Array (data structure)
An ordered list of items in JSON data. Most API responses return arrays e.g., a list of contacts, a list of orders. Workflow loops iterate over arrays to process each item individually.
Expert insight
A workflow step that assumes an array will always have at least one item breaks the first time an upstream system returns an empty result set, a common occurrence (no new records today, a search with zero matches) that's easy to forget to handle explicitly during initial testing with non-empty sample data.
In a real workflow
An order’s line items arrive as an array; the workflow loops over it to update stock for each product.
Common mistakes
- Assuming an array always has at least one item.
- Treating a single object and an array of one the same way.
Complexity level
Requires some familiarity with automation concepts.
Related terms
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)
The universal data format for APIs and webhooks. When Stripe sends a payment eve…
Loop / iterator
A workflow pattern that processes a list of items one by one. Example: for each …
Data transformation
Modifying data as it flows through an automation reformatting dates, concatenati…
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