Action
An action is the work that IFTTT initiates when a trigger fires. Some examples of actions are WordPress - Create a post and Twitter - Post a tweet.
Action field
Action fields are how we add extra information to actions. For example, the WordPress - Create a post action has action fields for post title, body, categories, and tags. The Twitter - Post a tweet action includes one action field, for the text of the tweet.
Almost every action has at least one action field.
Applet
An Applet connects two or more services together, enabling them to do things that they wouldn't be able to do alone.
Some example Applets include Sync Amazon Alexa to-dos with your Google Calendar or Add songs from videos you like on YouTube to a Spotify playlist.
Applets are composed of triggers, queries, and actions. Triggers tell an Applet to start, queries provide extra data, and actions are the end result of an Applet run.
Applet ID
The Applet ID is an 8-character alphanumeric identifier given to each Applet on IFTTT. For example, this Applet's ID is YfkYtQB2.
Applet run
When you create an Applet, IFTTT starts monitoring the trigger service for new trigger events. Every time a new trigger event is detected, IFTTT will execute the Applet, pushing the data from the trigger over to the action(s). This is an Applet run.
Filter code
Filter code is a bit of JavaScript code (the ES5 flavor) that runs right after a trigger fires, allowing you to apply conditional logic to your Applets.
More information about building with filter code can be found here.
Ingredient
Triggers and queries contain ingredients – individual pieces of data.
Some example ingredients from the Twitter - New tweet by you trigger:
- Text – The text of the tweet itself.
- UserName – User name of the tweeter.
- LinkToTweet – The URL of the tweet.
- CreatedAt – Date and time the tweet was created.
- TweetEmbedCode – The HTML embed code for the tweet.
These ingredients can be used to fill in an action’s action fields.
Polling trigger
A trigger that fires after IFTTT performs a trigger check and finds a new trigger event. Polling triggers usually run within 5 minutes for Pro and Pro+ users, and within one hour for Free users.
Query
A query is a way to request additional data if the trigger doesn't provide it. Queries run immediately after triggers, but before filter code.
Some examples of queries are Google Calendar - List Events For a Date and Facebook - List Album Photos.
Query field
Query fields are how we add extra context to queries. For example, the query fields for the Google Calendar - List Events For a Date query are Calendar and Date. When using the Facebook - List Album Photos query, the only query field is Album ID.
Realtime trigger
A trigger that fires after the trigger service notifies IFTTT of a new trigger event. Realtime triggers tend to run within a few seconds of a trigger event occurring.
Service
Services are the basic building blocks of IFTTT. Some example services are Facebook, Twitter, Fitbit, and Gmail.
Trigger
A trigger is the data that, when changed, prompts an Applet to run on IFTTT. Some example triggers include Twitter - New tweet from search and WordPress - Any new post.
Triggers can be either realtime or polling.
Trigger check
A trigger check is when IFTTT checks for new trigger events. Trigger checks occur once every 5 minutes for Pro and Pro+ users, and once every hour for Free users.
Trigger event
A trigger event is the thing that causes a given trigger to fire. For example, a trigger event for the Twitter - New tweet by you would be your Twitter account posting a new tweet.
Trigger field
Trigger fields are a bit like a “filter” for the data requested from a trigger. For example, the Google Drive - New file in your folder has the trigger field Drive folder path, which tells IFTTT which folder to monitor for new files. Or for the Spotify - New track added to a playlist trigger, the Which playlist? dropdown tells IFTTT which playlist to watch for new tracks.