Listing Workflows
See all discovered workflows (stencila workflows is shorthand for stencila workflows list):
stencila workflows
This shows workflows from .stencila/workflows/ with their names, descriptions, and goals.
Some workflows may also be marked as ephemeral, meaning they were created as temporary workflows and can later be either saved or discarded.
Output as JSON or YAML:
stencila workflows list --as json
Inspecting Workflows
View the full definition of a workflow:
stencila workflows show code-review
stencila workflows show code-review --as json
Running Workflows
Run a workflow by name:
stencila workflows run code-review
Goal Override
Override the workflow's goal for a single run:
stencila workflows run code-review --goal "Review the authentication module"
The $goal variable in all node prompts expands to this value instead of the goal defined in the WORKFLOW.md.
Verbose Output
By default, workflow runs show a compact progress view with spinners. Use --verbose for detailed output showing agent names, full prompts, and full responses:
stencila workflows run code-review --verbose
Dry Runs
Preview the workflow configuration and pipeline without executing it:
stencila workflows run code-review --dry-run
This shows the workflow name, description, goal, referenced agents, pipeline DOT source, and overrides — useful for verifying the workflow is configured correctly before a real run.
Human-in-the-Loop
When a pipeline reaches a human review gate (a node with an ask attribute), it pauses and presents choices derived from the node's outgoing edge labels. For example:
At the CLI, you select an option by typing the accelerator key (A or R). The pipeline then continues along the chosen edge. See Pipelines — Human-in-the-loop for details on accelerator key formats and auto-derivation.
Workflow Lifecycle
A typical workflow lifecycle:
Create — stencila workflows create my-workflow "Description"
Edit — modify the WORKFLOW.md to define your pipeline and reference agents
Validate — stencila workflows validate my-workflow
Dry run — stencila workflows run my-workflow --dry-run
Run — stencila workflows run my-workflow
Iterate — adjust the pipeline, agents, or goal and re-run
Managing Ephemeral Workflows
Ephemeral workflows behave like normal workflows when listing, showing, validating, and running them. The difference is lifecycle management: they are intended to be temporary until you explicitly save them.
Save an ephemeral workflow to keep it:
stencila workflows save my-workflow
Discard an ephemeral workflow to remove it entirely:
stencila workflows discard my-workflow
If a workflow is not ephemeral, these commands will fail rather than changing or deleting a permanent workflow.
