docs: Clarify distinction between modules and script inclusion#7217
Merged
Conversation
Signed-off-by: Ben Sherman <bentshermann@gmail.com>
✅ Deploy Preview for nextflow-docs-staging ready!
To edit notification comments on pull requests, go to your Netlify project configuration. |
Collaborator
|
I like the direction to limit the definition.
With this definition, it's really just the |
Collaborator
|
We should also look at the training to make sure this is echoed there |
pditommaso
reviewed
Jun 11, 2026
Signed-off-by: Ben Sherman <bentshermann@gmail.com>
Member
Author
|
I notified the training team about this PR, they will double-check their material |
Signed-off-by: Ben Sherman <bentshermann@gmail.com>
Member
Author
|
@christopher-hakkaart I think this PR is ready now |
christopher-hakkaart
approved these changes
Jun 12, 2026
christopher-hakkaart
left a comment
Collaborator
There was a problem hiding this comment.
Looks good!
This file contains hidden or bidirectional Unicode text that may be interpreted or compiled differently than what appears below. To review, open the file in an editor that reveals hidden Unicode characters.
Learn more about bidirectional Unicode characters
Sign up for free
to join this conversation on GitHub.
Already have an account?
Sign in to comment
Add this suggestion to a batch that can be applied as a single commit.This suggestion is invalid because no changes were made to the code.Suggestions cannot be applied while the pull request is closed.Suggestions cannot be applied while viewing a subset of changes.Only one suggestion per line can be applied in a batch.Add this suggestion to a batch that can be applied as a single commit.Applying suggestions on deleted lines is not supported.You must change the existing code in this line in order to create a valid suggestion.Outdated suggestions cannot be applied.This suggestion has been applied or marked resolved.Suggestions cannot be applied from pending reviews.Suggestions cannot be applied on multi-line comments.Suggestions cannot be applied while the pull request is queued to merge.Suggestion cannot be applied right now. Please check back later.
When DSL2 was introduced, "modules" referred to both "a process in a script" and "any script included by another script". Over time, I ended up emphasizing the latter definition in the docs.
However, with the emergence of registry modules, subworkflows, and meta-pipelines, the meaning of "module" has become muddled. This shows up in several places:
I think it has become clear that a "module" is really just a "process in a script". A workflow in a script is not a module.
This PR clarifies the definition of "module", separating it from the more general concept of "script inclusion". It aligns the use of "module" with the module registry, module CLI, and nf-core convention.
Related: #6650 , #7213
TODO: