Getting Started with Apache NiFi
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Common Attributes

Each FlowFile has a minimum set of Attributes:

  • filename: A filename that can be used to store the data to a local or remote file system.

  • path: The name of a directory that can be used to store the data to a local or remote file system.

  • uuid: A Universally Unique Identifier that distinguishes the FlowFile from other FlowFiles in the system.

  • entryDate: The date and time at which the FlowFile entered the system (i.e., was created). The value of this attribute is a number that represents the number of milliseconds since midnight, Jan. 1, 1970 (UTC).

  • lineageStartDate: Any time that a FlowFile is cloned, merged, or split, this results in a "child" FlowFile being created. As those children are then cloned, merged, or split, a chain of ancestors is built. This value represents the date and time at which the oldest ancestor entered the system. Another way to think about this is that this attribute represents the latency of the FlowFile through the system. The value is a number that represents the number of milliseconds since midnight, Jan. 1, 1970 (UTC).

  • fileSize: This attribute represents the number of bytes taken up by the FlowFile's Content.

Note that the uuid, entryDate, lineageStartDate, and fileSize attributes are system-generated and cannot be changed.