# StateLayer

> API-first workflow orchestration platform with durable execution, idempotent signals, environment isolation, and real-time visibility.

StateLayer is a developer-first, headless workflow engine. Users define workflows as directed graphs via API or visual builder, publish immutable versions, execute instances, and monitor runtime behavior — all without building a workflow engine from scratch.

## Key Capabilities

- **Declarative Workflow Graphs**: Define steps (system, custom, integration) and transitions as a directed graph. The platform handles execution, retries, and state.
- **Immutable Versioning**: Workflows follow a Draft → Published → Archived lifecycle. Published versions are immutable and safely runnable.
- **Durable Execution**: Runtime state is managed by Actors with automatic persistence. Instances survive restarts and infrastructure failures.
- **Idempotent Signals**: Send signals to running instances with built-in idempotency — safe to retry without side effects.
- **Environment Isolation**: Full tenant + environment scoping (development, staging, production). Each environment has isolated data, secrets, and configuration.
- **Custom Nodes**: Register reusable node definitions with typed input/output schemas. Compose them into workflows alongside system steps.
- **Integration Operations**: Import OpenAPI specs to auto-generate integration nodes that call external APIs as workflow steps.
- **Real-Time Observability**: Ledger-based event timeline, instance state projection, webhook delivery tracking, and usage analytics.

## Links

- Website: https://www.statelayer.dev
- Documentation: https://www.statelayer.dev/docs
- Blog: https://www.statelayer.dev/blog
- API Reference: https://www.statelayer.dev/docs/api-reference
- Pricing: https://www.statelayer.dev/pricing

## Docs

- [Introduction](https://www.statelayer.dev/docs/introduction): What is StateLayer, key features, and architecture overview.
- [Quick Start](https://www.statelayer.dev/docs/quick-start): Create and run your first workflow in minutes.
- [Authentication](https://www.statelayer.dev/docs/authentication): Auth0 JWT and API key authentication setup.
- [Workflows & Versions](https://www.statelayer.dev/docs/workflows-and-versions): Workflow lifecycle — drafts, publishing, and archival.
- [Steps & Transitions](https://www.statelayer.dev/docs/steps-and-transitions): Defining steps, transitions, conditions, and branching.
- [Custom Nodes](https://www.statelayer.dev/docs/custom-nodes): Creating reusable node definitions with typed schemas.
- [Environments](https://www.statelayer.dev/docs/environments): Environment isolation, scoping, and configuration.
- [Signals](https://www.statelayer.dev/docs/signals): Sending idempotent signals to running workflow instances.

## Blog

- [Your First Workflow in 5 Minutes](https://www.statelayer.dev/blog/your-first-workflow): A quick-start guide to building your first workflow with StateLayer.
- [Home-Built Workflow Engines vs. StateLayer](https://www.statelayer.dev/blog/home-built-vs-statelayer): Why building your own workflow engine is harder than it looks, and how StateLayer solves the hard problems for you.