flow-builder

flow-builder provides an open source frontend for authoring flow interoperability project specification compliant flows. It enables the importing, editing and exporting of flow json, as well as authoring from scratch. Such flows can then be run using a compatible flow runner such as FLOIP/flow-runner.

What are flows

Flows are a modern paradigm for describing the logic of digital information systems that interact with individuals, often for the purpose of (a) collecting data or (b) providing information through interactive requests. Some common examples of this are in mobile services using voice-based or SMS-based conversations over basic mobile phones. Flows follow the "flowchart" paradigm, consisting of actions (nodes) and connections between actions, which can incorporate decision-making logic.

Project setup

For quick serving, just follow this:

git clone [email protected]:FLOIP/flow-builder.git
cd flow-builder
yarn install
yarn serve

And visit localhost:8080/trees/create to create a new flow or localhost:8080/trees/1/edit to edit an example flow.

Note, yarn serve will also hot reload for development.

Development

Frequently used yarn commands

| Command | Description | |---------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | yarn install | Install dependencies | | yarn serve | Serve the app, and provide hot reload for development | | yarn build-bundle | Compiles and minifies for production & for other consumer apps | | yarn resolve-conflicting-builds | Resolves dist/ conflicts and rebuilds the application | | yarn update-flow-runner | Interactive update for flow-runner | | yarn deep-update-flow-packages | Making sure the flow project dependencies are updated correctly | | yarn lint | Lints and fixes files |

Check the packages.json's scripts to see more available commands.

Routes

| Route definition place | Description | |---------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | builder.config.json | a list of all needed routes, used by the src\lib\mixins\Routes.ts helper | | src\lib\mixins\Routes.ts | A route helper for all vue component to allow us calling something like this.route('routeKey.something', ...) | | vue.config.js | Mocked endpoints to simulate backend response (webpack-dev-server stub routes), eg: /audiofiles/upload | | src\router* | Vue router, to map routes & views | | docs\routes\openapi\routes.yaml | OpenAPI endpoints definition to explain complex endpoints | | docs\routes\markdown\routes.md | Generated doc from the routes.yaml after calling yarn md-docs |

For UI standalone usage, the stub routes under /vue.config.js are providing needed responses.

Therefore, if we want to integrate the flow-builder repo into other projects (consumer apps):

• we should create equivalent routes (and their associated controllers) inside the project which will use the flow-builder

To integrate with/embed it in a Host App (consumer apps), find here a configuration Guide: See here

How to work on the flow-builder repo, and consume from an other app (consumer app)?

Steps on the community flow-builder repo:

• create the feature branch
• commit changes
• run yarn build-bundle to build the app for the consumer app
• commit changed files
• push

Steps on the consumer app

Let's assume we already have added the "@floip/flow-builder" as part of our dependencies. That means, we have something like this in our packages.json

"dependencies": {
    ...
    "@floip/flow-builder": "https://github.com/FLOIP/flow-builder.git#master",
    ...
}

We just need to:

• create
• go to the packages.json
• create a feature branch (recommended to use the same name as in the flow-builder community), eg: 'feature/my-branch'
• update the @floip/flow-builder by changing this "@floip/flow-builder": "https://github.com/FLOIP/flow-builder.git#master" into "@floip/flow-builder": "https://github.com/FLOIP/flow-builder.git#feature/my-branch"
• run yarn install. Note that this will update the yarn.lock
• then serve the app as defined in the packages.json (eg: yarn watch)

If we made a change on the community flow-builder branch and our packages.json is already referring to that branch, then we just need to update it:

• run yarn up -i @floip/flow-builder
• hit enter to choose the 1st option
• then serve the app

How to consume changes from flow-runner's feature branch?

Just imitate the above section "How to work on the flow-builder repo, and consume from an other app (consumer app)?", by:

• changing the dependency repo to @floip/flow-runner
• changing the consumer repo to floip/flow-builder

Changes on JS dependencies: /src/lib/mixins/FlowUploader.js

This is related to Flow.js library which is providing multiple simultaneous, stable and resumable uploads via the HTML5 File API.

• On standalone UI, we import the Flow like import Flow from '@flowjs/flow.js'; and use it inside the file like new Flow(...)
• But when we integrate the flow-builder into other project, we may need to call a global Flow like new global.Flow(...).

Storybook

1. You only need to serve it with yarn storybook:serve
2. Then follow the provided url, by default it should be http://localhost:6006/ (but in case the port 6006 is non-available, it may use different one)

(TODO: fix the storyshots testing)

An explanation of app.config.json vs builder.config.json

app.config.json is intended to support the configuration needed when integrating this flow building ui into a larger platform or application while builder.config.json is intended to configure those features which are core to the flow builder - the blocks enabled, languages or content types supported etc.

(More details to follow.)

Usage (simple demos)

Create new flow

To begin, you can create a new flow by visiting https://floip.github.io/flow-builder/#/. Click on New Flow , from there, you can enter the pertinent flow information before opening the Flow Builder.

You may also go directly to the following link: https://https://floip.github.io/flow-builder/#/flows/new

Adding Blocks and Content

Once you have the canvas open you can add blocks to create your flow

Adding and Removing Connections

Adding and removing connections can be done easily

Navigating the Block Toolbar

Each block has a toolbar at the top that appears when hovering over the block. You may select the block, delete the block, duplicate the block, or access the sidebar editor from this toolbar.

Multiple Block Actions

If you select multiple blocks, you are able to duplicate or delete them on the Multiple Select Toolbar

Import existing flow

Visit https://floip.github.io/flow-builder/#/ and click on the Import/Paste a JSON File Link in order to import an exiting flow via JSON schema or by pasting the JSON file directly

You may also go directly to the following link: https://floip.github.io/flow-builder/#/flows/import

Importing JSON file

Pasting JSON file directly

Edits using the builder will then be reflected in the flow JSON in this panel and vice versa.

Export flow

To export, simply copy the json in this panel to a file.

Future extensions and improvements

• Documentation on integration of this UI into another app including configuration of routes used for server side persistence
• Validations and human readable validation error messages for the import feature
• Documentation on extending this library - adding support for new block types or extending existing block types
• Add details about how to use the resource mode
• A way to add to the supportable languages
• Guidance for integration into a permissions system for flow editing/viewing
• Add regression testing pipeline for storyshots
• Use permissions feature in the repo, and concrete example of app.config.json usage, once we