Chapter 1. Introducing the Activiti framework
This chapter covers
- Introduction to Activiti
- Installing the Activiti framework
- Implementing a BPMN 2.0 process
Every day, your actions are part of different processes. For example, when you order a book in an online bookstore, a process is executed to get the book paid for, packaged, and shipped to you. When you need to renew your driver’s license, the renewal process often requires a new photograph as input. Activiti provides an open source framework to design, implement, and run processes. Organizations can use Activiti to implement their business processes without the need for expensive software licenses.
This chapter will get you up and running with Activiti in 30 minutes. First, we’ll take a look at the different components of the Activiti tool stack, including a Modeler, Designer, and a REST web application. Then, we’ll discuss the history of the Activiti framework and compare its functionality with its main competitors, jBPM and BonitaSoft.
Before we dive into code examples in section 1.4, we’ll first make sure the Activiti framework is installed correctly. At the end of this chapter, you’ll have a running Activiti environment and a deployable example.
First, let’s look at Activiti’s tool stack and its different components, including the modeling environment, the engine, and the runtime explorer application.