Processing engine reference

The Processing engine is an embedded Python virtual machine that runs inside an InfluxDB 3 Enterprise database server. It executes Python code in response to triggers and database events without requiring external application servers or middleware.

Enable and disable the Processing Engine

The Processing Engine activates when --plugin-dir or INFLUXDB3_PLUGIN_DIR is configured. When not configured, the Python environment and PyO3 bindings aren’t initialized, and the server runs without Processing Engine functionality.

Process mode and --plugin-dir

Setting --plugin-dir automatically adds process mode to any node, regardless of the --mode setting. You don’t need to explicitly set --mode=process when --plugin-dir is configured.

Conversely, if you explicitly set --mode=process, you must also set --plugin-dir. A node with --mode=process but no --plugin-dir won’t function correctly.

For cluster node configuration examples, see Configure process nodes.

Default behavior by deployment type

Disable in Docker deployments

Docker images set INFLUXDB3_PLUGIN_DIR=/plugins by default.

Use the INFLUXDB3_UNSET_VARS feature to unset inherited environment variables:

docker run -e INFLUXDB3_UNSET_VARS="INFLUXDB3_PLUGIN_DIR" influxdb:3-enterprise

INFLUXDB3_UNSET_VARS accepts one or more environment variable names (for example, a comma-separated list) and unsets them before the server starts. Use it to clear any inherited variables that you don’t want the InfluxDB 3 Enterprise container to see (for example, INFLUXDB3_PLUGIN_DIR, INFLUXDB3_LOG_LEVEL) when you can’t modify the parent environment directly. This is useful in orchestration environments (Kubernetes, Docker Compose) where removing an inherited variable isn’t straightforward.

Disable in systemd deployments (DEB/RPM)

The post-install script sets plugin-dir="/var/lib/influxdb3/plugins" in the TOML configuration. To disable the Processing Engine:

1. Edit the configuration file:

   sudo nano /etc/influxdb3/influxdb3-enterprise.conf

2. Comment out or remove the plugin-dir line:

   # plugin-dir="/var/lib/influxdb3/plugins"

   Do not set plugin-dir="" (empty string)—you must remove or comment out the line.

3. Restart the service:

   sudo systemctl restart influxdb3-enterprise

Benefits of disabling

When the Processing Engine is disabled:

• The Python environment and PyO3 bindings are not initialized
• Plugin-related operations return a “No plugin directory configured” error
• The server runs with reduced resource usage

This is useful for deployments that don’t require plugin functionality and want a minimal server footprint.

How it works

Architecture

The Processing engine runs Python code directly within a InfluxDB 3 Enterprise server process. This design provides high performance and direct access to database resources.

• Embedded execution: Code runs in the same process space as the database server
• Direct data access: Zero-copy access to data
• Event-driven: Responds to database writes, scheduled events, and HTTP requests
• Cache integration: Access to system caches including Last values and Distinct values

Event processing flow

When specific events occur in the database, the Processing engine handles them through a consistent sequence:

1. A trigger specific to the event type activates its plugin. The event types include:
   • Data writes to specific tables or all tables
   • Scheduled events (time-based or cron expressions)
   • HTTP requests to configured endpoints
2. The engine loads the associated plugin specified in the trigger configuration
3. The plugin receives context data specific to the trigger type:
   • Write triggers: the written data and table information
   • Schedule triggers: the scheduled call time
   • HTTP triggers: the request object with methods, headers, and body
4. The plugin processes the received data, can query the database, call external tools, and write and cache data in the database
5. Execution completes and the engine returns to waiting state

Key components

Trigger system

Triggers connect database events to Python code execution based on specific conditions:

• Data write triggers: Execute on WAL flush events, when data is written to the object store, for a specific table or all tables in a database
• Scheduled triggers: Run at intervals or according to cron expressions
• HTTP triggers: Respond to HTTP requests to custom endpoints

Plugin registry

The registry manages all Python code available to the Processing engine:

• Indexes plugins by filename and location
• Tracks which plugins are used by which triggers
• Manages plugin versioning and dependencies

Memory management

The Processing engine implements specialized memory handling to ensure stability and performance:

• Execution isolation: Each plugin runs in its own context
• Cache system: Maintains state between executions
• Resource limits: Controls memory usage and execution time

Performance characteristics

The Processing engine is designed for high-performance operation with minimal overhead:

• Low latency: Activates triggers in sub-millisecond time
• Efficient access: Accesses database directly without network overhead
• Controlled resources: Limits memory and CPU usage through configuration
• Execution policies: Offers synchronous or asynchronous processing options

Reliability features

The Processing engine includes multiple features to ensure consistent and dependable execution:

• Error handling: Configures behaviors for failure scenarios (log, retry, or disable)
• Execution tracking: Tracks plugin performance and resource usage
• State persistence: Persists cache state across server restarts

Extension capabilities

Extend and customize the Processing engine through several built-in mechanisms:

• Package management: Installs custom Python dependencies
• Plugin distribution: Distributes plugins via Git repositories
• Shared API: Provides consistent interface for database operations

For a step-by-step guide to setting up and using the Processing engine, see the Getting started with plugins documentation.