Configuring templates

Element templates extend the modeling elements available in Desktop Modeler. You can load templates from files on your computer or configure a remote source that Desktop Modeler can retrieve over HTTP or HTTPS.

Global templates

For templates to be available for all diagrams, store them in the resources/element-templates directory containing the Camunda Modeler executable. Alternatively, for element templates to be available across Camunda Modeler installations, you can store them in the resources/element-templates directory in the modeler's user data directory.

Examples

Windows

└── camunda-modeler-5.10.0-win-x64
    ├── Camunda Modeler.exe
    └── resources
        └── element-templates
            └── my-element-templates.json

macOS

note

On macOS, the Camunda Modeler is a self-contained .app bundle, which makes it difficult to add files to its installation directory. Therefore, we recommend storing global templates in the user data directory.

└── ~/Library/Application Support
        └── camunda-modeler
            └── resources
                └── element-templates
                    └── my-element-templates.json

Linux

└── camunda-modeler-5.10.0-linux-x64
    ├── camunda-modeler
    └── resources
        └── element-templates
            └── my-element-templates.json

Local templates

For element templates to only be available for specific diagrams, you can store them in a .camunda/element-templates directory in the diagrams parent directory or any of their parent directories.

Example

├── diagram.bpmn
└── .camunda
    └── element-templates
        └── my-element-templates.json

Remote template sources

Configure remote template sources in the Settings window to make templates available to Desktop Modeler without distributing template files with each installation or project. Remote template sources are loaded only for Camunda 8 diagrams.

1. Open Settings > Element template sources.
2. Select Add source.
3. Enter a Name and an Index URL, then select Add.
4. Select Done and restart Desktop Modeler when prompted.

The built-in Camunda connectors source provides templates from the Camunda Marketplace. Use the toggle on a source row to enable or disable it. Use the row's Edit or Remove options to change or remove a custom source. You cannot reorder sources.

For details about filesystem locations for templates and other Desktop Modeler resources, see Search paths.

To host a remote source, see Host an element template source for the index format, version filtering, and hosting requirements.