Simple Workflow Service (SWF)

Introduction

Simple Workflow Service (SWF) is a fully managed service offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS) that enables you to build and manage applications with distributed components and complex workflows. SWF allows you to define workflows in a way that’s separate from the actual application code, making it easier to modify and adapt workflows without changing the application logic. SWF also provides a programming framework to design, coordinate, and execute workflows that involve multiple tasks, steps, and decision points.

LocalStack allows you to use the SWF APIs in your local environment to monitor and manage workflow design, task coordination, activity implementation, and error handling. The supported APIs are available on our API Coverage section, which provides information on the extent of SWF’s integration with LocalStack.

Getting started

This guide is designed for users new to Simple Workflow Service and assumes basic knowledge of the AWS CLI and our lstk aws command.

Start your LocalStack container using your preferred method. We will demonstrate how to register an SWF domain and workflow using the AWS CLI.

Registering a domain

You can register an SWF domain using the RegisterDomain API. Execute the following command to register a domain named test-domain:

lstk aws swf register-domain \
    --name test-domain \
    --workflow-execution-retention-period-in-days 1

You can use the DescribeDomain API to verify that the domain was registered successfully. Run the following command to describe the test-domain domain:

lstk aws swf describe-domain \
    --name test-domain

Output

{
    "domainInfo": {
        "name": "test-domain",
        "status": "REGISTERED",
        "arn": "arn:aws:swf:us-east-1:000000000000:/domain/test-domain"
    },
    "configuration": {
        "workflowExecutionRetentionPeriodInDays": "1"
    }
}

List the domains

You can list all registered domains using the ListDomains API. Run the following command to list all registered domains:

lstk aws swf list-domains --registration-status REGISTERED

To deprecate a domain, use the DeprecateDomain API. Run the following command to deprecate the test-domain domain:

lstk aws swf deprecate-domain \
    --name test-domain

You can now list the deprecated domains using the --registration-status DEPRECATED flag:

lstk aws swf list-domains --registration-status DEPRECATED

Registering a workflow

You can register a workflow using the RegisterWorkflowType API. Execute the following command to register a workflow named test-workflow:

lstk aws swf register-workflow-type \
    --domain test-domain \
    --name test-workflow \
    --default-task-list name=test-task-list \
    --default-task-start-to-close-timeout 30 \
    --default-execution-start-to-close-timeout 60 \
    --default-child-policy TERMINATE \
    --workflow-version "1.0"

You can use the DescribeWorkflowType API to verify that the workflow was registered successfully. Run the following command to describe the test-workflow workflow:

lstk aws swf describe-workflow-type \
    --domain test-domain \
    --workflow-type name=test-workflow,version=1.0

The following output would be retrieved:

Output

{
    "typeInfo": {
        "workflowType": {
            "name": "test-workflow",
            "version": "1.0"
        },
        "status": "REGISTERED",
        "creationDate": 1420066800.0
    },
    "configuration": {
        "defaultTaskStartToCloseTimeout": "30",
        "defaultExecutionStartToCloseTimeout": "60",
        "defaultTaskList": {
            "name": "test-task-list"
        },
        "defaultChildPolicy": "TERMINATE"
    }
}

Registering an activity

You can register an activity using the RegisterActivityType API. Execute the following command to register an activity named test-activity:

lstk aws swf register-activity-type \
    --domain test-domain \
    --name test-activity \
    --default-task-list name=test-task-list \
    --default-task-start-to-close-timeout 30 \
    --default-task-heartbeat-timeout 30 \
    --default-task-schedule-to-start-timeout 30 \
    --default-task-schedule-to-close-timeout 30 \
    --activity-version "1.0"

You can use the DescribeActivityType API to verify that the activity was registered successfully. Run the following command to describe the test-activity activity:

lstk aws swf describe-activity-type \
    --domain test-domain \
    --activity-type name=test-activity,version=1.0

The following output would be retrieved:

Output

{
    "typeInfo": {
        "activityType": {
            "name": "test-activity",
            "version": "1.0"
        },
        "status": "REGISTERED",
        "creationDate": 1420066800.0
    },
    "configuration": {
        "defaultTaskStartToCloseTimeout": "30",
        "defaultTaskHeartbeatTimeout": "30",
        "defaultTaskList": {
            "name": "test-task-list"
        },
        "defaultTaskScheduleToStartTimeout": "30",
        "defaultTaskScheduleToCloseTimeout": "30"
    }
}

Starting a workflow execution

You can start a workflow execution using the StartWorkflowExecution API. Execute the following command to start a workflow execution for the test-workflow workflow:

lstk aws swf start-workflow-execution \
    --domain test-domain \
    --workflow-type name=test-workflow,version=1.0 \
    --workflow-id test-workflow-id \
    --task-list name=test-task-list \
    --input '{"foo": "bar"}'

The following output would be retrieved:

Output

{
    "runId": "0602601afc71403abb934d8094c51668"
}

API Coverage

30 of 39 operations implemented

Available from the Hobby plan. Licensing details

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Complete static API list All 39 operations and their current support status

Operation	Status
CountClosedWorkflowExecutions	Not implemented
CountOpenWorkflowExecutions	Not implemented
CountPendingActivityTasks	Implemented
CountPendingDecisionTasks	Implemented
DeleteActivityType	Not implemented
DeleteWorkflowType	Not implemented
DeprecateActivityType	Implemented
DeprecateDomain	Implemented
DeprecateWorkflowType	Implemented
DescribeActivityType	Implemented
DescribeDomain	Implemented
DescribeWorkflowExecution	Implemented
DescribeWorkflowType	Implemented
GetWorkflowExecutionHistory	Implemented
ListActivityTypes	Implemented
ListClosedWorkflowExecutions	Implemented
ListDomains	Implemented
ListOpenWorkflowExecutions	Implemented
ListTagsForResource	Not implemented
ListWorkflowTypes	Implemented
PollForActivityTask	Implemented
PollForDecisionTask	Implemented
RecordActivityTaskHeartbeat	Implemented
RegisterActivityType	Implemented
RegisterDomain	Implemented
RegisterWorkflowType	Implemented
RequestCancelWorkflowExecution	Not implemented
RespondActivityTaskCanceled	Not implemented
RespondActivityTaskCompleted	Implemented
RespondActivityTaskFailed	Implemented
RespondDecisionTaskCompleted	Implemented
SignalWorkflowExecution	Implemented
StartWorkflowExecution	Implemented
TagResource	Not implemented
TerminateWorkflowExecution	Implemented
UndeprecateActivityType	Implemented
UndeprecateDomain	Implemented
UndeprecateWorkflowType	Implemented
UntagResource	Not implemented