6.3 KiB
Workflow Engine And Workflow Editor Split
Decision
Split the current module into two installable modules:
govoplan-workflow-engine(runtime module IDworkflow_engine) is the headless definition and execution platform available to all modules.govoplan-workflowremains the optional authoring, inspection, catalogue, diff, override, and reset WebUI.
Other modules depend on Workflow Engine capabilities, never on the Workflow editor package. Workflow depends on Workflow Engine.
This is a packaging and ownership split, not a second workflow model. BPMN 2.0 and the existing native graph remain the canonical language and use the same versioned contracts.
Existing Versioning
Workflow definitions are already versioned:
workflow_definitions.current_revisionidentifies the latest graph revision.workflow_definitions.active_revisionselects the revision used for new instances.workflow_definition_revisionsstores immutable graph content, hashes, node library versions, execution mode, pinned View revision, BPMN XML/hash, and execution-adapter profile/version.- Graph changes create a new revision and return an active definition to draft; metadata-only changes do not create graph revisions.
- Updates use
expected_revisionoptimistic concurrency. - Instances pin
definition_revision_id; later edits or module upgrades cannot mutate running or historical instances. - Derived definitions record source definition, source revision/hash, actor, Policy decision, scope, and effective ancestor limits.
The missing model is a durable module-owned baseline and local override/reset relationship.
Workflow Engine Ownership
Workflow Engine owns:
- definition, immutable revision, instance, step, event, command, timer, and execution-record persistence and migrations
- definition CRUD/activation/derivation APIs and headless read APIs
- Workflow graph/BPMN schemas, validation, import/export, and conformance
- node-library and execution-adapter registries
- instance start/transition/cancel/retry/reconciliation services
- runtime worker, event/API/schedule/parent dispatch, idempotency, and recovery
- definition governance capability integration and audit/event emission
- configuration-package workflow fragments
- module-contributed standard definition discovery and reconciliation
It contributes no primary navigation or full editor. A module can install and run its workflows when the editor is absent.
Workflow Editor Ownership
Workflow owns:
- the Workflow workspace and visual BPMN/graph editor
- definition/revision catalogue, preview, diff, validation, and activation UI
- instance inspection and operator controls built on Engine APIs
- derivation and governed override UX
- module-standard update comparison and reset-to-standard UX
- reusable embedded editor/inspector components for other module surfaces
The editor never owns workflow tables or executes transitions directly.
Module-Contributed Definitions
Modules announce standard workflows through a versioned Engine contribution contract or a module-owned configuration-package fragment. A contribution has:
- origin module ID/version, stable definition key, contribution schema version, and content hash
- graph plus BPMN representation, node-library/profile requirements, and execution mode
- default scope, start/reuse/automation ceilings, required capabilities, and Policy metadata
- upgrade compatibility and optional migration diagnostics
Engine reconciles contributions idempotently after module discovery. The module-provided baseline is immutable. A module update may add a new baseline revision, but it never rewrites a running instance or silently replaces a local override.
Override And Reset
Editing a system/module standard creates a local override derived from a pinned baseline revision. The UI may present this as editing the effective definition, but the canonical baseline remains available.
- View is always possible when the caller can read the definition.
- Edit/derive is controlled by Policy and scope ceilings.
- An upstream baseline update is shown as an available update with a three-way diff; it is not merged silently.
- Reset archives the local override and selects the latest permitted baseline.
- Historical overrides, baselines, and instances remain addressable for audit.
- A tenant/group/user override cannot loosen inherited restrictions.
Compatibility And Extraction Order
- Define Engine-owned capability and contribution DTOs in Core-neutral
contracts while preserving existing
workflow.*interface names. - Create
govoplan-workflow-engineand move backend code, tests, migrations, and runtime workers without changing table names or API paths. - Transfer migration ownership without replaying the existing chain. Test both upgrades and fresh installs with Engine alone.
- Keep a compatibility facade in
govoplan-workflowfor one release line; make it depend onworkflow_engineand retain only WebUI/editor code. - Update Core workers and consuming modules to resolve Engine capabilities.
- Add module contributions, immutable baselines, override/update/reset, and configuration-package support.
- Remove compatibility imports only under the platform compatibility policy.
The extraction must preserve existing definition IDs, revision IDs, active revision selection, instance foreign keys, idempotency keys, API routes, and audit references.
Implemented Boundary
The split is implemented in the govoplan-workflow-engine repository. Engine
owns the unchanged migration chain and /api/v1/workflow API, retains the
existing workflow:* permission namespace through an explicit manifest
compatibility field, and exposes headless runtime and contribution
capabilities. govoplan-workflow now has a hard dependency on runtime module
ID workflow_engine, contributes only its WebUI/navigation/editor contract,
and keeps one release line of govoplan_workflow.backend import facades.
Module manifests can announce versioned workflow baselines. Reconciliation is idempotent, records module/schema/hash provenance, keeps a newly supplied baseline revision inactive when an older revision is active, and fails closed when required capabilities or interfaces are absent. Baselines are immutable; editing derives a pinned local override, and reset archives that override without removing revision or instance history.