# Elsa Workflows — Visual Workflow Engine for .NET

> An open-source workflow engine for .NET that lets developers build and run long-running workflows with a visual designer, code-first APIs, or both.

## Install

Save in your project root:

# Elsa Workflows — Visual Workflow Engine for .NET

## Quick Use
```bash
dotnet new web -o MyWorkflows
cd MyWorkflows
dotnet add package Elsa
dotnet add package Elsa.Http
```
```csharp
builder.Services.AddElsa(elsa => {
    elsa.UseHttp();
    elsa.AddWorkflow<MyWorkflow>();
});
```

## Introduction
Elsa is a workflow engine for .NET that supports building long-running, stateful workflows. Developers can define workflows in C# code, JSON, or through a built-in visual designer. It handles orchestration of HTTP endpoints, timers, events, and custom activities.

## What Elsa Does
- Executes long-running workflows with persistence and resumption across restarts
- Provides a visual drag-and-drop workflow designer accessible via web browser
- Supports code-first workflow definitions using a fluent C# API
- Offers built-in activities for HTTP requests, timers, email, and JavaScript evaluation
- Triggers workflows from HTTP endpoints, message queues, cron schedules, or custom events

## Architecture Overview
Elsa separates workflow definitions from runtime execution. Definitions are stored as JSON or compiled from C# code, and the runtime engine manages instances, bookmarks, and resumption points. A persistence layer supports EF Core, MongoDB, or custom providers. The workflow designer is a Blazor-based SPA that communicates with the engine via REST APIs.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install via NuGet: `dotnet add package Elsa` plus activity packages like `Elsa.Http` or `Elsa.Email`
- Register Elsa services in `Program.cs` with `builder.Services.AddElsa()`
- Configure persistence with SQLite, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, or MongoDB
- Mount the workflow designer UI with `app.UseElsaStudio()` for visual editing
- Deploy as a standard ASP.NET Core application behind any reverse proxy

## Key Features
- Visual designer for non-developers to create and modify workflows
- Code-first and designer-first workflows can coexist in the same application
- Versioned workflow definitions with rollback support
- Built-in activity library covering HTTP, scripting, branching, and looping
- Extensible with custom activities written in C#

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Temporal** — Language-agnostic durable execution; Elsa is .NET-native with a visual designer
- **n8n** — Node.js workflow automation; Elsa integrates directly into .NET applications
- **Camunda** — Java-based BPMN engine; Elsa is lighter weight and C#-native
- **Conductor (Netflix)** — Microservice orchestrator; Elsa targets .NET monoliths and modular apps

## FAQ
**Q: Can workflows survive application restarts?**
A: Yes, Elsa persists workflow state and bookmarks to a database and resumes automatically.

**Q: Is the visual designer included?**
A: Yes, the Elsa Studio designer is included as a NuGet package and runs as a Blazor WebAssembly app.

**Q: Can I run Elsa without the designer?**
A: Yes, you can define workflows entirely in C# code and run them headlessly.

**Q: What .NET versions are supported?**
A: Elsa 3.x targets .NET 8 and later.

## Sources
- https://github.com/elsa-workflows/elsa-core
- https://v3.elsaworkflows.io

---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-fb3a5463
Author: AI Open Source