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Introduction

Zigflow runs workflows defined in YAML on Temporal. You write a workflow definition file; Zigflow compiles it, validates it and registers it as a Temporal worker with durable execution guarantees.

Zigflow is for teams that want to:

  • Define workflow logic in YAML rather than in SDK code
  • Separate orchestration structure from application implementation
  • Reduce boilerplate when building Temporal workers

Zigflow is not for:

  • Teams who prefer writing workflow code directly in a Temporal SDK
  • Users seeking an official Temporal product. Zigflow is an independent project.

Quick Start​

Install Zigflow​

  1. Find the binary for your computer from the releases page
  2. Make it executable chmod +x ./path/to/binary

Start a Temporal Server (optional)​

Zigflow works with all Temporal server types. Cloud is best for high-performance, production workflows and Self-Hosted is great for smaller workflows and development/testing.

For ease, this example uses the development server bundled with the Temporal CLI

temporal server start-dev

Create a Workflow​

This workflow sets a single value and returns it as output.

workflow.yaml
document:
  dsl: 1.0.0
  taskQueue: zigflow
  workflowType: simple-workflow
  version: 1.0.0
do:
  - set:
      output:
        as:
          data: ${ . }
      set:
        message: Hello from Ziggy
tip

The DSL schema follows the Open Workflow Specification (formerly Serverless Workflow)

Run​

Start the worker with a reference to the workflow file:

zigflow run -f workflow.yaml

Trigger the Workflow​

Temporal supports multiple languages through their SDKs. If you want to trigger this through your application, refer to these docs to create your script.

To run through the UI:

  • Go to your Temporal UI
  • Select "Start Workflow"
  • Enter these parameters:
    • Workflow ID: generate a random UUID
    • Task Queue: enter zigflow
    • Workflow Type: enter simple-workflow
  • Click "Start Workflow" and then go to the running workflow

You should see the workflow result:

{
  "data": {
    "message": "Hello from Ziggy"
  }
}

Your first workflow is running. See the Quickstart for a full walkthrough with validation and troubleshooting.

If Zigflow is valuable to you, consider supporting its development.