---
slug: "Workflow"
name: "Workflow"
type: "Protocols"
layer: "Society"
ref: "Workflow#808d"
sema_id: "sema:Workflow#mh:SHA-256:808de72d3285e4ac086b85bfe4ba028ad2904b4088f7a22b60259ff8d8ffe057"
tags: ["Society","Protocols"]
updated: 2026-11-11
mindscape: "bootstrap"
index_url: https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/index.json
url: https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Workflow/
related: ["AcceptSpec","Artifact","Role","Solver","Step","OrchestrationLoop"]
---

# Workflow

Directed graph of operations

Layer: Society · Category: Protocols

## Mechanism

A directed graph of [Step](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Step.md)s in which completion or output from one [Solver](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Solver.md) can enable another. It defines the operation topology required to pursue a complex objective and can express branching, parallelism, conditional logic, or declared recursion. An edge may carry a typed [Artifact](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Artifact.md) with an [AcceptSpec](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/AcceptSpec.md), and a step may bind one or more [Role](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Role.md)s without instantiating performers. Edge payloads, acceptance policy, and role bindings remain optional unless a descendant requires them.

## Invariants

- Causality: Step B cannot start before Step A's prerequisites are met.
- Cycle Declaration: A dependency cycle is permitted only when its recursion or daemon semantics are explicit; otherwise dependencies are acyclic.
- Declared Edge Data: When an edge carries data, it names a typed [Artifact](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Artifact.md) rather than untyped raw data.
- Binding Separation: Any declared role binding names one or more [Role](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Role.md)s without instantiating performers.

## Failure modes

- Unresolved Cycle: A dependency cycle has no declared recursion or daemon semantics and prevents progress.
- Cascade Failure: One node failure propagates to all dependents.
- Orphan Output: A node produces artifacts that no downstream node consumes.

## Data schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "steps",
    "dependencies"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "steps": {
      "type": "array",
      "description": "List of executable units"
    },
    "dependencies": {
      "type": "array",
      "description": "Directed prerequisite edges (step_A -> step_B)"
    },
    "artifacts": {
      "type": "object",
      "description": "Typed outputs flowing on edges"
    },
    "accept_specs": {
      "type": "object",
      "description": "Optional mapping from edge identifiers to AcceptSpec identifiers"
    },
    "role_bindings": {
      "type": "object",
      "description": "Mapping from step identifiers to one or more Role identifiers; selects required roles without instantiating performers"
    }
  }
}
```

## Builds on

- [AcceptSpec](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/AcceptSpec.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Artifact](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Artifact.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Role](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Role.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Solver](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Solver.md) (Mind; References)
- [Step](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Step.md) (Infrastructure; References)

## Used by

- [OrchestrationLoop](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/OrchestrationLoop.md) (Society; References)

## Identity

- Sema ID: `sema:Workflow#mh:SHA-256:808de72d3285e4ac086b85bfe4ba028ad2904b4088f7a22b60259ff8d8ffe057`
- Ref: `Workflow#808d`
- Supersedes:
  - `sema:Workflow#mh:SHA-256:36b2e9b976f4c8995977ea44277a6c0d2d6fba5c61e8bac80b13d4f9695e1dd9`
  - `sema:Workflow#mh:SHA-256:c08269a947e9c4b5dc11979a504aa791196de2cea81245bfb45ede8c781a2586`
  - `sema:Workflow#mh:SHA-256:e8ce5c15c37d26e79c0bcb73685b7bee68e9cbe85dae3a0ce0002bb64439e728`
  - `sema:Workflow#mh:SHA-256:2b8a81eecc3c3656b624d8cbe2b8b2bbf115b1d045d1b98b277f24a7e94ebdf1`
  - `sema:Workflow#mh:SHA-256:092d027e1770222c8e2420fd7c893f6b0b1ea34042bc9283bce826925e12d3a2`

## Links

- [Pattern page](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Workflow/)
- [View in the interactive graph](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/#Workflow)
- [JSON](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Workflow.json)
- [Index of all patterns](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/index.json)