Workflows

• Implement bushiness processes
• Performed desired action on assets and pages (workflow payload) - for example creating asset rendition
• Each workflow consist of multiple steps executed after each other
• Workflow model is made of WorkflowNodes and WorkflowTransitions and always has a start and end nodes
• Runtime stored in /var directory - deploying changes through package will modify model definition in /conf, workflows that have already started will not be affected as they are connected to runtime model
• To apply changes to the workflow model is has to be synced - without that changes will not be applied (only changes in reference ECMA scripts will me applied as they are kept separately)
• Workflow can be Terminated, Suspended, Resumed and Restarted. Completed and terminated instances of a workflow are archived

Transient Workflows

Standard workflows save runtime (history) information during their execution. You can also define a workflow model as Transient to avoid such history being persisted. This is used for performance tuning as it saves/avoids the time/resources used for persisting the information. Transient workflows can be used for any workflows that:

• are run often.
• do not need the workflow history.

Does not support Go To step.

Workflow execution - workflow instance is created and running (workflow was started):

1. First step of workflow is executed
2. Workflow engine determines which step to run next (based on workflow model)
3. Next step is executed
4. After all steps were executed workflow instance ends and is archived.

Executing a workflow instance generates a history that includes information about each step that has been executed for that instance - this can be useful for investigating errors.

Workflow step types

Participant step

• Requires a user action
• Can be assigned to group of users or particular user
• User will get item in his Inbox which he needs to complete manually
• Workflow instance will progress only when user step is finished

Process step

• Service perform a step
• Workflow instance will progress automatically

Participant process step

Process step example

@Component(immediate = true,
  property = {
    Constants.SERVICE_DESCRIPTION + "=Example workflow process",
    Constants.SERVICE_VENDOR + "=Vendor",
    WorkflowConstants.PROCESS_LABEL_PROPERTY_KEY + "=Example process step"
  })
public class CreateTaskForAssetCollaborators implements WorkflowProcess {

  @Reference
  private ResourceResolverFactory factory;

  @Override
  public void execute(WorkItem item, WorkflowSession session, MetaDataMap args) throws WorkflowException {

    try (ResourceResolver rr = factory.getServiceResourceResolver(null)) {
      if (PayloadMap.TYPE_JCR_PATH.equals(item.getWorkflowData().getPayloadType())) {
        String payloadPath = workItem.getWorkflowData().getPayload().toString();
        Resource payloadResource = Optional.ofNullable(resourceResolver.getResource(payloadPath))
          .orElseThrow(() -> new WorkflowException("Can not get workflow payload resource for path: " + payloadPath));
        // ....
      } else {
        throw new WorkflowException("Unsupported payload - only resource path is supported.");
      }
    } catch (LoginException e) {
      // handle exception
    }
  }

Using custom step in new workflow

• Tools -> Workflow -> Models
• Create new workflow
• Add Process Step to the workflow parsys
• Open step properties and select desired implementation to be invoked in this process
• Workflow model stored in /conf directory

Workflow Launcher

TODO

Documentation

• Developing and Extending Workflows