JBPM
| Company type | Open-source software project |
|---|---|
| Industry | Business process management software |
Area served | Global |
Key people | Red Hat, JBoss community |
| Products | Workflow engine, BPMN 2.0 execution, case management, decision management, business rules implementation, optimization solutions |
| Owner | Red Hat |
| Parent | JBoss community |
| Website | www |
jBPM (Java Business Process Model) is an open-source workflow engine developed in Java designed to execute business processes defined using BPMN 2.0 or the earlier jPDL syntax. Maintained by Red Hat and integrated within the JBoss community, jBPM closely collaborates with Drools and OptaPlanner projects under the KIE umbrella. The software is distributed under the Apache License 2.0 by JBoss.
Overview
The jBPM framework represents business processes as visual flow diagrams that outline task sequences, enhancing collaboration between business stakeholders and developers. Each running process corresponds to a "process instance," which jBPM manages and persists. It supports both automated tasks such as email notifications or service calls, and wait states including human interactions or external service feedback.
Constructed atop the JBoss community's Process Virtual Machine (PVM), jBPM accommodates various process languages but primarily targets BPMN 2.0. The platform offers developer tools like Eclipse plugins alongside web-based interfaces for designing, deploying, executing, and overseeing business processes through their entire lifecycle.
Capabilities
Originating from BPM technology, jBPM facilitates adaptable business automation by externalizing logic into reusable components such as cases, processes, and decision tables. Its main features encompass:
- Business process execution (BPMN 2.0)
- Case management (BPMN 2.0 and CMMN)
- Decision management (DMN)
- Business rules implementation (DRL)
- Optimization solutions (Solver)
jBPM can function independently or be embedded within custom applications without imposing framework dependencies, supporting deployment scenarios including:
- Standard JEE applications (war/ear packaging)
- SpringBoot or Thorntail uberjar deployments
- Standalone Java applications
Additional functionalities include:
- A compact, embeddable Java process engine with native support for BPMN 2.0 execution
- BPMN 2.0 modeling capabilities through Eclipse and web-based tools
- Process creation, collaboration, tracking, and administration via the jBPM console
- Web interfaces managing business assets such as BPMN diagrams, rulesets, forms, and data models
- A standalone WS-HT human task service to handle user interactions
- Tight integration with business rules engines and event processing frameworks
- Modular persistence and transaction management using JPA/JTA standards
- Comprehensive history logging for querying, monitoring, and analytical purposes
History
The release of jBPM version 5.0 marked the fusion of the original jBPM project with Drools Flow, a component of Drools. Starting from version 5, the platform incorporated robust business rule processing, event handling capabilities, and enhanced support for more sophisticated and flexible business workflows.