Running First Workflow

In this article, we will explore how we can run a simple workflow (without deploying a microservice.)

Start Conductor

The quickest way to get started with Conductor is to use the free Orkes Playground.

We have also included instructions on how to use an instance of Conductor.

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Configuring our First Workflow

This is a sample workflow that we can leverage for our test.

Workflow JSON

{
  "name": "first_sample_workflow",
  "description": "First Sample Workflow",
  "version": 1,
  "tasks": [
    {
      "name": "get_population_data",
      "taskReferenceName": "get_population_data",
      "inputParameters": {
        "http_request": {
          "uri": "https://datausa.io/api/data?drilldowns=Nation&measures=Population",
          "method": "GET"
        }
      },
      "type": "HTTP"
    }
  ],
  "inputParameters": [],
  "outputParameters": {
    "data": "${get_population_data.output.response.body.data}",
    "source": "${get_population_data.output.response.body.source}"
  },
  "schemaVersion": 2,
  "restartable": true,
  "workflowStatusListenerEnabled": false,
  "ownerEmail": "example@email.com",
  "timeoutPolicy": "ALERT_ONLY",
  "timeoutSeconds": 0
}

JSON explainer

Feel free to skip to Creating the Workflow if you're in a hurry.

The JSON has a name, description and version of the workflow:

  "name": "first_sample_workflow",
  "description": "First Sample Workflow",
  "version": 1,

This workflow contains just one worker, listed under the key tasks:

{
  "name": "get_population_data",
  "taskReferenceName": "get_population_data",
  "inputParameters": {
    "http_request": {
      "uri": "https://datausa.io/api/data?drilldowns=Nation&measures=Population",
      "method": "GET"
    }
  },
  "type": "HTTP"
}

Here is a list of fields and what it does:

1. "name" : Name of our worker
2. "taskReferenceName" : This is a reference to this worker in this specific workflow implementation.
3. "inputParameters" : These are the inputs into our worker. We've hardcoded the inputs here, but dynamic inputs are also possible. (Our Beginner Codelab has an example of this.)
4. "type" : The task type (In our example - this is an HTTP task to make a REST API call).
5. "http_request" : The required inputs for an HTTP task are a URL and the type or request.

Creating the Workflow

We have two options to add the Workflow into Conductor: using the Conductor UI or via API.

Conductor UI

Both Orkes Playground and Conductor have a Dashboard that allows for the visual creation of Workflows.

1. Open Workflow Creation page:

• Open Source: Click Definitions in the top menu. Click the New Workflow Definition button.
• Orkes Playground: Click Workflow definitions in the left navigation. Click the Define Workflow button.

2. Copy the workflow JSON from above, and paste it into the editor.

3. Click Save (and then Confirm save), and your workflow diagram will appear next to the definition.

API

To configure the workflow via API, we will use the Swagger definition page:

• Orkes Playground

• Local Conductor

NOTE: If you are using Orkes Playground, you will need an authentication token. In the dashboard, click your user icon in the top right, and choose the copy token option. Back on the Swagger page, click the lock to the right of the endpoint, and paste the token here. (Here are more details on authentication.)

If the link doesn’t open to the correct Swagger section, we can navigate to Metadata-Resource -> POST /api/metadata/workflow

1. Click the Try it out button.
2. Paste the workflow JSON from above into the Request Body.
3. Press the Execute button.

You should see a 200 response that the API call was successful.

We are now ready to run the workflow!

Running the Workflow

To run the workflow we have the option of running the workflow via the UI or the API.

Conductor UI

1. To run your workflow via the UI, click the following link:

• Conductor: http://localhost:5000/workbench
• Playground: https://play.orkes.io/runWorkflow

2. Choose your workflow name. The other fields can be left blank.

3. Start the workflow.

• Conductor: Press the "play" arrow to the right of "Workflow Workbench."
• Playground: Press the "Run Workflow" button.

The workflow ID will appear. Click this to open the execution diagram of your workflow.

API

The endpoint to run a workflow is:

POST /api/workflow/<WorkflowName>

• Orkes Playground

• Local

Hit Execute!

Conductor will return a workflow id. We will need to use this id to load this up on the UI.

Workflow Results

We can visualize the workflow results in the Conductor UI:

http://localhost:5000/execution/<WORKFLOW_ID>
or:
http://play.orkes.io/execution/<WORKFLOW_ID>

Replace <WORKFLOW_ID> with our workflow id from the previous step. We should see a screen like the one below. Click on the different tabs to see all inputs and outputs, task lists, etc. Explore away!

This concludes the tutorial. Feel free to explore the codelabs and other tutorials to try additional features of Conductor.