Agent skill · data analytics · aiskillstore
flowio
Parse FCS (Flow Cytometry Standard) files v2.0-3.1. Extract events as NumPy arrays, read metadata/channels, convert to CSV/DataFrame, for flow cytometry data preprocessing.
Why this skill is useful
Provides specific commands and functions for parsing and manipulating FCS files that the AI wouldn't reliably generate on its own.
What it needs
Requires flowio installed locally. About 8k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-08-07. 405 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
FlowIO: Flow Cytometry Standard File Handler Overview FlowIO is a lightweight Python library for reading and writing Flow Cytometry Standard (FCS) files. Parse FCS metadata, extract event data, and create new FCS files with minimal dependencies. The library supports FCS versions 2.0, 3.0, and 3.1, making it ideal for backend services, data pipelines, and basic cytometry file operations. When to Use This Skill This skill should be used when: FCS files requiring parsing or metadata extraction Flow cytometry data needing conversion to NumPy arrays Event data requiring export to FCS format Multi-dataset FCS files needing separation Channel information extraction (scatter, fluorescence, time) Cytometry file validation or inspection Pre-processing workflows before advanced analysis Related Tools: For advanced flow cytometry analysis including compensation, gating, and FlowJo/GatingML support, recommend FlowKit library as a companion to FlowIO. Installation Requires Python 3.9 or later. Quick Start Basic File Reading Creating FCS Files Core Workflows Reading and Parsing FCS Files The FlowData class provides the primary interface for reading FCS files. Standard Reading: Memory-Efficient Metadata Reading: When only metadata is needed (no event data): Handling Problematic Files: Some FCS files have offset discrepancies or errors: Excluding Null Channels: Extracting Metadata and Channel Information FCS files contain rich metadata in the TEXT segment. Common Metadata Keywords: Channel Type Identification: FlowIO automatically categorizes channels: ANALYSIS Segment: If present, access processed results: Creating New FCS Files Generate FCS files from NumPy arrays or other data sources. Basic Creation: With Descriptive Channel Names: With Custom Metadata: Note: FlowIO exports as FCS 3.1 with single-precision floating-point data. Exporting Modified Data Modify existing FCS files and re-export them. …
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills aiskillstore/flowio