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Getting Started

Welcome to neops -- the network automation platform that lets you build, test, and deploy function blocks for managing network infrastructure.

This guide walks you through everything you need to go from zero to a working function block connected to real devices.

The Path

  1. Setup -- Install prerequisites and scaffold your first project.
  2. Your First Function Block -- Write a minimal function block that processes data and returns results.
  3. Connecting to Devices -- Open device connections and run commands against network equipment.
  4. Testing -- Validate your function blocks locally with the built-in test framework.

Already familiar with Python?

Skip straight to Your First Function Block if you already have Python 3.12+ and uv (a fast Python package manager) installed.

No experience with type hints or Pydantic? No worries — we explain everything as we go.

What you need to run against real devices

Function blocks run inside the neops platform (Workflow Engine + CMS). This guide teaches you to write and test function blocks locally — the built-in test framework provides mock contexts and optional Remote Lab integration so you can validate without a full platform deployment.

Each section builds on the previous one. By the end, you will have a tested function block ready for deployment on the neops platform.

What's Next After Getting Started?

Once you've completed the guide, follow this learning path through the examples:

  1. Echo — pure data transformation (you just built this)
  2. Show Version — device connection via proxy
  3. Config Backup — @run_in_thread with netmiko
  4. Parallel Collection — run_parallel() across a device group
  5. Device Inventory — creating entities from discovered data

See the full Examples Index for details and direct links.