Chapter 3. Introducing the Activiti tool stack
This chapter covers
- Installing and using the Activiti Modeler
- Working with the Activiti Eclipse Designer
- Guided tour of the Activiti Explorer
Now that you know more about what BPMN 2.0 can do for you in terms of developing, it’s time to take a closer look at the Activiti tool stack. We’ll start by looking in more detail at the Activiti tools that you saw in the first chapter, and you’ll learn a bit about the background of where the tools come from. Then, one by one, we’ll look at all the tools and see them in action!
We’ll start with the Activiti Modeler. You’ll model a simple process definition as a means to get started in modeling business processes with the Activiti Modeler. Then, we’ll take a look at Activiti’s Eclipse-based development environment, the Activiti Designer. You’ll implement a simple process and unit test it on a local Activiti Engine distribution. You’ll also import the process model created in the Activiti Modeler into the Activiti Designer.
With the Activiti Explorer, we’ll take a look at how to deploy process definitions, start new process instances, and work with user tasks. The Activiti Explorer provides an easy-to-use web interface that can work with the Activiti Engine—without the need to write code.
We’ve got lots of ground to cover—time to get started with the Activiti Modeler!