09-18T03:00:00Z") ==> 211863600
to_epoch("211863600") ==> 211863600
```

#### To Epoch Mili

Transforms the date string into Epoch Milliseconds time (milliseconds since 1970-01-01).
Also works with input which is already an Epoch Milliseconds, in which case it returns the input as is.

```bash theme={"dark"}
to_epoch_mili("1976-09-18T03:00:00Z") ==> 211863600000
to_epoch_mili("211863600000") ==> 211863600000
```

#### To Local Time

Format the date as local time in a given time zone. Accepts dates as Epoch time or string in [RFC3339 format](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc3339).

```bash theme={"dark"}
to_local_time("2020-01-31T18:09:41Z", "UTC")
  ==>  2020-01-31T18:09:41Z
to_local_time("2020-01-31T18:09:41Z", "Europe/Berlin")
  ==> 2020-01-31T19:09:41+01:00
to_local_time("2020-01-31T18:09:41Z", "America/New_York")
  ==> 2020-01-31T13:09:41-05:00
```

#### Date Format

Format the date in a requested format.

**Inputs:**

1. Layout in Golang date format convention (use exact pattern values).
2. Input date in [RFC3339 format](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc3339) or as an Epoch time (seconds since 1970-01-01).

**Common Format Patterns:**

| Pattern                     | Use Case         |
| --------------------------- | ---------------- |
| `2006-01-02`                | ISO date         |
| `2006-01-02T15:04:05Z07:00` | RFC3339/ISO 8601 |
| `January 2, 2006`           | Human-readable   |
| `01/02/2006`                | US format        |
| `02/01/2006`                | European format  |
| `3:04PM`                    | Time only (12h)  |
| `15:04:05`                  | Time only (24h)  |
| `Mon Jan 2, 2006`           | Day with date    |

For more information and additional valid layouts, refer to [Golang date format convention documentation](https://pkg.go.dev/time#Layout).

**Examples:**

```bash theme={"dark"}
date_format("2006-01-02T15:04:05.000Z", "2022-07-07T15:14:12Z")
   ==>  2022-07-07T15:14:12.000Z
date_format("2006-01-02", "2022-07-07T15:14:12Z")
	 ==> 2022-07-07
date_format("2006-01-02", "2022-07-07T15:14:12Z") + "24h"
	 ==> 2022-07-08
```