Difference between "Flow Store" vs "Memory Store"

Hi Team,

I am trying to understand the “Flow Store” vs “Memory Store”.

Any significant differences between “Flow Store” vs “Memory Store” and in what case can I use them, please provide with an example or usecase.

Hi Mahesh,

Flow Store: All the keys stored using this action have a local scope, meaning, if you store a key for a particular flow, its value can be retrieved within the same workflow only. It can’t be used in any other workflow.

Memory Store: However, it’s important to note that, the storage and the retrieval of the key-value pairs are limited to only one workflow run.

Sorry, I do not see any differences in the above details, I assume both can’t be used in any other workflow.

Please confirm?

Hi Mahesh,
Yes, you cant use both actions in any other workflow.

The Memory Store action lets you store and retrieve one or more key-value pairs but it limits this functionality to only one workflow run. This means that one Memory Store action can execute only once. With one Memory Store action, you can either Set key-value pairs or Retrieve values of Stored Keys. So, if want to Set key-value pairs and Get the values of stored keys in the same workflow, then you will have to add two Memory Store actions to the canvas.

The Flow store action lets you store one or more key-value pairs and retrieve them when required but in the same workflow of the project. Each key-value pair you set using the Flow Store has local scope by default. This means that, once you add a key-value pair, you can retrieve it anytime in the future but only in the same workflow.

Hey Mahesh

I just did an hands-on testing for “Memory Store” vs “Flow Store” and below are my observations.

  • “Memory Store” works like “Document Property” in Dell Boomi. Its scope is only for a given instance of a particular workflow. Meaning works only inside ONE execution
  • “Flow Store” works like a “Process Property” in Dell Boomi. Its scope is across the instances of that particular workflow. But those keys cannot be accessed in instances of different workflows. Meaning works across executions of same workflow.
  • For “Account Store”, there is no specific property in Dell Boomi but we can acheive this using “Global Constants”.

I created a workflow as well to observe the behaviours based on different account property inputs to switch to different cases. Let me know in case needed, I will export the workflow and try to share

1 Like

Thanks Prasad, could you please share it here and that would be really helpful.

Hi Mahesh

Attahced is a sample workflow I created. Please import it as a Recipe and test.
export-fl4690d12f766dd3f4911553-1567482407107.zip (101 KB)

@All FYI

flow Store - Local Scope
* saves the key valu pair across different runs of workflow.

Memory store - specific to 1 workflow

   * saves the key value pair Everyrun of workflow.Everytime the value is reset in the memory.

Greatly elaborated info and its usage in the io.workflows :slight_smile:

Cheers!
RMG