Day 15: Custom Workflows in AEM

AEM Developer Series

A workflow enables us to automate a wide range of activities in AEM. A workflow consists of steps that are executed in a specific order. Each step performs a distinct activity such as activating a page or sending an email message.

Workflows can interact with assets in the repository, user accounts, and services. Therefore, workflows can coordinate complicated activities that involve any aspect of AEM.

Many useful workflow models are provided out of the box with AEM. In addition, any number of custom workflow models, tailored to the specific needs of our project, can be also be created.

In this post, we will be creating a custom workflow that will read the user passed data and logs it. So, without wasting much time, let's dive into the code.

Custom Workflow

To create a custom workflow component, go to your project folder under /apps in CRXDE and create a component with the following configuration.

Create a component

Now create cq:dialog node with the following configuration -

Now create a new node cq:ediConfig of type cq:EditConfig underneath workflowDemo node with the following configuration -

The PROCESS value is the name of the class that will have Java backend logic.
Create a java class named CustomWorkflow and paste the following code in it.

Here we are implementing the WorkflowProcess interface and defining the process.label property which defines the name of the workflow step.
Deploy the code on your AEM server.
Navigate to http://<host>:<post>/libs/cq/workflow/admin/console/content/models.html and click on Create >> Create Model and enter the Title of the workflow as below and configure it as per the below screenshots

Create a workflow model

Edit the workflow model

Add the steps in the workflow

Drag and drop the steps from the side rail and double click on the Custom Workflow step.

Add values in the workflow

Go to the Properties tab and enter sample values and save the dialog. Now click on Sync.
Now go to sites console and run the workflow as per below screenshots.

Create a workflow on page

Select Workflow Model

Create

Inbox notifications

Complete the workflow step

After completing the workflow, you will see the following traces in logs

17.10.2018 20:30:51.869 *INFO* [JobHandler: /var/workflow/instances/server0/2018-10-17_1/customWorkflow_11:/content/we-retail/language-masters/en/women] org.redquark.demo.core.workflows.CustomWorkflow Executing the workflow

17.10.2018 20:30:51.874 *INFO* [JobHandler: /var/workflow/instances/server0/2018-10-17_1/customWorkflow_11:/content/we-retail/language-masters/en/women] org.redquark.demo.core.workflows.CustomWorkflow Text: Custom Workflow Testing Demo

Conclusion

Congratulations!! 🙋 we have successfully created a custom workflow and read passed data using metadataMap object. I hope you enjoyed this post.

You can find the complete code of this project on my GitHub in this commit. Feel free to fork or open issues, if any.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this and would like to have suggestions from you to make it better.

Feel free to befriend me on Facebook, Twitter or Linked In or say Hi by email.

Happy Coding 😃

Comments

Pradeep KambleAugust 10, 2021 at 2:36 PM
Hi
I want to thank you for creating an AEM developer blog. It is also useful for new and experienced people. I have learned many things in AEM with the help of your blog.
If this is possible for you, please explain the redirection in AEM (internal and external)
how to creates redirect via dispatcher as well as using coding how to create external redirect.

Thank you once again. :)
ReplyDelete
Replies
AnonymousAugust 12, 2021 at 11:35 AM
How can we expose a workflow as Rest Api ? So Business people can run on a click. Is it possible Anirudh Bhai :)
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

AEM Ninja

Search This Blog