Skip to content

Glossary

  • Batch Processing: Executing multiple workflow runs over varying inputs, typically via queues or Drupal Batch API.
  • Checkpoint: A saved snapshot of workflow execution state, used by the StateGraph orchestrator to resume workflows after interruptions or failures.
  • Data Edge: An edge that passes data from one node’s output port to another node’s input port; does not control execution flow.
  • Edge: A connection between two nodes that carries either data or execution control signals. See also Data Edge and Trigger Edge.
  • Execution Session: A single run of a workflow carrying transient context (inputs, intermediates, outputs) across nodes.
  • Gateway Node: A diamond-shaped node that creates branching logic in a workflow (e.g., IfElse, SwitchGateway). Evaluates a condition and activates one or more output branches.
  • Idempotency: Re‑running a node with identical inputs/config yields the same state and side‑effects.
  • Interrupt: A pause in workflow execution that requests user input. Types include confirmation, choice, text input, and form input. See the Human-in-the-Loop guide.
  • Job: One node’s execution within a pipeline. Records the node’s input, output, status, and timing.
  • Loopback Edge: A special edge type for loop iteration; connects loop body output back to iterator node; excluded from dependency checking and cycle detection.
  • Node: A single step in a workflow. Each node has typed input ports, output ports, and configuration parameters.
  • Node Processor: The backend component that executes a node; should be idempotent and deterministic.
  • Node Type: A configurable wrapper around a Node Processor. A single processor can have multiple Node Types with different default settings.
  • Orchestrator: Controls how a workflow runs — synchronous (immediate), asynchronous (background queue), or StateGraph (stateful with loops and pauses). See Execution Modes.
  • Pipeline: One complete run of a workflow. Contains individual jobs for each node that executes.
  • Playground: An interactive chat-based interface for testing workflows. See the Playground module.
  • Port: A connection point on a node where edges attach. Input ports are on the left, output ports on the right. Ports are color-coded by data type.
  • Queue Processing: Offloading long‑running or asynchronous execution to Drupal’s Queue API or cron workers.
  • Session: A multi-turn interaction context for interactive workflows. Tracks message history and state across multiple exchanges.
  • Trigger: An event-driven configuration that automatically starts a workflow when something happens in Drupal (entity changes, user events, cron). See Setting Up Triggers.
  • Trigger Edge: An edge that controls execution flow; connects to a node’s trigger input port to determine if/when the node executes.
  • Workflow: A directed graph of steps that transforms inputs into outputs within a defined context.
  • Workflow Node: A discrete, reusable step with typed inputs, typed outputs, and configuration.