@kbn/workflows

Common types, utilities, and constants for the Workflows platform feature.

This package contains shared code used by both the workflows execution engine and workflows management plugins. It provides the foundational types, schemas, and utilities needed for workflow operations across the platform.

Overview

The @kbn/workflows package serves as the common foundation for all workflow-related functionality in Kibana. It includes:

• Type Definitions: Core TypeScript interfaces and types
• Workflow Specifications: Schema definitions for workflow structure
• Utilities: Helper functions and validation logic
• Constants: Feature flags and configuration constants

Feature Flags

This package exports feature flag constants that control workflow functionality:

import { 
  WORKFLOWS_UI_SETTING_ID 
} from '@kbn/workflows';

Available Feature Flags

• WORKFLOWS_UI_SETTING_ID (workflows:ui:enabled): Controls the workflows management UI

Types

Core Types

The package exports essential workflow types:

import type { 
  WorkflowDefinition,
  WorkflowExecution,
  WorkflowSpec,
  WorkflowStepType,
  WorkflowStepDefinition
} from '@kbn/workflows';

Workflow Definition

Represents the structure and configuration of a workflow:

interface WorkflowDefinition {
  id: string;
  name: string;
  description?: string;
  steps: WorkflowStepDefinition[];
  triggers?: WorkflowTrigger[];
  variables?: Record<string, any>;
}

Workflow Execution

Represents a runtime instance of a workflow:

interface WorkflowExecution {
  id: string;
  workflowId: string;
  status: ExecutionStatus;
  createdAt: string;
  completedAt?: string;
  context: Record<string, any>;
  steps: StepExecution[];
}

Workflow Specification

The package includes comprehensive schema definitions for workflow structure:

• Step Types: Different types of workflow steps (action, condition, loop, etc.)
• Validation: Schema validation for workflow definitions
• YAML Schema: Generate YAML schema for workflow files

Usage

In Plugins

Workflow plugins use this package for shared functionality:

// In workflows execution engine
import { WorkflowDefinition } from '@kbn/workflows';

// In workflows management
import { WORKFLOWS_UI_SETTING_ID } from '@kbn/workflows/common/constants';

Type Safety

The package ensures type safety across all workflow operations:

import type { WorkflowDefinition } from '@kbn/workflows';

function processWorkflow(workflow: WorkflowDefinition) {
  // TypeScript ensures proper workflow structure
  const { id, name, steps } = workflow;
  // ...
}

Architecture

The package is organized into several key areas:

• types/: Core TypeScript type definitions
• spec/: Workflow specification and schema
• common/: Shared constants and utilities

Validation

The package provides validation utilities for workflow definitions:

import { validateWorkflowDefinition } from '@kbn/workflows';

const isValid = validateWorkflowDefinition(workflowDef);

Schema Generation

Generate YAML schemas for workflow files:

import { generateYamlSchema } from '@kbn/workflows';

const schema = generateYamlSchema();

This enables IDE support and validation for workflow YAML files.

Development

When extending workflow functionality:

1. Add new types to the appropriate type definition files
2. Update schemas to reflect new workflow capabilities
3. Export new functionality from the main index file
4. Ensure backward compatibility with existing workflows

Dependencies

This package has minimal dependencies to ensure it can be used across different contexts:

• Core Kibana types for integration
• Schema validation libraries
• Utility libraries for common operations