| name | workflow-engine |
| description | Machine-readable workflow DAG for the multi-step agent pipeline. Defines node types, edge conditions, gates, and fan-out patterns. USE FOR: Orchestrator step routing, resume-from-graph, workflow validation. DO NOT USE FOR: Azure infrastructure, code generation, troubleshooting. |
Workflow Engine Skill
Provides a declarative, machine-readable workflow graph that the Orchestrator
reads instead of relying on hardcoded step logic.
When to Use
- Orchestrator determining the next step after a gate
- Resuming a workflow via
apex-recall show <project> --json
- Validating that all steps have proper dependencies and outputs
- Understanding fan-out (parallel sub-steps) and conditional routing
Core Concepts
DAG Model
The workflow is a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) with:
| Concept | Description |
|---|
| Node | A unit of work (agent step, gate, validation, or fan-out) |
| Edge | A dependency between nodes with a condition |
| Gate | A human approval point that blocks downstream nodes |
| Fan-out | Parallel execution of independent sub-steps (e.g., Step 7 docs) |
Node Types
| Type | Description | Example |
|---|
agent-step | A step executed by a specific agent | Step 1: Requirements |
gate | Human approval checkpoint | Gate after Step 1 |
subagent-fan-out | Parallel sub-step execution | Step 7 doc generation |
validation | Automated validation (lint, build, etc.) | Bicep lint after Step 5 |
Edge Conditions
| Condition | Trigger |
|---|
on_complete | Source node finished successfully |
on_skip | Source node was skipped (e.g., optional Step 3) |
on_fail | Source node failed — routes to error handling |
IaC Routing
Edges from Step 3 → Step 4 are conditional on decisions.iac_tool:
iac_tool: "Bicep" → routes to step-4b (IaC Planner)iac_tool: "Terraform" → routes to step-4t (IaC Planner)
This pattern repeats for Steps 5 and 6.
Workflow Graph
The full machine-readable DAG is in:
templates/workflow-graph.json
Reading the Graph (Orchestrator Protocol)
1. Load workflow-graph.json
2. Run `apex-recall show <project> --json` → current_step
3. Find the node matching current_step in the graph
4. Check node status:
- complete → follow on_complete edges → find next node
- in_progress → resume from sub_step checkpoint
- pending → execute this node
- skipped → follow on_skip edges
5. If next node is a gate → present to user, wait for approval
6. If next node is a fan-out → execute children in parallel
7. Repeat until all nodes are complete or blocked
Reference Index
| Reference | File | Content |
|---|
| Workflow Graph | templates/workflow-graph.json | Full DAG for the multi-step workflow |
| Orchestrator Handoff | references/orchestrator-handoff-guide.md | Gate templates, IaC routing, delegation rules |
| Subagent Integration | references/subagent-integration.md | Subagent matrix, pricing accuracy, review protocols |
