|
| 1 | +{ |
| 2 | + "repo_notes": [ |
| 3 | + { |
| 4 | + "content": "Elsa 3 is a .NET workflow library that lets you build workflows in C#, with a visual designer, or in JSON; the repo also ships reference server and studio apps and Docker images for quick starts." |
| 5 | + } |
| 6 | + ], |
| 7 | + "pages": [ |
| 8 | + { |
| 9 | + "title": "Introduction to Elsa Workflows", |
| 10 | + "purpose": "Introduce the Elsa Workflows system, its purpose as a .NET workflow engine, and high-level architecture overview", |
| 11 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 12 | + { |
| 13 | + "content": "Elsa enables running workflows inside any .NET app with definitions authored in C#, visually, or as JSON, pairing a workflow engine with a web-based designer and server/studio reference apps." |
| 14 | + } |
| 15 | + ] |
| 16 | + }, |
| 17 | + { |
| 18 | + "title": "Getting Started", |
| 19 | + "purpose": "Guide users through installation, Docker quick start, and running their first workflow", |
| 20 | + "parent": "Introduction to Elsa Workflows", |
| 21 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 22 | + { |
| 23 | + "content": "Use the published Docker image `elsaworkflows/elsa-server-and-studio-v3:latest` to run the reference server+designer, exposing port 8080 on container to localhost:13000 with admin/password login; images include CA bundles with optional EXTRA_CA_CERT/SSL_CERT_FILE support for custom trust." |
| 24 | + } |
| 25 | + ] |
| 26 | + }, |
| 27 | + { |
| 28 | + "title": "Key Concepts", |
| 29 | + "purpose": "Explain fundamental concepts: workflows, activities, bookmarks, execution contexts, and state management", |
| 30 | + "parent": "Introduction to Elsa Workflows", |
| 31 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 32 | + { |
| 33 | + "content": "Workflows are graphs of activities; execution contexts (workflow and activity) hold runtime data like variables and memory registers, schedule work, and capture bookmarks for resumption and persistence." |
| 34 | + } |
| 35 | + ] |
| 36 | + }, |
| 37 | + { |
| 38 | + "title": "Solution Structure", |
| 39 | + "purpose": "Document the project organization, module hierarchy, and how the solution is structured", |
| 40 | + "parent": "Introduction to Elsa Workflows", |
| 41 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 42 | + { |
| 43 | + "content": "Opening Elsa.sln exposes an apps folder with reference hosts: Elsa.Server.Web (workflow server), Elsa.ServerAndStudio.Web (server plus Blazor Studio), and Elsa.Studio.Web (standalone Studio needing a server)." |
| 44 | + } |
| 45 | + ] |
| 46 | + }, |
| 47 | + { |
| 48 | + "title": "Core Execution Engine", |
| 49 | + "purpose": "Deep dive into the workflow execution engine architecture, contexts, and execution pipeline", |
| 50 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 51 | + { |
| 52 | + "content": "WorkflowRunner builds workflow graphs, creates WorkflowExecutionContext instances with identity, correlation, input, and schedules the root workflow before handing execution to the pipeline." |
| 53 | + } |
| 54 | + ] |
| 55 | + }, |
| 56 | + { |
| 57 | + "title": "Workflow Execution Context", |
| 58 | + "purpose": "Explain WorkflowExecutionContext: its role, properties, memory register, scheduler, and lifecycle", |
| 59 | + "parent": "Core Execution Engine", |
| 60 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 61 | + { |
| 62 | + "content": "WorkflowExecutionContext initializes scheduler, memory register, input/properties, incidents, bookmarks, cancellation handling, and exposes creation helpers that hydrate state and wire ExpressionExecutionContext." |
| 63 | + } |
| 64 | + ] |
| 65 | + }, |
| 66 | + { |
| 67 | + "title": "Activity Execution Context", |
| 68 | + "purpose": "Explain ActivityExecutionContext: parent-child relationships, variable scoping, and activity state management", |
| 69 | + "parent": "Core Execution Engine", |
| 70 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 71 | + { |
| 72 | + "content": "ActivityExecutionContext tracks activity instance IDs, parent-child links, execution status, timestamps, dynamic variables, and constructs an ExpressionExecutionContext chain to scope variables and expressions." |
| 73 | + } |
| 74 | + ] |
| 75 | + }, |
| 76 | + { |
| 77 | + "title": "Workflow Runner and Pipeline", |
| 78 | + "purpose": "Document WorkflowRunner orchestration, execution pipeline middleware, and activity invoker", |
| 79 | + "parent": "Core Execution Engine", |
| 80 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 81 | + { |
| 82 | + "content": "WorkflowRunner orchestrates execution by scheduling workflows or bookmarks on a WorkflowExecutionContext then invoking the configured IWorkflowExecutionPipeline, also supporting restoration from WorkflowState and variable injection." |
| 83 | + } |
| 84 | + ] |
| 85 | + }, |
| 86 | + { |
| 87 | + "title": "State Persistence and Restoration", |
| 88 | + "purpose": "Explain WorkflowStateExtractor, WorkflowState serialization, and state hydration mechanisms", |
| 89 | + "parent": "Core Execution Engine", |
| 90 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 91 | + { |
| 92 | + "content": "WorkflowStateExtractor serializes workflow instance fields (IDs, status, bookmarks, input/output, incidents, scheduled work, completion callbacks, activity contexts) and can rehydrate a WorkflowExecutionContext by reconstructing activities, properties, variables, and schedules." |
| 93 | + } |
| 94 | + ] |
| 95 | + }, |
| 96 | + { |
| 97 | + "title": "Activity Scheduling and Work Items", |
| 98 | + "purpose": "Document the activity scheduler, work item queue, and how activities are scheduled for execution", |
| 99 | + "parent": "Core Execution Engine", |
| 100 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 101 | + { |
| 102 | + "content": "The default QueueBasedActivityScheduler is a FIFO queue of ActivityWorkItem entries, supporting enqueue/dequeue, lookup, and clear operations to drive the workflow dispatcher." |
| 103 | + } |
| 104 | + ] |
| 105 | + }, |
| 106 | + { |
| 107 | + "title": "Bookmarks and Resumption", |
| 108 | + "purpose": "Explain the bookmark system for pausing and resuming workflows, including bookmark queue processing", |
| 109 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 110 | + { |
| 111 | + "content": "Bookmarks capture pause points with IDs, names, and hashes that can be persisted and resumed; runtime models like NewBookmarkQueueItem carry bookmark IDs, hashes, correlation, and resume options for async resumption." |
| 112 | + } |
| 113 | + ] |
| 114 | + }, |
| 115 | + { |
| 116 | + "title": "Bookmark System", |
| 117 | + "purpose": "Detail bookmark creation, hashing, storage, and how workflows suspend/resume at bookmarks", |
| 118 | + "parent": "Bookmarks and Resumption", |
| 119 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 120 | + { |
| 121 | + "content": "BookmarkInfo stores bookmark ID, name, and computed hash, enabling lookup and comparison when resuming workflows from persisted bookmark payloads." |
| 122 | + } |
| 123 | + ] |
| 124 | + }, |
| 125 | + { |
| 126 | + "title": "Trigger System", |
| 127 | + "purpose": "Explain workflow triggers, trigger stores, and how external events initiate workflow execution", |
| 128 | + "parent": "Bookmarks and Resumption", |
| 129 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 130 | + { |
| 131 | + "content": "Triggers bind external stimuli to workflow bookmarks via runtime metadata (stimulus hashes, activity types, correlation IDs), enabling workflows to start or resume when matching events arrive." |
| 132 | + } |
| 133 | + ] |
| 134 | + }, |
| 135 | + { |
| 136 | + "title": "Bookmark Queue", |
| 137 | + "purpose": "Document bookmark queue processing, purging, and asynchronous workflow resumption", |
| 138 | + "parent": "Bookmarks and Resumption", |
| 139 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 140 | + { |
| 141 | + "content": "NewBookmarkQueueItem entries encapsulate workflow instance IDs, bookmark IDs or stimulus hashes, activity instance references, correlation IDs, and resume options for queue-driven resumption." |
| 142 | + } |
| 143 | + ] |
| 144 | + }, |
| 145 | + { |
| 146 | + "title": "Activity System", |
| 147 | + "purpose": "Overview of the activity system: IActivity interface, activity types, and execution patterns", |
| 148 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 149 | + { |
| 150 | + "content": "Activities encapsulate executable steps; WorkflowRunner can start from an activity by building a workflow graph, while activity descriptors surface outputs and metadata used during execution and composition." |
| 151 | + } |
| 152 | + ] |
| 153 | + }, |
| 154 | + { |
| 155 | + "title": "Control Flow Activities", |
| 156 | + "purpose": "Document branching and looping: If, Switch, Sequence, Flowchart, FlowJoin, Break, Complete", |
| 157 | + "parent": "Activity System", |
| 158 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 159 | + { |
| 160 | + "content": "Flowchart is a primary control-flow container with start nodes and connections; it can operate in counter-based or token-based modes configured via FlowchartOptions or execution context properties." |
| 161 | + } |
| 162 | + ] |
| 163 | + }, |
| 164 | + { |
| 165 | + "title": "HTTP Activities", |
| 166 | + "purpose": "Detail HttpEndpoint and SendHttpRequest activities, including configuration and usage patterns", |
| 167 | + "parent": "Activity System", |
| 168 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 169 | + { |
| 170 | + "content": "The README’s coding example shows HttpEndpoint starting a workflow and subsequent activities (like SendEmail) handling the request, illustrating HTTP-triggered workflows." |
| 171 | + } |
| 172 | + ] |
| 173 | + }, |
| 174 | + { |
| 175 | + "title": "Workflow Composition Activities", |
| 176 | + "purpose": "Explain Composite, WorkflowDefinitionActivity, and how workflows can invoke other workflows", |
| 177 | + "parent": "Activity System", |
| 178 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 179 | + { |
| 180 | + "content": "Workflow activities create memory registers, declare result variables, and can schedule child activities, supporting hierarchical composition of workflows." |
| 181 | + } |
| 182 | + ] |
| 183 | + }, |
| 184 | + { |
| 185 | + "title": "Activity Outputs and Registry", |
| 186 | + "purpose": "Document ActivityOutputRegister, output resolution, and how activities expose results", |
| 187 | + "parent": "Activity System", |
| 188 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 189 | + { |
| 190 | + "content": "ActivityOutputRegister records outputs by activity ID and instance, normalizing output names via descriptors and enabling lookup of latest values scoped to parent contexts." |
| 191 | + } |
| 192 | + ] |
| 193 | + }, |
| 194 | + { |
| 195 | + "title": "Activity Descriptors and Metadata", |
| 196 | + "purpose": "Explain ActivityDescriptor, how activities are described, and the activity provider system", |
| 197 | + "parent": "Activity System", |
| 198 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 199 | + { |
| 200 | + "content": "Activity descriptors describe inputs/outputs; registration is resolved via IActivityRegistry and lookup services injected into WorkflowExecutionContext for descriptor-aware execution." |
| 201 | + } |
| 202 | + ] |
| 203 | + }, |
| 204 | + { |
| 205 | + "title": "Flowchart Execution Modes", |
| 206 | + "purpose": "Detail TokenBased vs CounterBased execution modes, FlowScope, and flowchart-specific behavior", |
| 207 | + "parent": "Activity System", |
| 208 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 209 | + { |
| 210 | + "content": "Flowchart exposes a static UseTokenFlow toggle and stores execution mode in workflow properties; scheduling callbacks delegate to token-based or counter-based handlers for completion and cancellation logic." |
| 211 | + } |
| 212 | + ] |
| 213 | + }, |
| 214 | + { |
| 215 | + "title": "Variable and Memory System", |
| 216 | + "purpose": "Overview of variable management, memory registers, and variable persistence", |
| 217 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 218 | + { |
| 219 | + "content": "Workflows create MemoryRegister instances that hold declared variables; variables reference memory blocks with optional storage drivers for persistence across executions." |
| 220 | + } |
| 221 | + ] |
| 222 | + }, |
| 223 | + { |
| 224 | + "title": "Variable Management", |
| 225 | + "purpose": "Document Variable class, variable scoping, IVariableContainer, and dynamic variables", |
| 226 | + "parent": "Variable and Memory System", |
| 227 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 228 | + { |
| 229 | + "content": "Variable types derive from MemoryBlockReference, carrying names, default values, storage driver types, and helper methods to bind IDs or values; ActivityExecutionContext merges container and dynamic variables for scope." |
| 230 | + } |
| 231 | + ] |
| 232 | + }, |
| 233 | + { |
| 234 | + "title": "Type Conversion", |
| 235 | + "purpose": "Explain ObjectConverter, type conversion strategies, and handling complex type transformations", |
| 236 | + "parent": "Variable and Memory System", |
| 237 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 238 | + { |
| 239 | + "content": "ExpressionExecutionContext converts variable values when retrieved, enabling typed accessors like Variable<T>.Get that rely on conversion helpers for strongly typed results." |
| 240 | + } |
| 241 | + ] |
| 242 | + }, |
| 243 | + { |
| 244 | + "title": "Variable Persistence", |
| 245 | + "purpose": "Document IVariablePersistenceManager, storage drivers, and how variables are saved/loaded", |
| 246 | + "parent": "Variable and Memory System", |
| 247 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 248 | + { |
| 249 | + "content": "VariablePersistenceManager ensures memory blocks exist for variables and leverages storage drivers (e.g., WorkflowStorageDriver) when persisting workflow state during extraction and hydration." |
| 250 | + } |
| 251 | + ] |
| 252 | + }, |
| 253 | + { |
| 254 | + "title": "Memory Register and Memory Blocks", |
| 255 | + "purpose": "Explain MemoryRegister, MemoryBlock, MemoryBlockReference, and how memory is managed", |
| 256 | + "parent": "Variable and Memory System", |
| 257 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 258 | + { |
| 259 | + "content": "Workflow activities call CreateRegister to allocate a MemoryRegister that stores MemoryBlock references declared by variables and supports scoped memory across workflow execution contexts." |
| 260 | + } |
| 261 | + ] |
| 262 | + }, |
| 263 | + { |
| 264 | + "title": "Expression Evaluation", |
| 265 | + "purpose": "Overview of the expression system, ExpressionExecutionContext, and supported languages", |
| 266 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 267 | + { |
| 268 | + "content": "ExpressionExecutionContext is created for workflows and chained for activities, carrying memory registers and properties so expressions can resolve variables and activity data across supported languages." |
| 269 | + } |
| 270 | + ] |
| 271 | + }, |
| 272 | + { |
| 273 | + "title": "Expression Execution Context", |
| 274 | + "purpose": "Detail ExpressionExecutionContext, parent chains, and how expressions access workflow data", |
| 275 | + "parent": "Expression Evaluation", |
| 276 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 277 | + { |
| 278 | + "content": "ActivityExecutionContext builds an ExpressionExecutionContext with the workflow’s input and parent chain, inserting the current activity in context properties for expression access." |
| 279 | + } |
| 280 | + ] |
| 281 | + }, |
| 282 | + { |
| 283 | + "title": "C# Expressions", |
| 284 | + "purpose": "Document C# expression evaluation using Roslyn and available APIs", |
| 285 | + "parent": "Expression Evaluation", |
| 286 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 287 | + { |
| 288 | + "content": "C# expression support plugs into the common ExpressionExecutionContext, benefiting from the same variable/memory access patterns used across languages." |
| 289 | + } |
| 290 | + ] |
| 291 | + }, |
| 292 | + { |
| 293 | + "title": "JavaScript Expressions", |
| 294 | + "purpose": "Explain Jint-based JavaScript evaluation, type definitions, and activity output access", |
| 295 | + "parent": "Expression Evaluation", |
| 296 | + "page_notes": [ |
| 297 | + { |
| 298 | + "content": "JavaScript expressions execute through the shared expression context, enabling access to workflow input, activity outputs, and variables resolved from memory registers." |
| 299 | + } |
| 300 | + ] |
| 301 | + } |
| 302 | + ] |
| 303 | +} |
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