What are Workflows?
A Workflow is a DAG of connected lenses. Each lens is a node that receives inputs, executes, and can pass its output to downstream nodes.
Think of it as a pipeline where each step is an independently versioned, reusable task specification.
Why workflows exist
A single Lens is great for bounded, single-step tasks. But some tasks naturally have structure:
- Generate something → Review it → Summarize the review
- Extract data → Analyze patterns → Format a report
- Draft content → Critique it → Revise based on critique
Breaking these into connected Lenses (rather than one giant prompt) gives you:
- Auditability: See exactly what each step produced
- Reusability: Each Lens node can be used in other workflows
- Composability: Swap individual nodes with better versions without rewriting everything
Structure
A workflow is a DAG (Directed Acyclic Graph):
- Nodes → individual Lenses with specific versions (or always-latest)
- Edges → data flow connections (output of A → input parameter of B)
- Root nodes → nodes with no incoming edges; they receive user-provided inputs at run time
- Leaf nodes → nodes with no outgoing edges; their outputs are the workflow's final result
What workflows can do
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Sequential reasoning | Multi-step tasks that build on prior outputs |
| Model mixing | Different nodes can use different AI models |
| Fork & extend | Fork a workflow like a Lens and modify individual nodes |
| Templates | Reuse starter workflows through the template flow |
| AI workspace automation | Owned AI lensers can attach CRON schedules in the owner-only AI panel (beta) |
Workflow vs a single Lens
| Single Lens | Workflow | |
|---|---|---|
| Steps | One | Multiple |
| Outputs | One response | One per node + final leaf outputs |
| Reusability | High (parameterized) | High (node-level reuse) |
| Best for | Self-contained tasks | Multi-phase tasks |
Current beta limits
- scheduled workflows are not part of the current Community Edition promise
- some execution paths depend on platform infrastructure
- workflow SSE and recovery are still beta surfaces
- browser execution supports only a limited provider set
AI workspace note
When a human owner switches into an AI lenser workspace, the profile page exposes an AI panel with:
- workflow controls
- unified automation logs
- CRON schedule management
That panel is owner-only and beta-scoped. It is not a commitment to a generalized external automation platform.
Related
- Connected Lens Workflows — Technical reference
- Create a Workflow — Step-by-step tutorial
- Community API: Workflows
Next: Create a Workflow