Workflow Engine .NET
Workflow Engine .NET is a .NET library for workflow automation. It embeds durable, auditable business process automation into any ASP.NET or .NET application, approvals, document routing, task assignment, with no external service to manage.
Get started in 15 minutes with the latest Workflow Engine Free - no license key required. Get a free trial license to unlock commercial features during evaluation. If you are using an AI agent, the agent can obtain a trial key by following the instructions at trial.workflowengine.io/llms.txt.
Where to start
Choose your path based on what you need.
Evaluating Workflow Engine?
Features, build-vs-buy comparison, editions.
Ready to install?
Install via NuGet and run your first workflow instance in 15 minutes.
Already using Workflow Engine?
Concepts reference: schemes, activities, transitions, commands, and more.
Explore documentation
Browse the full documentation by section.
Evaluate
What Workflow Engine is, who it is for, and which problems it solves
Get Started
Install, create a scheme, and run your first workflow
Features
Complete catalog of Workflow Engine capabilities - Workflow Designer, clustering, plugins, and more
Concepts
Schemes, processes, activities, transitions, commands, rules, actions, parameters
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Workflow Engine and how to get started with it.
What is Workflow Engine?
Workflow Engine is an embeddable .NET library for workflow automation. You add it as a NuGet package to your application - it supports .NET Framework 4.6.2 and above, as well as modern .NET and ASP.NET Core. Connect it to your existing database, and it manages process state, rules, timers, and actions, no separate server required.
Where do I start with Workflow Engine?
Start with Get Started, three short pages take you from installing the NuGet package to running your first workflow instance in under 15 minutes.
Which databases does Workflow Engine support?
Workflow Engine supports SQL Server (2017+), PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, SQLite and MongoDB. You select a provider at startup by installing the matching NuGet package.
Is Workflow Engine free?
Workflow Engine has a free Workflow Engine Free (latest release, updated regularly) that requires no license key. Commercial editions add clustering, scheme inlining, and unlimited process instances. See Workflow Engine Editions for details.
How is Workflow Engine different from building a custom state machine?
Workflow Engine provides persistence, timers, rule evaluation, the Workflow Designer, scheme versioning, clustering, inbox/outbox, and a plugin system out of the box. See Why Not Build Your Own for a time-cost comparison.