Building workflows

Two ways to author a workflow: in code, or interactively in the terminal. Both save the same draft, which runs once you publish it — see Publishing & versions.

In code

Build the data structure and save it with the Workflow model:

use Qanna\WorkflowEngine\Engine\Nodes\Action\LogNode;
use Qanna\WorkflowEngine\Engine\Triggers\ManualTrigger;
use Qanna\WorkflowEngine\Models\Workflow;

$workflow = Workflow::create([
    'id'      => 'send-welcome-email',
    'name'    => 'Send Welcome Email',
    'trigger' => ['type' => ManualTrigger::type(), 'config' => []],
    'nodes'   => [
        ['id' => 'greet', 'type' => LogNode::type(), 'config' => [
            'level' => 'info', 'message' => 'Welcome {{ trigger.email }}',
        ]],
    ],
    'edges'   => [
        ['from' => 'trigger', 'to' => 'greet', 'branch' => 'main'],
    ],
]);

$workflow->publish();

Edges

• The entry edge is ['from' => 'trigger', 'to' => '<first node id>', 'branch' => 'main'].
• Every other edge connects two node ids.
• branch names which of the source node's outgoing branches the edge belongs to. For plain nodes that's main; for branching nodes see Control flow.
• To iterate a Loop, add an edge from the last body node back to the loop node on main.

A branching example

'nodes' => [
    ['id' => 'check', 'type' => ConditionNode::type(), 'config' => [
        'field' => '{{ trigger.plan }}', 'operator' => '==', 'value' => 'pro',
    ]],
    ['id' => 'provision-pro',  'type' => /* ... */],
    ['id' => 'provision-free', 'type' => /* ... */],
],
'edges' => [
    ['from' => 'trigger', 'to' => 'check',           'branch' => 'main'],
    ['from' => 'check',   'to' => 'provision-pro',    'branch' => 'true'],
    ['from' => 'check',   'to' => 'provision-free',   'branch' => 'false'],
],

Interactively: php artisan workflow:build

php artisan workflow:build                 # new, or pick an existing one to edit
php artisan workflow:build send-welcome-email   # jump straight to that id

The command walks you through:

1. Naming the workflow (the id is derived from the name). When editing an existing one, the builder shows whether it's published and which version.
2. Choosing and configuring a trigger. Each trigger's schema is prompted field by field.
3. A main menu loop to shape the graph:
   • Add a node — pick an attachment point and branch, pick a node type by category, give it an id, and fill in its config (plus connection / advanced settings if the node declares them). Adding after a node that already has a next step offers to insert between them.
   • Attach to an open branch — fill in a branch (e.g. a Condition's false) that has nothing wired to it yet.
   • Reconfigure / Remove / Undo last add / Reconnect a disconnected node.
   • Reconfigure the trigger.
4. Finish and save — validates the graph (a trigger is required; the graph must be well-formed) and lets you save anyway if you choose. The workflow is saved as a draft; run php artisan workflow:publish <id> to make it live. It reminds you to restart the app when the trigger needs boot-time wiring (webhook / schedule / model event).

Only nodes and triggers that opt into CLI support (cliSupported()) appear in the builder. Almost all built-ins do; the Switch node is the exception.

The builder renders a live tree of the workflow after every change, e.g.:

Workflow: Send Welcome Email (send-welcome-email) — 2 node(s)
  Manual (trigger)
  └─ greet (Log)
     └─ check [true] (Condition)

Custom nodes

To make your own node types available to workflows (and the builder), see Custom nodes and workflow:make-node.