dFlow~IQ
dFlow~IQ manualChapter 01 · Application guide

Install and get oriented

Install Community, make your first privacy choices, understand navigation and learn where dFlow~IQ keeps local application data.

DOCUMENTED VERSIONdFlow~IQ Community 1.0

First-party product documentation. Instructions are verified against the dFlow~IQ desktop implementation. Labels appear exactly as they do in the application where practical.

01.1

Install the desktop application

Use the installer built for your operating system and processor.

macOS

Open the Apple silicon DMG, drag dFlowIQ into Applications, then launch it.

Linux

Install the ARM64 DEB using your distribution's package tooling.

01.2

Create a workspace and connect

A workspace keeps the Kafka and optional Schema Registry connection together. Select the + button in Workspaces, then select Create.

New connection screen with Kafka Configuration and Schema Registry tabs
Enter a workspace name, project location and Kafka bootstrap servers. Configure authentication, add Schema Registry access on its tab, test both connections, then create the project.
  1. Enter Workspace Name and choose Select Project Location.
  2. Enter one or more Bootstrap Servers, then choose the required Kafka Authentication method.
  3. Open Schema Registry to add its URL and authentication when your environment uses one.
  4. Test the connections and select Create Project.
01.3

Open the connected workspace

The workspace list keeps your configured environments in one session. Select a workspace, then choose Kafka or Schema Registry to begin exploring it.

Workspace list with a selected connected workspace and Kafka and Schema Registry choices
Connection status is shown for Kafka and Schema Registry before you enter either workspace view.
01.4

Browse a topic and inspect records

Select a workspace, open Kafka → Topics, choose a topic, then use Browse records. Select any metadata row to retrieve its current payload from Kafka.

Topic record browser with indexed record rows and JSON payload detail
The record browser keeps a bounded local index on the left and fetches the selected record's payload on demand in the detail pane.
01.5

Inspect schemas as a graph or text

Open Schema Registry → Schemas and select a subject and version. Use Graph to explore nested fields or Text to read the schema source with line numbers.

Schema Registry graph view showing nested purchase order fields and a Text option
Graph makes nested records and field types visible at a glance. Switch to Text when you need the exact schema definition.
01.6

Move data between topics with a pipeline

Open Pipelines, select New pipeline or an existing definition, then set different source and target topics, the source position and the maximum record count.

Pipeline editor configured to copy records from FirstTopic to SecondTopic
A pipeline copies raw records within one workspace. Save it, create a dry-run plan, then confirm the target topic before running it.
01.7

Configure an integration test

Open Tests and create or select a saved test. Add UTF-8 input fixtures and output assertions, then choose a timeout before previewing the test.

Integration test editor with a saved test, timeout, and input fixture configuration
Preview shows the bounded run before confirmation. A test publishes its fixtures and evaluates only records produced after the captured output offsets.
01.9

Know what is stored locally

Application settings live under ~/.dflowiq by default. Workspace project files live in the directories you select.

  • config.json: recent workspaces, TLS, appearance and telemetry choices.
  • session.json: currently open workspace state.
  • app.db: AI provider configuration.
  • activity.db: local activity history.
  • Temporary record indexes, pipeline plans, test reports and AI conversations are not durable.
Documentation reference

Current dFlow~IQ Community desktop implementation and bundled UI labels, reviewed 13 August 2026. Product behaviour takes precedence if a later release differs from this page.