DEV208 Getting Started with Workflow in .NET 4

Speakers: Stefan Sewell, Peter Goodman

What is a workflow?
- Visual sequence of connected steps. (Flowchart or state machine)
- Declarative (what we want, not how to achieve it) - SQL, HTML
- Runtime schedules execution of the steps.
- activities linked together with data that flows though and is executed by the runtume.

Why would I use a workflow?
- Business processes that can naturally map to a workflow
- Very good at handling async work. Runtime to handle the scheduling.
- Long running logical processes that are episodic in nature. Persist/Restore. Human based workflow in minutes/hours/days.
- intuitive customisation model as part of your solution. Visual DSL.

How do I create a workflow?
-  Use the System.Activities namespace rather than the older System.Activities namespace.
public InArgument Question {get; set;}
InArgument ties the properties to the runtime instance of the workflow.

"That would be an ecumenical matter."

Can write unit tests for Workflow activities.

Workflow Basics

Further reading
Total Noobs' 
SOA206


How do I execute a workflow?

Workflow Service

A WCF service whose implementation is a workflow.

Service logic easily modelled as a workflow.