{"id":14644,"date":"2023-05-04T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-04T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/cse\/?p=14644"},"modified":"2024-07-18T11:51:21","modified_gmt":"2024-07-18T18:51:21","slug":"guide-to-workflow-engines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/ise\/guide-to-workflow-engines\/","title":{"rendered":"Hitchhikers Guide to Workflow Engines"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Don’t Panic! This guide is designed to help you understand the basics of workflow engines, with no prior knowledge needed!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

We’ll introduce workflow engines and their qualities and features, and provide some insights into when and why you might want to\nuse one. Moreover, we’ll highlight key considerations to keep in mind when selecting an engine that suits your specific needs.\nThis will equip you with a good starting point for making an informed decision.<\/p>\n

Workflow Engines: Orchestrating Complex Processes with Precision and Scalability<\/h2>\n

One of our large customers in the automotive industry approached us with the perfect scenario for a workflow engine. They wanted\nto read data from their PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) and programmatically change values based on third-party systems,\nvalues read from the PLC, or provided parameters. They also wanted the process to be developed by their production engineers.<\/p>\n

This scenario demonstrates the need for an effective way to manage and automate complex processes, which is where workflow\nengines come into play. They serve as a powerful foundation for building software applications that can tackle complex\nchallenges and adapt to ever-changing requirements. Workflow engines empower developers to create solutions that dynamically\nscale to meet demand, reuse components for efficiency, provide deep insights into system health, and recover gracefully from\nerrors. They offer a robust framework to define, execute, and monitor workflows across various systems and applications.<\/p>\n

Now that we have the perfect scenario for using a workflow engine, it’s up to us to decide which one best suits our needs and\nrequirements, allowing us to fully harness the power of customizable and scalable processes.<\/p>\n

Key Considerations for Selecting a Workflow Engine: Qualities and Features<\/h2>\n

Workflow engines possess a range of characteristics that enable them to execute processes efficiently. These features will be\ndiscussed in greater detail in the paragraphs that follow. Before diving in, it is crucial to establish a common understanding\nof certain terms. In the next section, a process conducted by a workflow engine will be referred to as an “activity” (also\ncalled Task, Step, or Job) which can be in a successful<\/code> \"Successful, failed<\/code>\n\"Failed or not started<\/code> \"Not state. A workflow\ndefinition is the process of chaining\nactivities together to form a sequence and a workflow execution is the current state of a system running a specified definition.<\/p>\n

To help you understand the different uses of an engine, we’ve put together a list of important qualities and features that\nengines should have, which we’ll discuss in the following paragraphs.<\/p>\n

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The features outlined below provide a general idea of what you can expect from a workflow engine. However, it’s important to\ndrill deeper into the specifics, as each engine may have various implementations that are either desirable or undesirable\ndepending on your needs.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Scalability<\/h3>\n

Scalability is a crucial feature for any application, and workflow engines enable your code to handle an increasing number of\nexecutions on a large scale. For instance, a workflow engine can efficiently manage and coordinate numerous PLCs across a\nfactory floor, even as the number of devices and their complexity grows.<\/p>\n

A scalable workflow engine should offer these features:<\/p>\n