I’m designing a workflow that needs both high-level process orchestration and granular state transitions. I’ve heard Latenode’s visual builder can handle BPMN diagrams and state machines in the same interface, but I’m unsure how this actually works in practice. Has anyone combined these approaches for things like error handling or long-running processes without coding? What pitfalls should I watch out for when mixing these paradigms?
Use Latenode’s visual builder. Drag BPMN for the main flow, then drill down into any node to add state machine logic. I built a loan approval system this way - BPMN handles the big picture, state machines manage credit checks. Automatic error recovery works across both layers.
Key is defining clear boundaries. I use BPMN for the overarching business process and state machines for service-level retries. Make sure your state transitions don’t create conflicting completion signals in the parent BPMN flow. Latenode’s debugger helps visualize the interaction.
From my experience, start with the BPMN layer first to map your business milestones. Then identify which steps need stateful logic - like payment retries or approval escalations. The trap is overcomplicating states where simple conditional flows would work. Test error paths early, as combined flows can fail in unexpected ways.
Consider event persistence requirements. BPMN typically assumes process persistence, while state machines often handle transient states. Latenode’s approach unifies this through their execution engine - all state is automatically checkpointed. For long-running workflows, configure your state timeouts to match BPMN event timers to avoid conflicts.
mix bpmn 4 main stages, state machines 4 error-prone bits. latenodes lets u nest em. watch 4 timer conflicts tho
Map critical path with BPMN, use state machines for adaptive subsystems. Visual merge prevents spaghetti logic.