jBPM Overview
There are many different types of workflow and BPM. Where all other solutions focus
on one particular language, jBPM supports multiple process languages. Furthermore,
we realize that Java application development is done in a lot of different
environments like e.g. standard and enterprise. All of the jBPM sub projects easily
work in the environment and with the database of your choice.
jPDL is jBPM's preferred process language. While directly executable, it provides excellent modelling
capabilities. It leverages the PVM and the Identity, Task Management and Enterprise components and
thus provides excellent support in these areas. Graphical creation of jPDL process definitions is
supported by the GPD.
BPEL is the popular standard for service orchestration. jBPM provides an implementation for this standard.
Use this process language if you want to write scripts that create web services as a function of other
web services.
The Graphical Process Designer (GPD) is a set of Eclipse plug-ins build on top of the Eclipse WTP and GEF
frameworks. The purposes of the GPD are multiple. First of all it supports graphical creation and editing jPDL process definitions
and Seam pageflows. Another purpose is to also enable extenders to build and include custom nodes and even
build support for entire new graph-based languages.
The common parts like graph execution and state management are extracted in the
Process Virtual Machine (PVM). The process languages extend the PVM so that they
can run natively on one single technology. The PVM is a simple Java library for
building and executing graphs. Process languages are a set of activity types that are
build using the features that are provided by the PVM.
Pageflow
While not available as a separate subproject, pageflow is an important process language that is supported
by jBPM. Seam offers the possibility to use jBPM Pageflow as the navigation mechanism between web pages.
Creating these pageflows graphically is supported by the GPD.
Identity
Management of users, groups and permissions is commonly known as identity management.
jBPM currently includes an optional identity component that can be easily replaced by
a company's own identity data store. This component will be separated out in its own
subproject soon.
Task management
Tasks and the management of tasks is an important part of most process languages. The task
management component will be separated out and live in its own subproject in the future. It
will be leveraged by different process languages such as jPDL and XPDL.
Enterprise
The upcoming enterprise component will contain enterprise beans that can be used in an
application server like e.g. JBoss AS. These components will also live in their own subproject.
