# Connections

## How it works

Connections are the code definitions for the links between steps in the Automation graph and are defined and retrieved using the API.

If creating an Automation via the API, define connections as an array of objects.

:::code-group
```ts Node.js {10, 15, 22} theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
import { Resend } from 'resend';

const resend = new Resend('re_xxxxxxxxx');

const { data, error } = await resend.automations.create({
  name: 'Welcome series',
  status: 'disabled',
  steps: [
    {
      key: 'start',
      type: 'trigger',
      config: { eventName: 'user.created' },
    },
    {
      key: 'welcome',
      type: 'send_email',
      config: {
        template: { id: '34a080c9-b17d-4187-ad80-5af20266e535' },
      },
    },
  ],
  connections: [{ from: 'start', to: 'welcome' }],
});
```

```php PHP {8,13,20} theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
$resend = Resend::client('re_xxxxxxxxx');

$resend->automations->create([
  'name' => 'Welcome series',
  'status' => 'disabled',
  'steps' => [
    [
      'key' => 'start',
      'type' => 'trigger',
      'config' => ['event_name' => 'user.created'],
    ],
    [
      'key' => 'welcome',
      'type' => 'send_email',
      'config' => [
        'template' => ['id' => '34a080c9-b17d-4187-ad80-5af20266e535'],
      ],
    ],
  ],
  'connections' => [['from' => 'start', 'to' => 'welcome']],
]);
```

```python Python {10, 15, 22} theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
import resend

resend.api_key = "re_xxxxxxxxx"

params: resend.Automations.CreateParams = {
  "name": "Welcome series",
  "status": "disabled",
  "steps": [
    {
      "key": "start",
      "type": "trigger",
      "config": {"event_name": "user.created"},
    },
    {
      "key": "welcome",
      "type": "send_email",
      "config": {
        "template": {"id": "34a080c9-b17d-4187-ad80-5af20266e535"},
      },
    },
  ],
  "connections": [{"from": "start", "to": "welcome"}],
}

resend.Automations.create(params)
```

```ruby Ruby {10, 15, 22} theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
require "resend"

Resend.api_key = "re_xxxxxxxxx"

params = {
  name: "Welcome series",
  status: "disabled",
  steps: [
    {
      key: "start",
      type: "trigger",
      config: { event_name: "user.created" },
    },
    {
      key: "welcome",
      type: "send_email",
      config: {
        template: { id: "34a080c9-b17d-4187-ad80-5af20266e535" },
      },
    },
  ],
  connections: [{ from: "start", to: "welcome" }],
}

Resend::Automations.create(params)
```

```go Go {13, 20, 30} theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
package main

import "github.com/resend/resend-go/v4"

func main() {
	client := resend.NewClient("re_xxxxxxxxx")

	params := &resend.CreateAutomationRequest{
		Name:   "Welcome series",
		Status: resend.AutomationStatusDisabled,
		Steps: []resend.AutomationStep{
			{
				Key:  "start",
				Type: resend.AutomationStepTypeTrigger,
				Config: map[string]any{
					"event_name": "user.created",
				},
			},
			{
				Key:  "welcome",
				Type: resend.AutomationStepTypeSendEmail,
				Config: map[string]any{
					"template": map[string]any{
						"id": "34a080c9-b17d-4187-ad80-5af20266e535",
					},
				},
			},
		},
		Connections: []resend.AutomationConnection{
			{From: "start", To: "welcome"},
		},
	}

	client.Automations.Create(params)
}
```

```rust Rust {18, 24, 30} theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
use resend_rs::{
  types::{
    AutomationStatus, AutomationTemplate, Connection, CreateAutomationOptions, SendEmailStepConfig,
    Step, TriggerStepConfig,
  },
  Resend, Result,
};

#[tokio::main]
async fn main() -> Result<()> {
  let resend = Resend::new("re_xxxxxxxxx");

  let opts = CreateAutomationOptions {
    name: "Welcome series".to_owned(),
    status: AutomationStatus::Disabled,
    steps: vec![
      Step::Trigger {
        key: "start".to_owned(),
        config: TriggerStepConfig {
          event_name: "user.created".to_owned(),
        },
      },
      Step::SendEmail {
        key: "welcome".to_owned(),
        config: SendEmailStepConfig::new(AutomationTemplate::new(
          "34a080c9-b17d-4187-ad80-5af20266e535",
        )),
      },
    ],
    connections: vec![Connection::new("start", "welcome")],
  };
  let _automation = resend.automations.create(opts).await?;

  Ok(())
}
```

```java Java {17,22,26-29} theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
import com.resend.*;
import com.resend.core.exception.ResendException;
import com.resend.services.automations.model.AutomationConnection;
import com.resend.services.automations.model.AutomationStatus;
import com.resend.services.automations.model.AutomationStep;
import com.resend.services.automations.model.CreateAutomationOptions;
import com.resend.services.automations.model.CreateAutomationResponseSuccess;

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws ResendException {
        Resend resend = new Resend("re_xxxxxxxxx");

        CreateAutomationOptions options = CreateAutomationOptions.builder()
                .name("Welcome series")
                .status(AutomationStatus.DISABLED)
                .steps(
                    AutomationStep.trigger("start")
                        .eventName("user.created")
                        .build(),
                    AutomationStep.sendEmail("welcome")
                        .template("34a080c9-b17d-4187-ad80-5af20266e535")
                        .build()
                )
                .connections(
                    AutomationConnection.builder()
                        .from("start")
                        .to("welcome")
                        .build()
                )
                .build();

        CreateAutomationResponseSuccess data = resend.automations().create(options);
    }
}
```

```csharp .NET {15,16,20} theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
using Resend;
using System.Text.Json;

IResend resend = ResendClient.Create( "re_xxxxxxxxx" );

var startConfig = JsonSerializer.SerializeToElement( new { event_name = "user.created" } );
var welcomeConfig = JsonSerializer.SerializeToElement( new { template = new { id = "34a080c9-b17d-4187-ad80-5af20266e535" } } );

var resp = await resend.AutomationCreateAsync( new AutomationCreateData()
{
    Name = "Welcome series",
    Status = "disabled",
    Steps = new List<AutomationStepData>
    {
        new AutomationStepData { Ref = "start", Type = "trigger", Config = startConfig },
        new AutomationStepData { Ref = "welcome", Type = "send_email", Config = welcomeConfig },
    },
    Connections = new List<AutomationEdge>
    {
        new AutomationEdge { From = "start", To = "welcome" },
    },
} );
```

```bash cURL {8,13,20-22} theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
curl -X POST 'https://api.resend.com/automations' \
     -H 'Authorization: Bearer re_xxxxxxxxx' \
     -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
     -d '{
  "name": "Welcome series",
  "steps": [
    {
      "key": "start",
      "type": "trigger",
      "config": { "event_name": "user.created" }
    },
    {
      "key": "welcome",
      "type": "send_email",
      "config": {
        "template": { "id": "34a080c9-b17d-4187-ad80-5af20266e535" }
      }
    }
  ],
  "connections": [
    { "from": "start", "to": "welcome" }
  ]
}'
```

```bash CLI theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
resend automations create --name "Welcome series" --file ./automation.json
```
:::

When retrieving Automations, the API returns the connections as an array.

:::code-group
```json Response {10,15,22-28} theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
{
  "object": "automation",
  "id": "c9b16d4f-ba6c-4e2e-b044-6bf4404e57fd",
  "name": "Welcome series",
  "status": "disabled",
  "created_at": "2026-10-01 12:00:00.000000+00",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-01 12:00:00.000000+00",
  "steps": [
    {
      "key": "start",
      "type": "trigger",
      "config": { "event_name": "user.created" }
    },
    {
      "key": "welcome",
      "type": "send_email",
      "config": {
        "template": { "id": "34a080c9-b17d-4187-ad80-5af20266e535" }
      }
    }
  ],
  "connections": [
    {
      "from": "start",
      "to": "welcome",
      "type": "default"
    }
  ]
}
```
:::

## Connection properties

Connections define the links between steps in the automation graph.

- `from` (string, required) — This is the `key` of the origin step.

- `to` (string, required) — This is the `key` of the destination step.

- `type` (string) — The type of connection between the origin and destination steps. Most automations use the default connection type.

Use a non-default `type` only when the origin step can branch to multiple
destinations:

- For `wait_for_event`, use `event_received` or `timeout`.
- For `condition`, use `condition_met` or `condition_not_met`.

Possible values:

- `default`
- `condition_met`
- `condition_not_met`
- `timeout`
- `event_received`

```json Example theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
{
  "from": "start",
  "to": "welcome",
  "type": "default"
}
```

## Related pages

- [Automations](./learn-dashboard-automations-introduction.md)
- [Create Automations](./learn-dashboard-automations-create-automation.md)
- [Custom Events](./learn-dashboard-automations-custom-events.md)
- [Runs](./learn-dashboard-automations-runs.md)
- [Steps](./learn-steps.md)

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