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What are Workflows?

Workflows are a way to describe a sequence of actions that can be executed by Kubiya.

Workflows are defined using the YAML format and are based on the Kubiya domain specific language (DSL).

The Kubiya DSL is a simple and intuitive way to define workflows through a combination of Triggers and Steps.

Triggers

Triggers are the starting point of a workflow and represent an event that invokes a series of actions.

Kubiya supports a variety of triggers:

  • Interaction Triggers

    Interaction triggers are invoked when a user interacts with a user in a pre-described way. Kubiya understands several interaction triggers. For example:

    • Natural Language - simple English sentences that are used to trigger a workflow
    • Slash Commands - slash commands that are used to trigger a workflow (e.g. /hello)
    • Interactive Components - interactive components that are used to trigger a workflow (e.g. buttons, menus, etc.)

  • Event Triggers

    Event triggers are used to define when a workflow should be executed based on an event that occurs in an integrated system. Kubiya supports a variety of events sources using the CloudEvents standard. For example:

    • Slack Events - Slack events that are used to trigger a workflow (e.g. message.im)
    • GitHub Events - GitHub events that are used to trigger a workflow (e.g. pull_request)
    • AWS Events - AWS events that are used to trigger a workflow (e.g. ec2:RunInstances)

  • Time (Cron) Triggers

    Time triggers are used to define when a workflow should be executed based on a time schedule. Schedules are simple cron expressions that are used to trigger a workflow (e.g. 0 0 * * *).

Steps

The series of actions that occur when a workflow is triggered are known as steps. Each step is a single action, performed by Kubiya sequentially, as prescribed by the workflow definition.

Kubiya can perform many types of steps allowing for complex workflows. Types of steps include:

  • Input Steps

    Input steps are used to define a step that is used to get input from the user. (e.g. text, number, etc.)

  • Action Steps

    Action steps are used to define a step that is used to execute an action. (such as opening a GitHub Pull request, or causing an AWS Lambda function to be executed)

  • Condition Steps

    Condition steps are used to define a condition that is used to determine the next step in the workflow based on the result of the condition.

  • JQ Steps

    JQ steps are used to define a step that is used to transform the workflow context using the JQ language. Details for using JQ can be found here.

  • Wait Steps

    Wait steps are used to define a step that is used to wait for a specified amount of time, or until a condition is met. (such as waiting for a GitHub Pull request to be merged)

Importing Workflows

Many times an operator may wish to reuse a workflow created by another operator or third-party. Kubiya allows you to import pre-defined workflows from several sources:

  • Using the Kubiya UI drag and drop editor
  • SVN - such as GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket
  • From a local directory - such as your computer

Training Natural Language with Kubiya Knowledge

It is possible to train Kubiya to remember key words and phrases that can launch workflows from the Kubiya Application in Slack. This is done through the use of Kubiya Knowledge. For more information refer to the Kubiya Knowledge “how-to” guide.

⏭️ Next: Key Concepts -> Actions