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Concepts

This page outlines the main concepts in Coflux.

Projects​

An instance of a Coflux server may host multiple projects, and a project is separated into environments. The data in each project are isolated from each other. With a project, environments can be defined in a hierarchy, such that cache data can be inherited from child environments. For example, a development environment can inherit from a production environment, allowing you to re-run workflows, or parts of workflows, in a development environment, experimenting with changes to the code without having to re-run the whole workflow. When working with a team on a single server, you can setup separate environments for each developer, or even create environments temporarily to work on specific features.

Agents​

An agent is a process that hosts repositories. An agent connects to the server and is associated with a specific project and environment.

When the agent starts, it registers manifests for the repositories that it's hosting, and then waits for commands from the server telling it to execute specific tasks.

Workflows​

A workflow is defined in a repository in code. A workflow is made up of tasks that are joined together by calling each other.

Workflows and tasks are collectively referred to as targets, although workflows are really just specical forms of tasks, which can be scheduled. You can think of the distinction between workflows and tasks a bit like the distinction between public and private functions in a module.

Runs​

When a workflow is scheduled, this initiates a run. A run is made up of steps, which each correspond to a target to be executed. The target (a workflow or task) can call other tasks, which cause those to scheduled as steps. Each step has at least one associated execution. Steps can be retried (manually or automatically), which will lead to multiple executions being associated with the step.

Assets

Executions can 'persist' assets (files or directories) so that they can be shared with other executions. A persisted asset is given a reference, which must be passed to other executions so that it be be 'restored'.