# macros.yaml

Macros are reusable blocks of code that can be used in a Profiles project as a form of templating. They operate similar to functions in that you can reuse them with different parameters, reducing repetition and making the code more modular.

## Define macros

You can define macros in the `macros.yaml` file in the model folder, and call them within any other [`profiles.yaml`]({{< ref "profiles/dev-docs/profiles-yaml/" >}}) file.

```yaml
macros:
    - name: macro_name          # Required
      inputs:                   # Required
          - list_of_parameters
      value: "code as string" # Required
```

| Key | Description |
| :-------------------------------------- | :----------------------- |
| `name` <br/> <span style="color: #4D4DFF;font-size:12px;">Required</span>  | Name of the macro - you can use it to call the macro. |
| `inputs` | Parameters for the macro. |
| `value` <br/> <span style="color: #4D4DFF;font-size:12px;">Required</span> | Macro code in a string format. |

## Syntax

The syntax for Profiles macros is largely based on [pongo2](https://github.com/rudderlabs/pongo2/). The basic principles of writing a macro are as follows:

- Macros operate on the YAML code itself, generating new code before execution. The inputs are parameters for adding strings at compile-time, expanding the reusability of the macro.
- Input parameters are surrounded by double curly brackets (e.g. `{{input}}`)
- Control logic (`if`, `else`, `endif`) is defined within `{%` and `%}`.
- Reserved inputs words are `this` and `warehouse`.

## Example

```yaml
# Macro with one input
  - name: array_agg
    inputs:
        - column_name
    value: "array_agg( distinct {{column_name}})"

# Macro with two inputs
  - name: macro_listagg
    inputs:
        - column
        - timestamp
    value: "LISTAGG({{column}}, ',') WITHIN group (order by {{timestamp}} ASC)"

# Macro with no inputs
  - name: frame_clause
    value: "frame_condition = 'rows between unbounded preceding and unbounded following'"

# Define If/Else logic
  - name: macro_listagg
    inputs:
        - column
        - timestamp
    value: "{% if warehouse.DatabaseType() == \"bigquery\" %} STRING_AGG({{column}}, ',' ORDER BY {{timestamp}} ASC) {% else %} LISTAGG({{column}}, ',') WITHIN group (order by {{timestamp}} ASC) {% endif %}"

# Define more complex logic — uses the built-in end_time_sql macro (v0.25+)
  - name: macro_datediff
    inputs:
        - column
    value: "{% if warehouse.DatabaseType() == \"bigquery\" %} date_diff(date({{ end_time_sql }}), date({{column}}), day) {% else %} datediff(day, date({{column}}), date({{ end_time_sql }})) {% endif %}"

# Use macro in a feature definition in the profiles.yaml file
- entity_var:
  name: all_anonymous_ids
  select: "{{ array_agg(anonymous_id) }}"
  from: inputs/rsIdentity
```