Workflow Engine Features
Workflow Engine ships 25 production-ready features: the Workflow Designer for business users, process versioning that preserves running instances, clustering for horizontal scale-out, a plugin system for reusable workflow patterns, multitenancy, and an HTTP API for cross-platform access. Browse the catalog to evaluate which capabilities match your requirements before you install.
Workflow Engine ships 25 production-ready capabilities. Core features include the Workflow Designer for end users, process versioning that keeps running instances stable during updates, horizontal clustering for scale-out, multitenancy with isolated process data, an HTTP API for non-.NET clients, pluggable security, and a plugin system. The product overview of the same features is .NET workflow engine features.
Major features
Workflow Designer
Embeds in your application so business users modify processes without developers. Available for React, plain JavaScript, and Angular.
Simple Process Notation
A flowchart-based notation built on a small set of core concepts that business analysts can read and modify without BPMN training.
Process Versioning
Deploy process changes without breaking running instances - existing processes finish on their current version while new ones start on the updated definition.
Parallel Processes
Speed up complex workflows by running independent branches at the same time - send documents to multiple departments for simultaneous review and merge responses when all complete.
Timers & Scheduling
Schedule workflow steps to execute after a delay, at a specific time, or on a recurring interval - for reminders, escalations, and periodic tasks.
Direct State Control
Fix stuck processes without deleting and restarting - move a running process to any step directly, bypassing normal conditions.
Durable Execution
Process state is persisted at every step so processes survive application restarts, server crashes, and network interruptions without data loss.
HTTP API
Call workflow operations from any language or platform over HTTP. Includes REST endpoints for starting and advancing processes, reading and writing process data, and RPC-style invocations.
BPMN Support
Import supported BPMN 2.0 diagrams from external modeling tools and convert them to native Workflow Engine Schemes for execution.
Plugin System
Pre-built workflow patterns as ready-made NuGet packages: approval chains, task assignment with inbox/outbox queues, loop patterns, parallel branches, and Microsoft Entra ID integration.
Pluggable Security
Connect your existing authentication and authorization system. Supports SSO, LDAP, and custom security providers.
Clustering
Horizontal scale-out across multiple servers with no external coordinator required.
Multitenancy
Serve multiple customers or departments from a single deployment with fully isolated data - no need to manage separate instances per tenant.
Workflow Forms
Attach data entry forms to workflow steps so users provide input without building custom UI.
Customization
Adapt the designer appearance, define custom step types, attach metadata to steps, and translate the UI to match your application and domain language.
Multi-Database Support
Works with SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, and Oracle. Swap databases without changing your workflow code.
Additional features
Bulk API
Process a large number of instances in parallel - one failure does not block the rest, each instance is isolated from errors in others.
Work Calendar
Business-day and business-hour definitions that timers use to skip non-working time.
Pre-Execution (Simulation)
Simulate the workflow path from the current position without modifying process state.
Process Logs
Full audit trail of every state change on a process instance.
Workflow as Code
Create, reuse, and transform workflow definitions in C# - build them programmatically, embed reusable templates, generate at runtime, and apply transformations at load time.
Database Versioning
Database schema stays in sync with your application version automatically - no manual migration scripts when upgrading.
Offline API
Keep working even without an internet connection. Any actions you take are saved locally and automatically synced when you are back online.
Interactive Designer
See what is happening in your processes the moment it happens. The designer dashboard updates automatically - no need to refresh the page to check for changes.
Workflow Templates
Create a workflow once and reuse it anywhere - design an approval or review process as a template, then insert it into any other process whenever you need it.
Frequently asked questions
What features does Workflow Engine support?
Workflow Engine ships over 20 production-ready features covering Workflow Designer, scheme versioning, clustering, multitenancy, timers, pluggable security, BPMN 2.0 import, an HTTP API, a plugin system, direct state control, process logging, work calendars, pre-execution simulation, programmatic scheme creation, database versioning, offline operations, and workflow templates. The cards above list each feature with a link to its dedicated page.
Do all features require a commercial license?
No. Workflow Engine Free includes the runtime, persistence, timers, conditions, rules, actions, and Workflow Templates (Scheme Inlining), subject to its documented limits and its terms: personal use and internal commercial use, with attribution. Paid editions add capabilities such as clustering and multitenancy; see the Workflow Engine Editions page for the full breakdown.
Can I evaluate the features before purchasing?
Yes. Workflow Engine Free needs no license key and has no time limit: install the NuGet package and run your first process in minutes. Free can stay in production for personal use and internal commercial use, with attribution, within its limits of 10 workflow definitions (Schemes) and 4 execution threads. BPMN import, clustering, and other features outside Free need a commercial license; Workflow Engine Editions lists them.
What is the difference between a feature and a plugin?
A feature is a core capability built into the Workflow Engine runtime (versioning, timers, multitenancy, etc.). A plugin is an optional NuGet package that adds reusable workflow patterns (approvals, loops, file operations, Microsoft Entra ID integration). Plugins extend what you can do in a scheme but depend on the runtime to execute. See the Plugin System page for details.
Next steps
Install Workflow Engine
Set up the runtime and database and run your first process instance in 15 minutes.
Start with the Workflow Designer
See how business users create and modify processes in your application - explore Workflow Engine features hands-on.
Workflow Engine Editions
Compare Free and Commercial editions to choose the right license for your project.