Goflow

A local-first workflow automation engine that can turn workflows into portable, task-specific applications.

Goflow combines four parts in one local-first platform:

• a workflow engine and embedded Vue studio;
• Pack Format v1 for declarative, portable workflows;
• a focused appliance runtime with first-run setup and persistent local state;
• REST, CLI, and MCP entry points backed by the same execution path.

The default deployment is one Go executable with SQLite. It needs no Docker, Node.js runtime, external database, or separate frontend server. Workflows, execution history, setup state, and encrypted credentials remain local unless a workflow explicitly sends data elsewhere.

Community 1.0.0-rc.1 is an unsigned release candidate, not a stable GitHub Release. See the release policy, installation guide, and upgrade guide.

Quick Start

Run the workflow platform

Requirement: Go 1.25.13.

git clone https://github.com/hstptcn5/Goflow.git
cd Goflow
go build -o goflow main.go static_embed.go
./goflow serve

Windows PowerShell:

git clone https://github.com/hstptcn5/Goflow.git
Set-Location Goflow
go build -o goflow.exe main.go static_embed.go
.\goflow.exe serve

Open http://127.0.0.1:8080, create a workflow, connect a trigger to one or more actions, save it, and run a test execution.

Validate and run a Pack

./goflow pack validate ./examples/packs/hello-webhook
./goflow pack test ./examples/packs/hello-webhook
./goflow pack run ./examples/packs/hello-webhook

On Windows, replace ./goflow with .\goflow.exe.

Two Ways To Use Goflow

Workflow automation platform

Use the visual studio to build and inspect workflows with triggers, mappings, built-in nodes, credentials, execution history, and debugging tools. Operate the same workflows through the browser, REST API, CLI, or MCP.

This mode fits developer tools, local automation, agent-controlled operations, webhook routing, and scheduled internal jobs.

Portable Pack appliance

A Pack declares a managed workflow, non-secret setup fields, credential slots, bindings, assets, and required host capabilities. Pack Run serves a focused loopback UI for setup, manual or scheduled execution, diagnostics, and restart.

Runtime state is stored outside the Pack and application directory. Managed workflow identity, configuration, credential references, and schedules persist across restarts. Host-managed migrations can require setup revalidation before execution resumes.

Capabilities

• Visual workflow studio with mappings, execution inspection, retry, replay, cancellation, and bounded diagnostics.
• DAG execution with webhook, cron, manual, and GitHub webhook triggers.
• Built-in HTTP, data, communication, database, infrastructure, and AI nodes.
• REST API, WebSocket updates, CLI, MCP stdio, and MCP Streamable HTTP.
• Scoped tokens, workflow allowlists, idempotency, audit events, and encrypted credential storage.
• Declarative Packs with setup schemas, deterministic builds, integrity checks, external state, scheduling, migration, and rollback foundations.

Pack Lifecycle

pack init -> pack validate -> pack test -> pack build -> pack verify -> pack run

Representative commands:

goflow pack init ./my-pack --id example.my-pack --name "My Pack"
goflow pack validate ./my-pack
goflow pack test ./my-pack --output json
goflow pack build ./my-pack --output ./dist
goflow pack verify ./dist/example.my-pack-0.1.0-linux-amd64.zip
goflow pack run ./my-pack --data-dir ./pack-data --no-open

Pack Format v1 is declarative. Validation and build do not execute packaged plugins. PACK_INFO.json provides file integrity, not publisher authenticity. Optional Ed25519 verification requires an explicitly trusted external public key. Pack Run is loopback-only and does not support packaged plugin execution.

See Pack Format, the Pack author tutorial, and signing boundary.

Examples

Hello Webhook

hello-webhook is a minimal Pack for learning the validate, test, and Pack Run flow.

DailyOps

dailyops-rest-telegram is the reference beta appliance. It validates a normalized HTTP(S) JSON report, formats one daily operations summary, and sends one Telegram message. It supports Run now and one daily schedule with an IANA timezone; it does not claim vendor compatibility. Use sanitized data and a dedicated non-production bot when evaluating it.

Read the source contract, Telegram setup, schedule guide, and Windows pilot guide.

Architecture And Entry Points

The Web UI, REST clients, CLI, MCP, webhooks, schedules, and Pack appliance host converge on the shared TriggerService and DAG engine.

flowchart LR
    UI["Web UI"] --> API["REST API"]
    CLI["CLI"] --> API
    MCP["MCP"] --> API
    PACK["Pack appliance"] --> TS["TriggerService"]
    API --> TS
    TS --> DAG["DAG engine"]
    DAG --> DB["SQLite"]
    DAG --> EVENTS["WebSocket events"]
    EVENTS --> UI
    EVENTS --> PACK

Loading

CLI examples:

goflow status --output json
goflow workflow list --active
goflow workflow run <workflow-id-or-slug> --set source=cli --wait
goflow mcp stdio

See Architecture, CLI reference, and MCP overview.

Security Boundaries

• The server and Pack Run bind to loopback by default.
• Non-loopback binding requires GOFLOW_API_KEY and operator-supplied HTTPS.
• Credentials are encrypted with AES-256-GCM; back up SQLite and the matching goflow.master.key together.
• Scoped tokens restrict approved actions and workflow IDs, but do not sandbox unsafe workflows.
• Pack path, inventory, secret, and hash checks reject invalid or tampered bundles; packaged programs are not executed by Pack Run.
• Diagnostics are bounded and redacted, and Goflow has no default remote telemetry or production signing claim.

Workflow authors can configure nodes with broad network and system access. Run Goflow with only the permissions and connectivity its workflows need. See the full security model.

When Goflow Fits

Goflow is optimized for trusted local and small internal deployments where a compact binary, local ownership, controlled agent access, or a focused portable appliance matters more than a large integration marketplace or hosted team platform.

Choose a mature automation platform such as n8n when connector breadth, cloud operation, collaboration, and an established ecosystem are primary needs. See Who Is Goflow For? for the capability boundary and alternatives.

Documentation

Topic	Document
Installation	Installation and configuration
Packs	Pack Format, author tutorial
CLI and MCP	CLI, MCP
Nodes and adapters	Node guide, adapter contract
Security and recovery	Security, backup/restore
Community release and support	Release policy, upgrade, support
Beta operations	Operations index, limitations
Windows appliance	Windows pilot guide
Architecture	Architecture
Development	Development
Product and commercial direction	Commercial direction, roadmap

Current Limitations

• Goflow Community 1.0.0-rc.1 is prerelease software.
• Windows pilot artifacts are unsigned.
• There is no installer or production Release channel.
• The supported operating boundary is trusted local or small internal use.
• Pack Run does not execute packaged plugins.
• There is no production marketplace, registry, or hosted control plane.

See Beta limitations for the maintained boundary.

License

This repository is licensed under the MIT License. Future commercial opportunities are described as direction, not current product availability, in COMMERCIAL.md.