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

# Template intellisense

> Use Workflow Studio suggestions to insert {{input.*}} and step output variables without memorizing step IDs or template syntax.

Workflow Studio helps you connect steps with **template variables** — placeholders like `{{input.topic}}` or `{{steps.<step-id>.result.message}}` that fill in at run time from start input or upstream step output.

**Template intellisense** is the inline helper in text fields: type `{{`, search by step name or field, pick a suggestion, and Studio inserts the correct path for you.

## Where you'll see it

Template intellisense appears anywhere Workflow Studio accepts template text, including:

| Location                             | Typical fields                                                                         |
| ------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Workflow configuration → Trigger** | Starting input for selected steps — agent **prompt**, tool arguments, shared run input |
| **Agent Call** structured input      | Catalog agent fields that support templates                                            |

Look for the small **variable** icon inside the field. It opens the same list of suggestions you get while typing.

<Tip>
  Open **Workflow configuration** (click empty canvas) → **Variables** for a read-only cheat sheet of every step and common paths on the current graph.
</Tip>

## Quick start

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open a template field">
    In **Workflow configuration**, open the **Trigger** tab and expand a step — for example an **Agent Call** entry step. Click a field like **Task text or template for the agent turn**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Type {{">
    Type two opening braces. Suggestions appear when your cursor is inside an unfinished `{{ …` segment (before the closing `}}`).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Search naturally">
    Keep typing a step name, field name, or path fragment. You do not need special symbols — see [What you can type](#what-you-can-type).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick a suggestion">
    Click a row, or press **Enter** or **Tab** while it is highlighted. Studio inserts the full variable and adds the closing `}}` when needed.
  </Step>
</Steps>

**Example:** you type `{{prepare news context message` and choose **Prepare news context · message**. Studio saves something like:

```
{{steps.f79e84fa-609c-485e-83f1-acb3db67f856.result.message}}
```

The list showed the step's **display name**; the saved text uses that step's real **Step ID** (the UUID shown in the step config header).

## What the dropdown shows

Each suggestion has two lines:

| Line          | What it means                                                                                                   |
| ------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Bold text** | Friendly label — step name **·** field, e.g. `Prepare news context · message`, or `input.topic` for start input |
| **Gray path** | Exact template that will be inserted, e.g. `{{steps.<uuid>.result.message}}`                                    |

The middle dot in the label is for reading only — you never type it.

## What you can type

While your cursor is inside `{{ …` (before `}}`), Studio filters suggestions as you type:

| You type                       | Finds                                        |
| ------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------- |
| `input` or `input.topic`       | Workflow start input                         |
| `prepare news`                 | Steps whose display name matches             |
| `prepare news context message` | Step name plus field, with or without spaces |
| `message`                      | Field names on steps or start input          |
| `steps.f79e84fa…`              | A step by the start of its Step ID           |
| `steps.prepare news`           | A step by display name after `steps.`        |

<Tip>
  Think in plain language: `prepare news context message` is enough to surface **Prepare news context · message** — you do not need to know the UUID first.
</Tip>

## Two kinds of variables

### Start input — `{{input.*}}`

Values provided when a run starts — from **Run setup**, the API, or a webhook.

```
{{input.topic}}
{{input.message}}
```

If you defined an **input schema** when you published the workflow, those fields appear in suggestions.

Per-step start input uses the same `{{input.*}}` syntax on that step's fields; the engine applies the right payload for the step that is running.

### Step output — `{{steps.<step-id>.result.*}}`

Data returned by an earlier step on the canvas.

```
{{steps.505d4d95-dcb2-4a9f-a3a7-007c062898f4.result.message}}
```

* **`<step-id>`** — the step's **Step ID** (UUID in the step config panel).
* **`.result.<field>`** — a field on that step's output.

You can reference **nested** data when the runtime provides it — for example `{{steps.<id>.result.items.0.title}}` — even if Studio does not list every nested key in the dropdown.

## Common fields in suggestions

Studio builds suggestions from **published input schema**, **MCP tool output schemas**, and **catalog agent `output_schema`** when available. Otherwise it falls back to common fields per step type.

| Step type                       | Output fields often suggested                                             |
| ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Agent Call**                  | Catalog `output_schema` fields, or `message` / `result`                   |
| **MCP Call**                    | Tool `outputSchema` properties (including nested paths like `data.title`) |
| **LLM Call**, **Lua transform** | `message`, `result`, `content`, `response`                                |
| **Approval Gate**               | `approved`                                                                |
| **Shared start input**          | `message`, `topic`, `data`, plus your published input schema              |

Nested JSON paths beyond the dropdown still work at run time — type them manually when needed.

## Variable picker

Click the **variable** icon in the field to open **Available variables**:

* Browse all start-input and step-output suggestions for the workflow
* Click a row to insert at the cursor
* Use **Insert trigger input placeholder** for a quick `{{input.message}}` starter

## Mixing text and variables

Templates can be part of a normal sentence:

```
Write a newsletter about {{input.topic}} using this research:

{{steps.<step-id>.result.content}}
```

When the field contains `{{…}}` blocks, Studio shows how many **variable(s) detected** under the field.

## Inside a For each loop

In a **For each** body step, the runtime also supports loop variables:

```
{{item}}
{{index}}
```

These work at run time inside the loop body. They are not in the Studio suggestion list today — type them directly when you need them.

## Good to know

| Topic               | Guidance                                                                                                             |
| ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Display names**   | Search by step name in Studio; saved templates always use the step's **Step ID** (UUID).                             |
| **Deep JSON paths** | Suggestions cover common top-level fields; nested paths can be typed by hand.                                        |
| **Valid syntax**    | One `{{`, a path, one `}}`. Broken text like `{{input.topic{{input.topic}}}}` will not resolve — fix before you run. |
| **Undo (Ctrl+Z)**   | Restores the previous whole field value. Use **Ctrl+Shift+Z** or **Ctrl+Y** to redo.                                 |

<Warning>
  Malformed templates fail silently at run time — the unresolved `{{…}}` text is left as-is. Use **Validate** (dry-run) before important runs, and check the payload preview under run setup fields.
</Warning>

## Related

* [Workflow Studio](/workflows/studio) — authoring and validation
* [JSON editor](/workflows/json-editor) — template snippets in JSON mode (Ctrl+Space)
* [Run setup and start input](/workflows/run-setup) — `trigger_payload`, saved defaults, API
* [Step types](/workflows/step-types) — what each step type returns
* [JSON schema cookbook](/workflows/json-schema-cookbook) — example graphs with templates