How to: Author a workflow

Learn how to develop and author workflows

Note

Dapr Workflow is currently in beta. See known limitations for 1.13.0.

This article provides a high-level overview of how to author workflows that are executed by the Dapr Workflow engine.

Note

If you haven’t already, try out the workflow quickstart for a quick walk-through on how to use workflows.

Author workflows as code

Dapr Workflow logic is implemented using general purpose programming languages, allowing you to:

Use your preferred programming language (no need to learn a new DSL or YAML schema).
Have access to the language’s standard libraries.
Build your own libraries and abstractions.
Use debuggers and examine local variables.
Write unit tests for your workflows, just like any other part of your application logic.

The Dapr sidecar doesn’t load any workflow definitions. Rather, the sidecar simply drives the execution of the workflows, leaving all the workflow activities to be part of the application.

Write the workflow activities

Workflow activities are the basic unit of work in a workflow and are the tasks that get orchestrated in the business process.

Python
JavaScript
.NET
Java
Go

Define the workflow activities you’d like your workflow to perform. Activities are a function definition and can take inputs and outputs. The following example creates a counter (activity) called hello_act that notifies users of the current counter value. hello_act is a function derived from a class called WorkflowActivityContext.

def hello_act(ctx: WorkflowActivityContext, input):
    global counter
    counter += input
    print(f'New counter value is: {counter}!', flush=True)

See the hello_act workflow activity in context.

Define the workflow activities you’d like your workflow to perform. Activities are wrapped in the WorkflowActivityContext class, which implements the workflow activities.

export default class WorkflowActivityContext {
  private readonly _innerContext: ActivityContext;
  constructor(innerContext: ActivityContext) {
    if (!innerContext) {
      throw new Error("ActivityContext cannot be undefined");
    }
    this._innerContext = innerContext;
  }
  public getWorkflowInstanceId(): string {
    return this._innerContext.orchestrationId;
  }
  public getWorkflowActivityId(): number {
    return this._innerContext.taskId;
  }
}

See the workflow activity in context.

Define the workflow activities you’d like your workflow to perform. Activities are a class definition and can take inputs and outputs. Activities also participate in dependency injection, like binding to a Dapr client.

The activities called in the example below are:

NotifyActivity: Receive notification of a new order.
ReserveInventoryActivity: Check for sufficient inventory to meet the new order.
ProcessPaymentActivity: Process payment for the order. Includes NotifyActivity to send notification of successful order.

NotifyActivity

public class NotifyActivity : WorkflowActivity<Notification, object>
{
    //...
    public NotifyActivity(ILoggerFactory loggerFactory)
    {
        this.logger = loggerFactory.CreateLogger<NotifyActivity>();
    }
    //...
}

See the full NotifyActivity.cs workflow activity example.

ReserveInventoryActivity

public class ReserveInventoryActivity : WorkflowActivity<InventoryRequest, InventoryResult>
{
    //...
    public ReserveInventoryActivity(ILoggerFactory loggerFactory, DaprClient client)
    {
        this.logger = loggerFactory.CreateLogger<ReserveInventoryActivity>();
        this.client = client;
    }
    //...
}

See the full ReserveInventoryActivity.cs workflow activity example.

ProcessPaymentActivity

public class ProcessPaymentActivity : WorkflowActivity<PaymentRequest, object>
{
    //...
    public ProcessPaymentActivity(ILoggerFactory loggerFactory)
    {
        this.logger = loggerFactory.CreateLogger<ProcessPaymentActivity>();
    }
    //...
}

See the full ProcessPaymentActivity.cs workflow activity example.

Define the workflow activities you’d like your workflow to perform. Activities are wrapped in the public DemoWorkflowActivity class, which implements the workflow activities.

@JsonAutoDetect(fieldVisibility = JsonAutoDetect.Visibility.ANY)
public class DemoWorkflowActivity implements WorkflowActivity {
  @Override
  public DemoActivityOutput run(WorkflowActivityContext ctx) {
    Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(DemoWorkflowActivity.class);
    logger.info("Starting Activity: " + ctx.getName());
    var message = ctx.getInput(DemoActivityInput.class).getMessage();
    var newMessage = message + " World!, from Activity";
    logger.info("Message Received from input: " + message);
    logger.info("Sending message to output: " + newMessage);
    logger.info("Sleeping for 5 seconds to simulate long running operation...");
    try {
      TimeUnit.SECONDS.sleep(5);
    } catch (InterruptedException e) {
      throw new RuntimeException(e);
    }
    logger.info("Activity finished");
    var output = new DemoActivityOutput(message, newMessage);
    logger.info("Activity returned: " + output);
    return output;
  }
}

See the Java SDK workflow activity example in context.

Define each workflow activity you’d like your workflow to perform. The Activity input can be unmarshalled from the context with ctx.GetInput. Activities should be defined as taking a ctx workflow.ActivityContext parameter and returning an interface and error.

func TestActivity(ctx workflow.ActivityContext) (any, error) {
    var input int
    if err := ctx.GetInput(&input); err != nil {
        return "", err
    }
    // Do something here
    return "result", nil
}

See the Go SDK workflow activity example in context.

Write the workflow

Next, register and call the activites in a workflow.

Python
JavaScript
.NET
Java
Go

The hello_world_wf function is derived from a class called DaprWorkflowContext with input and output parameter types. It also includes a yield statement that does the heavy lifting of the workflow and calls the workflow activities.

def hello_world_wf(ctx: DaprWorkflowContext, input):
    print(f'{input}')
    yield ctx.call_activity(hello_act, input=1)
    yield ctx.call_activity(hello_act, input=10)
    yield ctx.wait_for_external_event("event1")
    yield ctx.call_activity(hello_act, input=100)
    yield ctx.call_activity(hello_act, input=1000)

See the hello_world_wf workflow in context.

Next, register the workflow with the WorkflowRuntime class and start the workflow runtime.

export default class WorkflowRuntime {
  //..
  // Register workflow implementation for handling orchestrations
  public registerWorkflow(workflow: TWorkflow): WorkflowRuntime {
    const name = getFunctionName(workflow);
    const workflowWrapper = (ctx: OrchestrationContext, input: any): any => {
      const workflowContext = new WorkflowContext(ctx);
      return workflow(workflowContext, input);
    };
    this.worker.addNamedOrchestrator(name, workflowWrapper);
    return this;
  }
  // Register workflow activities
  public registerActivity(fn: TWorkflowActivity<TInput, TOutput>): WorkflowRuntime {
    const name = getFunctionName(fn);
    const activityWrapper = (ctx: ActivityContext, intput: TInput): TOutput => {
      const wfActivityContext = new WorkflowActivityContext(ctx);
      return fn(wfActivityContext, intput);
    };
    this.worker.addNamedActivity(name, activityWrapper);
    return this;
  }
  // Start the workflow runtime processing items and block.
  public async start() {
    await this.worker.start();
  }
}

See the WorkflowRuntime in context.

The OrderProcessingWorkflow class is derived from a base class called Workflow with input and output parameter types. It also includes a RunAsync method that does the heavy lifting of the workflow and calls the workflow activities.

 class OrderProcessingWorkflow : Workflow<OrderPayload, OrderResult>
    {
        public override async Task<OrderResult> RunAsync(WorkflowContext context, OrderPayload order)
        {
            //...
            await context.CallActivityAsync(
                nameof(NotifyActivity),
                new Notification($"Received order {orderId} for {order.Name} at {order.TotalCost:c}"));
            //...
            InventoryResult result = await context.CallActivityAsync<InventoryResult>(
                nameof(ReserveInventoryActivity),
                new InventoryRequest(RequestId: orderId, order.Name, order.Quantity));
            //...
            await context.CallActivityAsync(
                nameof(ProcessPaymentActivity),
                new PaymentRequest(RequestId: orderId, order.TotalCost, "USD"));
            await context.CallActivityAsync(
                nameof(NotifyActivity),
                new Notification($"Order {orderId} processed successfully!"));
            // End the workflow with a success result
            return new OrderResult(Processed: true);
        }
    }

See the full workflow example in OrderProcessingWorkflow.cs.

Next, register the workflow with the WorkflowRuntimeBuilder and start the workflow runtime.

public class DemoWorkflowWorker {
  public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
    // Register the Workflow with the builder.
    WorkflowRuntimeBuilder builder = new WorkflowRuntimeBuilder().registerWorkflow(DemoWorkflow.class);
    builder.registerActivity(DemoWorkflowActivity.class);
    // Build and then start the workflow runtime pulling and executing tasks
    try (WorkflowRuntime runtime = builder.build()) {
      System.out.println("Start workflow runtime");
      runtime.start();
    }
    System.exit(0);
  }
}

See the Java SDK workflow in context.

Define your workflow function with the parameter ctx *workflow.WorkflowContext and return any and error. Invoke your defined activities from within your workflow.

func TestWorkflow(ctx *workflow.WorkflowContext) (any, error) {
    var input int
    if err := ctx.GetInput(&input); err != nil {
        return nil, err
    }
    var output string
    if err := ctx.CallActivity(TestActivity, workflow.ActivityInput(input)).Await(&output); err != nil {
        return nil, err
    }
    if err := ctx.WaitForExternalEvent("testEvent", time.Second*60).Await(&output); err != nil {
        return nil, err
    }
    if err := ctx.CreateTimer(time.Second).Await(nil); err != nil {
        return nil, nil
    }
    return output, nil
}

See the Go SDK workflow in context.

Write the application

Finally, compose the application using the workflow.

Python
JavaScript
.NET
Java
Go

In the following example, for a basic Python hello world application using the Python SDK, your project code would include:

A Python package called DaprClient to receive the Python SDK capabilities.
A builder with extensions called:
- WorkflowRuntime: Allows you to register workflows and workflow activities
- DaprWorkflowContext: Allows you to create workflows
- WorkflowActivityContext: Allows you to create workflow activities
API calls. In the example below, these calls start, pause, resume, purge, and terminate the workflow.

from dapr.ext.workflow import WorkflowRuntime, DaprWorkflowContext, WorkflowActivityContext
from dapr.clients import DaprClient
# ...
def main():
    with DaprClient() as d:
        host = settings.DAPR_RUNTIME_HOST
        port = settings.DAPR_GRPC_PORT
        workflowRuntime = WorkflowRuntime(host, port)
        workflowRuntime = WorkflowRuntime()
        workflowRuntime.register_workflow(hello_world_wf)
        workflowRuntime.register_activity(hello_act)
        workflowRuntime.start()
        # Start workflow
        print("==========Start Counter Increase as per Input:==========")
        start_resp = d.start_workflow(instance_id=instanceId, workflow_component=workflowComponent,
                        workflow_name=workflowName, input=inputData, workflow_options=workflowOptions)
        print(f"start_resp {start_resp.instance_id}")
        # ...
        # Pause workflow
        d.pause_workflow(instance_id=instanceId, workflow_component=workflowComponent)
        getResponse = d.get_workflow(instance_id=instanceId, workflow_component=workflowComponent)
        print(f"Get response from {workflowName} after pause call: {getResponse.runtime_status}")
        # Resume workflow
        d.resume_workflow(instance_id=instanceId, workflow_component=workflowComponent)
        getResponse = d.get_workflow(instance_id=instanceId, workflow_component=workflowComponent)
        print(f"Get response from {workflowName} after resume call: {getResponse.runtime_status}")
        sleep(1)
        # Raise workflow
        d.raise_workflow_event(instance_id=instanceId, workflow_component=workflowComponent,
                    event_name=eventName, event_data=eventData)
        sleep(5)
        # Purge workflow
        d.purge_workflow(instance_id=instanceId, workflow_component=workflowComponent)
        try:
            getResponse = d.get_workflow(instance_id=instanceId, workflow_component=workflowComponent)
        except DaprInternalError as err:
            if nonExistentIDError in err._message:
                print("Instance Successfully Purged")
        # Kick off another workflow for termination purposes 
        start_resp = d.start_workflow(instance_id=instanceId, workflow_component=workflowComponent,
                        workflow_name=workflowName, input=inputData, workflow_options=workflowOptions)
        print(f"start_resp {start_resp.instance_id}")
        # Terminate workflow
        d.terminate_workflow(instance_id=instanceId, workflow_component=workflowComponent)
        sleep(1)
        getResponse = d.get_workflow(instance_id=instanceId, workflow_component=workflowComponent)
        print(f"Get response from {workflowName} after terminate call: {getResponse.runtime_status}")
        # Purge workflow
        d.purge_workflow(instance_id=instanceId, workflow_component=workflowComponent)
        try:
            getResponse = d.get_workflow(instance_id=instanceId, workflow_component=workflowComponent)
        except DaprInternalError as err:
            if nonExistentIDError in err._message:
                print("Instance Successfully Purged")
        workflowRuntime.shutdown()
if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

The following example is a basic JavaScript application using the JavaScript SDK. As in this example, your project code would include:

A builder with extensions called:
- WorkflowRuntime: Allows you to register workflows and workflow activities
- DaprWorkflowContext: Allows you to create workflows
- WorkflowActivityContext: Allows you to create workflow activities
API calls. In the example below, these calls start, terminate, get status, pause, resume, raise event, and purge the workflow.

import { TaskHubGrpcClient } from "@microsoft/durabletask-js";
import { WorkflowState } from "./WorkflowState";
import { generateApiTokenClientInterceptors, generateEndpoint, getDaprApiToken } from "../internal/index";
import { TWorkflow } from "../../types/workflow/Workflow.type";
import { getFunctionName } from "../internal";
import { WorkflowClientOptions } from "../../types/workflow/WorkflowClientOption";
/** DaprWorkflowClient class defines client operations for managing workflow instances. */
export default class DaprWorkflowClient {
  private readonly _innerClient: TaskHubGrpcClient;
  /** Initialize a new instance of the DaprWorkflowClient.
   */
  constructor(options: Partial<WorkflowClientOptions> = {}) {
    const grpcEndpoint = generateEndpoint(options);
    options.daprApiToken = getDaprApiToken(options);
    this._innerClient = this.buildInnerClient(grpcEndpoint.endpoint, options);
  }
  private buildInnerClient(hostAddress: string, options: Partial<WorkflowClientOptions>): TaskHubGrpcClient {
    let innerOptions = options?.grpcOptions;
    if (options.daprApiToken !== undefined && options.daprApiToken !== "") {
      innerOptions = {
        ...innerOptions,
        interceptors: [generateApiTokenClientInterceptors(options), ...(innerOptions?.interceptors ?? [])],
      };
    }
    return new TaskHubGrpcClient(hostAddress, innerOptions);
  }
  /**
   * Schedule a new workflow using the DurableTask client.
   */
  public async scheduleNewWorkflow(
    workflow: TWorkflow | string,
    input?: any,
    instanceId?: string,
    startAt?: Date,
  ): Promise<string> {
    if (typeof workflow === "string") {
      return await this._innerClient.scheduleNewOrchestration(workflow, input, instanceId, startAt);
    }
    return await this._innerClient.scheduleNewOrchestration(getFunctionName(workflow), input, instanceId, startAt);
  }
  /**
   * Terminate the workflow associated with the provided instance id.
   *
   * @param {string} workflowInstanceId - Workflow instance id to terminate.
   * @param {any} output - The optional output to set for the terminated workflow instance.
   */
  public async terminateWorkflow(workflowInstanceId: string, output: any) {
    await this._innerClient.terminateOrchestration(workflowInstanceId, output);
  }
  /**
   * Fetch workflow instance metadata from the configured durable store.
   */
  public async getWorkflowState(
    workflowInstanceId: string,
    getInputsAndOutputs: boolean,
  ): Promise<WorkflowState | undefined> {
    const state = await this._innerClient.getOrchestrationState(workflowInstanceId, getInputsAndOutputs);
    if (state !== undefined) {
      return new WorkflowState(state);
    }
  }
  /**
   * Waits for a workflow to start running
   */
  public async waitForWorkflowStart(
    workflowInstanceId: string,
    fetchPayloads = true,
    timeoutInSeconds = 60,
  ): Promise<WorkflowState | undefined> {
    const state = await this._innerClient.waitForOrchestrationStart(
      workflowInstanceId,
      fetchPayloads,
      timeoutInSeconds,
    );
    if (state !== undefined) {
      return new WorkflowState(state);
    }
  }
  /**
   * Waits for a workflow to complete running
   */
  public async waitForWorkflowCompletion(
    workflowInstanceId: string,
    fetchPayloads = true,
    timeoutInSeconds = 60,
  ): Promise<WorkflowState | undefined> {
    const state = await this._innerClient.waitForOrchestrationCompletion(
      workflowInstanceId,
      fetchPayloads,
      timeoutInSeconds,
    );
    if (state != undefined) {
      return new WorkflowState(state);
    }
  }
  /**
   * Sends an event notification message to an awaiting workflow instance
   */
  public async raiseEvent(workflowInstanceId: string, eventName: string, eventPayload?: any) {
    this._innerClient.raiseOrchestrationEvent(workflowInstanceId, eventName, eventPayload);
  }
  /**
   * Purges the workflow instance state from the workflow state store.
   */
  public async purgeWorkflow(workflowInstanceId: string): Promise<boolean> {
    const purgeResult = await this._innerClient.purgeOrchestration(workflowInstanceId);
    if (purgeResult !== undefined) {
      return purgeResult.deletedInstanceCount > 0;
    }
    return false;
  }
  /**
   * Closes the inner DurableTask client and shutdown the GRPC channel.
   */
  public async stop() {
    await this._innerClient.stop();
  }
}

In the following Program.cs example, for a basic ASP.NET order processing application using the .NET SDK, your project code would include:

A NuGet package called Dapr.Workflow to receive the .NET SDK capabilities
A builder with an extension method called AddDaprWorkflow
- This will allow you to register workflows and workflow activities (tasks that workflows can schedule)
HTTP API calls
- One for submitting a new order
- One for checking the status of an existing order

using Dapr.Workflow;
//...
// Dapr Workflows are registered as part of the service configuration
builder.Services.AddDaprWorkflow(options =>
{
    // Note that it's also possible to register a lambda function as the workflow
    // or activity implementation instead of a class.
    options.RegisterWorkflow<OrderProcessingWorkflow>();
    // These are the activities that get invoked by the workflow(s).
    options.RegisterActivity<NotifyActivity>();
    options.RegisterActivity<ReserveInventoryActivity>();
    options.RegisterActivity<ProcessPaymentActivity>();
});
WebApplication app = builder.Build();
// POST starts new order workflow instance
app.MapPost("/orders", async (DaprWorkflowClient client, [FromBody] OrderPayload orderInfo) =>
{
    if (orderInfo?.Name == null)
    {
        return Results.BadRequest(new
        {
            message = "Order data was missing from the request",
            example = new OrderPayload("Paperclips", 99.95),
        });
    }
//...
});
// GET fetches state for order workflow to report status
app.MapGet("/orders/{orderId}", async (string orderId, DaprWorkflowClient client) =>
{
    WorkflowState state = await client.GetWorkflowStateAsync(orderId, true);
    if (!state.Exists)
    {
        return Results.NotFound($"No order with ID = '{orderId}' was found.");
    }
    var httpResponsePayload = new
    {
        details = state.ReadInputAs<OrderPayload>(),
        status = state.RuntimeStatus.ToString(),
        result = state.ReadOutputAs<OrderResult>(),
    };
//...
}).WithName("GetOrderInfoEndpoint");
app.Run();

As in the following example, a hello-world application using the Java SDK and Dapr Workflow would include:

A Java package called io.dapr.workflows.client to receive the Java SDK client capabilities.
An import of io.dapr.workflows.Workflow
The DemoWorkflow class which extends Workflow
Creating the workflow with input and output.
API calls. In the example below, these calls start and call the workflow activities.

package io.dapr.examples.workflows;
import com.microsoft.durabletask.CompositeTaskFailedException;
import com.microsoft.durabletask.Task;
import com.microsoft.durabletask.TaskCanceledException;
import io.dapr.workflows.Workflow;
import io.dapr.workflows.WorkflowStub;
import java.time.Duration;
import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.List;
/**
 * Implementation of the DemoWorkflow for the server side.
 */
public class DemoWorkflow extends Workflow {
  @Override
  public WorkflowStub create() {
    return ctx -> {
      ctx.getLogger().info("Starting Workflow: " + ctx.getName());
      // ...
      ctx.getLogger().info("Calling Activity...");
      var input = new DemoActivityInput("Hello Activity!");
      var output = ctx.callActivity(DemoWorkflowActivity.class.getName(), input, DemoActivityOutput.class).await();
      // ...
    };
  }
}

See the full Java SDK workflow example in context.

As in the following example, a hello-world application using the Go SDK and Dapr Workflow would include:

A Go package called client to receive the Go SDK client capabilities.
The TestWorkflow method
Creating the workflow with input and output.
API calls. In the example below, these calls start and call the workflow activities.

package main
import (
    "context"
    "fmt"
    "log"
    "time"
    "github.com/dapr/go-sdk/client"
    "github.com/dapr/go-sdk/workflow"
)
var stage = 0
const (
    workflowComponent = "dapr"
)
func main() {
    w, err := workflow.NewWorker()
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatal(err)
    }
    fmt.Println("Worker initialized")
    if err := w.RegisterWorkflow(TestWorkflow); err != nil {
        log.Fatal(err)
    }
    fmt.Println("TestWorkflow registered")
    if err := w.RegisterActivity(TestActivity); err != nil {
        log.Fatal(err)
    }
    fmt.Println("TestActivity registered")
    // Start workflow runner
    if err := w.Start(); err != nil {
        log.Fatal(err)
    }
    fmt.Println("runner started")
    daprClient, err := client.NewClient()
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("failed to intialise client: %v", err)
    }
    defer daprClient.Close()
    ctx := context.Background()
    // Start workflow test
    respStart, err := daprClient.StartWorkflowBeta1(ctx, &client.StartWorkflowRequest{
        InstanceID:        "a7a4168d-3a1c-41da-8a4f-e7f6d9c718d9",
        WorkflowComponent: workflowComponent,
        WorkflowName:      "TestWorkflow",
        Options:           nil,
        Input:             1,
        SendRawInput:      false,
    })
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("failed to start workflow: %v", err)
    }
    fmt.Printf("workflow started with id: %v\n", respStart.InstanceID)
    // Pause workflow test
    err = daprClient.PauseWorkflowBeta1(ctx, &client.PauseWorkflowRequest{
        InstanceID:        "a7a4168d-3a1c-41da-8a4f-e7f6d9c718d9",
        WorkflowComponent: workflowComponent,
    })
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("failed to pause workflow: %v", err)
    }
    respGet, err := daprClient.GetWorkflowBeta1(ctx, &client.GetWorkflowRequest{
        InstanceID:        "a7a4168d-3a1c-41da-8a4f-e7f6d9c718d9",
        WorkflowComponent: workflowComponent,
    })
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("failed to get workflow: %v", err)
    }
    if respGet.RuntimeStatus != workflow.StatusSuspended.String() {
        log.Fatalf("workflow not paused: %v", respGet.RuntimeStatus)
    }
    fmt.Printf("workflow paused\n")
    // Resume workflow test
    err = daprClient.ResumeWorkflowBeta1(ctx, &client.ResumeWorkflowRequest{
        InstanceID:        "a7a4168d-3a1c-41da-8a4f-e7f6d9c718d9",
        WorkflowComponent: workflowComponent,
    })
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("failed to resume workflow: %v", err)
    }
    respGet, err = daprClient.GetWorkflowBeta1(ctx, &client.GetWorkflowRequest{
        InstanceID:        "a7a4168d-3a1c-41da-8a4f-e7f6d9c718d9",
        WorkflowComponent: workflowComponent,
    })
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("failed to get workflow: %v", err)
    }
    if respGet.RuntimeStatus != workflow.StatusRunning.String() {
        log.Fatalf("workflow not running")
    }
    fmt.Println("workflow resumed")
    fmt.Printf("stage: %d\n", stage)
    // Raise Event Test
    err = daprClient.RaiseEventWorkflowBeta1(ctx, &client.RaiseEventWorkflowRequest{
        InstanceID:        "a7a4168d-3a1c-41da-8a4f-e7f6d9c718d9",
        WorkflowComponent: workflowComponent,
        EventName:         "testEvent",
        EventData:         "testData",
        SendRawData:       false,
    })
    if err != nil {
        fmt.Printf("failed to raise event: %v", err)
    }
    fmt.Println("workflow event raised")
    time.Sleep(time.Second) // allow workflow to advance
    fmt.Printf("stage: %d\n", stage)
    respGet, err = daprClient.GetWorkflowBeta1(ctx, &client.GetWorkflowRequest{
        InstanceID:        "a7a4168d-3a1c-41da-8a4f-e7f6d9c718d9",
        WorkflowComponent: workflowComponent,
    })
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("failed to get workflow: %v", err)
    }
    fmt.Printf("workflow status: %v\n", respGet.RuntimeStatus)
    // Purge workflow test
    err = daprClient.PurgeWorkflowBeta1(ctx, &client.PurgeWorkflowRequest{
        InstanceID:        "a7a4168d-3a1c-41da-8a4f-e7f6d9c718d9",
        WorkflowComponent: workflowComponent,
    })
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("failed to purge workflow: %v", err)
    }
    respGet, err = daprClient.GetWorkflowBeta1(ctx, &client.GetWorkflowRequest{
        InstanceID:        "a7a4168d-3a1c-41da-8a4f-e7f6d9c718d9",
        WorkflowComponent: workflowComponent,
    })
    if err != nil && respGet != nil {
        log.Fatal("failed to purge workflow")
    }
    fmt.Println("workflow purged")
    fmt.Printf("stage: %d\n", stage)
    // Terminate workflow test
    respStart, err = daprClient.StartWorkflowBeta1(ctx, &client.StartWorkflowRequest{
        InstanceID:        "a7a4168d-3a1c-41da-8a4f-e7f6d9c718d9",
        WorkflowComponent: workflowComponent,
        WorkflowName:      "TestWorkflow",
        Options:           nil,
        Input:             1,
        SendRawInput:      false,
    })
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("failed to start workflow: %v", err)
    }
    fmt.Printf("workflow started with id: %s\n", respStart.InstanceID)
    err = daprClient.TerminateWorkflowBeta1(ctx, &client.TerminateWorkflowRequest{
        InstanceID:        "a7a4168d-3a1c-41da-8a4f-e7f6d9c718d9",
        WorkflowComponent: workflowComponent,
    })
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("failed to terminate workflow: %v", err)
    }
    respGet, err = daprClient.GetWorkflowBeta1(ctx, &client.GetWorkflowRequest{
        InstanceID:        "a7a4168d-3a1c-41da-8a4f-e7f6d9c718d9",
        WorkflowComponent: workflowComponent,
    })
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("failed to get workflow: %v", err)
    }
    if respGet.RuntimeStatus != workflow.StatusTerminated.String() {
        log.Fatal("failed to terminate workflow")
    }
    fmt.Println("workflow terminated")
    err = daprClient.PurgeWorkflowBeta1(ctx, &client.PurgeWorkflowRequest{
        InstanceID:        "a7a4168d-3a1c-41da-8a4f-e7f6d9c718d9",
        WorkflowComponent: workflowComponent,
    })
    respGet, err = daprClient.GetWorkflowBeta1(ctx, &client.GetWorkflowRequest{
        InstanceID:        "a7a4168d-3a1c-41da-8a4f-e7f6d9c718d9",
        WorkflowComponent: workflowComponent,
    })
    if err == nil || respGet != nil {
        log.Fatalf("failed to purge workflow: %v", err)
    }
    fmt.Println("workflow purged")
    stage = 0
    fmt.Println("workflow client test")
    wfClient, err := workflow.NewClient()
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("[wfclient] faield to initialize: %v", err)
    }
    id, err := wfClient.ScheduleNewWorkflow(ctx, "TestWorkflow", workflow.WithInstanceID("a7a4168d-3a1c-41da-8a4f-e7f6d9c718d9"), workflow.WithInput(1))
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("[wfclient] failed to start workflow: %v", err)
    }
    fmt.Printf("[wfclient] started workflow with id: %s\n", id)
    metadata, err := wfClient.FetchWorkflowMetadata(ctx, id)
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("[wfclient] failed to get worfklow: %v", err)
    }
    fmt.Printf("[wfclient] workflow status: %v\n", metadata.RuntimeStatus.String())
    if stage != 1 {
        log.Fatalf("Workflow assertion failed while validating the wfclient. Stage 1 expected, current: %d", stage)
    }
    fmt.Printf("[wfclient] stage: %d\n", stage)
    // raise event
    if err := wfClient.RaiseEvent(ctx, id, "testEvent", workflow.WithEventPayload("testData")); err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("[wfclient] failed to raise event: %v", err)
    }
    fmt.Println("[wfclient] event raised")
    // Sleep to allow the workflow to advance
    time.Sleep(time.Second)
    if stage != 2 {
        log.Fatalf("Workflow assertion failed while validating the wfclient. Stage 2 expected, current: %d", stage)
    }
    fmt.Printf("[wfclient] stage: %d\n", stage)
    // stop workflow
    if err := wfClient.TerminateWorkflow(ctx, id); err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("[wfclient] failed to terminate workflow: %v", err)
    }
    fmt.Println("[wfclient] workflow terminated")
    if err := wfClient.PurgeWorkflow(ctx, id); err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("[wfclient] failed to purge workflow: %v", err)
    }
    fmt.Println("[wfclient] workflow purged")
    // stop workflow runtime
    if err := w.Shutdown(); err != nil {
        log.Fatalf("failed to shutdown runtime: %v", err)
    }
    fmt.Println("workflow worker successfully shutdown")
}
func TestWorkflow(ctx *workflow.WorkflowContext) (any, error) {
    var input int
    if err := ctx.GetInput(&input); err != nil {
        return nil, err
    }
    var output string
    if err := ctx.CallActivity(TestActivity, workflow.ActivityInput(input)).Await(&output); err != nil {
        return nil, err
    }
    err := ctx.WaitForExternalEvent("testEvent", time.Second*60).Await(&output)
    if err != nil {
        return nil, err
    }
    if err := ctx.CallActivity(TestActivity, workflow.ActivityInput(input)).Await(&output); err != nil {
        return nil, err
    }
    return output, nil
}
func TestActivity(ctx workflow.ActivityContext) (any, error) {
    var input int
    if err := ctx.GetInput(&input); err != nil {
        return "", err
    }
    stage += input
    return fmt.Sprintf("Stage: %d", stage), nil
}

See the full Go SDK workflow example in context.

Important

Because of how replay-based workflows execute, you’ll write logic that does things like I/O and interacting with systems inside activities. Meanwhile, the workflow method is just for orchestrating those activities.