Unable to create multiple directories to hold custom components

[elcolie]

Bug Description

I am unable to create sub-directory to hold the custom component.

Reproduction

1. Define .env with LANGFLOW_COMPONENTS_PATH=/home/sarit/codes/ls7-memory/components/
2. cd /home/sarit/codes/ls7-memory/components
3. tree

.
├── __init__.py
└── ls7_memory
    ├── background_extractor.py
    ├── converse_custom_component.py
    ├── debug_merger.py
    ├── __init__.py
    ├── kstore_retrieve_components
    │   ├── __init__.py
    │   └── test.py
    ├── memory_context.py
    └── memory_manager.py

4. write ls7_memory/__init__.py like this

from components.ls7_memory.memory_context import MemoryContextComponent
from components.ls7_memory.memory_manager import MemoryManagerComponent
from components.ls7_memory.background_extractor import BackgroundMemoryExtractorComponent
from components.ls7_memory.converse_custom_component import BedrockStreamingComponent

__all__ = [
    "MemoryContextComponent",
    "MemoryManagerComponent",
    "BackgroundMemoryExtractorComponent",
    "BedrockStreamingComponent"
]

5. write kstore_retrieve_components/__init__.py

from .test import sarit

__all__ = [
    "sarit"
]

6. write test.py

def sarit():
    print("Hello Sarit")

Expected behavior

Expect kstore_retrieve_component show up in the web UI with sub directory.

Who can help?

No response

Operating System

Ubuntu 24.04

Langflow Version

1.9.1

Python Version

3.12

Screenshot

Flow File

No response

[AntonioABLima]

We've analyzed your issue and identified two related problems:

1️⃣ Depth Limitation (MAX_DEPTH)

Langflow has a constant MAX_DEPTH = 2 in the file:

src/lfx/src/lfx/custom/directory_reader/directory_reader.py:12

This means only files up to depth level 2 are discovered:

components/                              (base - LANGFLOW_COMPONENTS_PATH)
└── ls7_memory/                          ← Level 1
    ├── memory_context.py                ← Level 2 ✅ DISCOVERED
    └── kstore_retrieve_components/      ← Level 2
        └── test.py                      ← Level 3 ❌ NOT DISCOVERED

Your components in kstore_retrieve_components/test.py are not loaded because they are at level 3.

2️⃣ UI Behavior (Categories vs Subdirectories)

Even if we increase MAX_DEPTH to 3, Langflow DOES NOT create hierarchies in the UI. Each directory becomes an independent category:

• ls7_memory/ → appears as category "ls7_memory"
• kstore_retrieve_components/ → appears as category "kstore_retrieve_components" (separate, not inside ls7_memory)

Langflow does not support hierarchical subdirectories in the UI, only first-level categories.

✅ Recommended Solution

Reorganize your components using first-level categories:

Option 1: One category for all components

components/
└── ls7_memory/
    ├── __init__.py
    ├── background_extractor.py
    ├── converse_custom_component.py
    ├── debug_merger.py
    ├── memory_context.py
    ├── memory_manager.py
    └── test.py                          ← All at the same level

__init__.py:

from .background_extractor import BackgroundMemoryExtractorComponent
from .converse_custom_component import BedrockStreamingComponent
from .debug_merger import DebugMergerComponent
from .memory_context import MemoryContextComponent
from .memory_manager import MemoryManagerComponent
from .test import TestComponent  # or the actual class name

__all__ = [
    "BackgroundMemoryExtractorComponent",
    "BedrockStreamingComponent",
    "DebugMergerComponent",
    "MemoryContextComponent",
    "MemoryManagerComponent",
    "TestComponent",
]

Option 2: Split into two independent categories

components/
├── ls7_memory/
│   ├── __init__.py
│   ├── background_extractor.py
│   ├── converse_custom_component.py
│   ├── debug_merger.py
│   ├── memory_context.py
│   └── memory_manager.py
└── kstore_retrieve/                     ← New category at level 1
    ├── __init__.py
    └── test.py

In the Langflow UI, you will see:

• 📁 ls7_memory (category with 5 components)
• 📁 kstore_retrieve (separate category with 1 component)

Option 3: Use prefixes for logical grouping

If you want to group components logically, use prefixes in category names:

components/
├── ls7_memory_core/
│   ├── __init__.py
│   ├── memory_context.py
│   └── memory_manager.py
├── ls7_memory_extractors/
│   ├── __init__.py
│   └── background_extractor.py
└── ls7_memory_kstore/
    ├── __init__.py
    └── test.py

This way, related components appear grouped alphabetically in the UI.

🔧 Expected vs Actual Structure

❌ Structure that DOES NOT work:

components/
└── category/
    └── subcategory/           ← Does not appear as hierarchy
        └── component.py       ← Not discovered (level 3)

✅ Structure that WORKS:

components/
├── category1/
│   ├── __init__.py
│   └── component1.py
└── category2/
    ├── __init__.py
    └── component2.py

🎯 Summary

1. Reorganize your components to be at most at level 2
2. Accept that each first-level directory is a separate category
3. If you want to group logically, use prefixes in category names
4. The __init__.py in each category should import all components from that directory

🧪 Reproduction

We created a reproduction case that confirms this behavior:

# Test structure created
test_custom_components/
└── test_category/                       ← Level 1
    ├── level2_component.py              ← Level 2 ✅ DISCOVERED
    └── subcategory/                     ← Level 2
        └── level3_component.py          ← Level 3 ❌ NOT DISCOVERED

Result with MAX_DEPTH=2: Only level2_component.py is discovered
Result with MAX_DEPTH=3: Both are discovered, but subcategory appears as a separate category, not as a subdirectory

Hope this clarifies the behavior! Let us know if you need further assistance.

---

Tested on: Langflow v1.10.0 (branch release-1.10.0)