Support for asynchronous task processing

[stephanpelikan]

In some situations one needs to implement asynchronous task processing. Camunda 7 provides the external task pattern to support this. This pattern should be integrated into the vanillabp-camunda7-adapter according to the VanillaBP definition.

In the past there was another OpenSource project dealing with external tasks: https://github.com/stephanpelikan/camunda-externaltask-handler. This can be taken as a basis for the implementation.

[Markus-Franzke]

Hi Stephan!

Your VanillaBP seems to be a very cool approach to simplify the work with variables. I think about refactoring my processes to use your adapter.

But the missing support for the external task pattern is a showstopper.

What is your plan to integrate this missing feature?

[stephanpelikan]

Hi Markus,

great to hear you like VanillaBP ❤. Our current roadmap is:

1. Prepare for Camunda 8.8.
2. We take this as an opportunity to do refactoring some common code used by all adapters to be able to
3. Integrate also into Quarkus
4. Add another type of adapter support Process Engine API.

The Process Engine API is also kind of an abstraction for BPMS but low level. VanillaBP is much more high level abstraction. The idea is applications may use Process Engine API if they want to deal with details of BPMS but in a hexagonal way. Some companies build their own high level abstraction layer - like VanillaBP - but specialized to their company's environment. In this situation Process Engine API is a perfect fit. Most people we are in contact don't want to invest this afford and wanna focus on building business applications. For those people VanillaBP is a perfect fit.

However, Process Engine API already provides support for remote C7 engines using external task pattern. So, if you prefer low level you may use this API. If you prefer VanillaBP you may use the Process Engine API adapter once available. Unfortunately, there is no confirmed point in time this adapter will be available.

But we do not follow strictly plans, we follow needs. What is your timeline? Do you use embedded engine leveraging external tasks or do you use kind of a central C7 remote engine? At the moment people prepare to C8 by setting up their projects based on VanillaBP using C7 switching to C8 once 8.8 is available. You could so similar: Setup your project and implement your business needs using embedded C7, switching to remote C7 once the VanillaBP adapter supports this - the code will not change, only the configuration. You may also get in contact via info@vanillabp.io to share some of your project details, maybe also setup a call.