Libraries in UiPath

Hello Everyone,

UiPath libraries offer an effective tool to encourage code reuse, organize code, and make maintenance easier across various automation applications. In this article, we will be exploring libraries in UiPath.

What is a library?

Libraries are reusable components that include a collection of activities, variables, and arguments that can be easily shared between various automation solutions. They are designed to foster code reuse, boost development effectiveness, and make maintenance easier.

Why is it necessary to create a library?

1. By creating a library, you can reuse the same set of activities, variables, and arguments across multiple automation projects. This eliminates the need to recreate the same functionality multiple times, reducing development time and effort.
2. Libraries can be published to Orchestrator, making it easy for multiple developers to collaborate on library development. This can help to improve the quality of your code and speed up development time.
3. Libraries enable you to standardize your code and ensure consistency across multiple automation projects. This helps to reduce errors and makes it easier to maintain and update your code in the long term.

Steps to create a library

Step 1: Open UiPath Studio and create a new project by clicking on "Library" in the start page.

Step 2: Once the project is created, you can create the workflow by adding activities, variables, and arguments to the library by dragging and dropping them from the Activities panel to the library designer panel.

Step 3: You can publish the library to orchestrator or to local.  Enter the name of the package and specify the release notes. 

In the publish option section you can select either “custom” or “orchestrator tenant” option. If the custom is selected specify the path where package is to be saved. 

Click Publish. The package is now available as .nupkg file.

Step 4: Once the package is package is published, navigate to manage packages in the design ribbon and go to settings sections. Add the package name and file path of the library you have created under the user defined package sources section.

Step 5: You can install the library published by navigating to the manage package and searching for the package.

Step 6: In the activities panel search for the package.

Examples of situations in which libraries are useful

1. We can build a library of reusable configuration settings when you have configuration settings that are applied to numerous automation projects. For instance, you may create a library of configuration options that include environment variables, API keys, and database connection strings.
2. You can generate a library of useful functions that handle math operations, string manipulation, and date/time computations.
3. You can create a library of workflows that handle file operations, data validation, and error handling.

To sum up, UiPath libraries offer a mechanism to develop reusable components that may be quickly shared throughout other automation applications. It enhances code reuse, boost development effectiveness, and streamline maintenance. We can organize our code, assure consistency, and reuse the same collection of actions, variables, and arguments across several automation projects by creating a library.