Core Concepts

Key concepts and terminology in B3OS

Core Concepts

A workflow is an automation definition consisting of a trigger and a directed acyclic graph (DAG) of action nodes. Workflows progress through a controlled lifecycle:

StateDescription
DraftBeing edited, not yet live
ActiveTrigger is registered, workflow fires on events
PausedTrigger deregistered, can be resumed
ArchivedSoft-deleted, hidden from listings

Each workflow contains:

  • Definition: JSON graph of nodes (trigger + actions + control flow)
  • UIMetadata: Canvas layout for the visual editor
  • Configuration: Max runs, cooldown period, CU budget

Tip
Workflows support templates with typed props and schema validation, enabling reusable, parameterized automations across teams.

A run is a single execution of a workflow. Runs capture:

  • A snapshot of the workflow definition at execution time
  • ExecutionState: A map of node progress and results
  • TriggerSource: The event that initiated the run
StateDescription
RunningCurrently executing nodes
SuccessAll nodes completed successfully
FailureA node failed and no error handler caught it
WaitingPaused on a wait node, awaiting resume event

Note
Run completion uses compare-and-swap (CAS) protection on JSONB and row-level locking to prevent race conditions in concurrent execution.

A node is a single step in a workflow. Nodes are connected in a directed graph with sequential and branching execution.

Node Types:

  • Trigger: The entry point; defines what starts the workflow
  • Action: Executes an operation (built-in, dynamic, or logic)
  • Control Flow: if/else, for-each, filter, pluck, wait

Node Structure:

  • Children: Nodes that execute after this node completes
  • LoopBody: For for-each nodes, the subgraph that runs per item
  • Connector: Optional reference to stored credentials
  • Props: Configuration parameters for the action
Warning

For-Each Budget -- Three hard limits prevent runaway loops:

  • 100 iterations per loop
  • 10,000 total nodes across all nesting levels
  • 10 levels of nesting depth

Validated at both workflow creation and execution time.

The event source that starts a workflow. B3OS supports 7 trigger categories:

CategoryExamples
Token pricesReal-time via Stork Oracle WebSocket
Blockchain eventsEVM logs, ERC-20 transfers across 12+ chains
SchedulesCron expressions
WebhooksInbound HTTP from any service
MessagingSlack mentions, Gmail
Prediction marketsPolymarket trades, market resolution
ManualOn-demand via dashboard or API

See Triggers for the full reference.

An operation performed by a node. 280+ action types across 21 providers:

  • Built-in: Execute within the workflow engine (delay, filter, log, storage, code-transform, db-query)
  • Dynamic: Execute via the b3os-actions service (blockchain transactions, DeFi, APIs, messaging)
  • Logic: Control flow actions (if, for-each, filter, pluck, wait)

Note
All blockchain transactions are signed by Turnkey HSM . Private keys never leave the secure hardware enclave.

See Actions Overview for details.

A template string that references data from other nodes. Expressions are resolved at runtime before a node executes, with type preservation (numbers stay numbers, not strings).

text
{{trigger.result.amount}} {{node-abc.result.balance}} {{$storage.lastPrice}} {{$org.stores.myStore.key}}

See Expressions for the full syntax.

A team workspace that owns workflows, wallets, connectors, and compute units. All resources are scoped to an organization with full data isolation between tenants.

Organizations support:

  • Member management with Owner and Developer roles (21 permissions)
  • Shared storage: Key-value stores accessible across workflows
  • D1 Database: Dedicated SQLite database per org for structured data
  • API keys: Up to 50 scoped keys with SHA-256 hashing and usage tracking

Each workflow run consumes compute units. CU allocation depends on your plan:

PlanCU / MonthActive WorkflowsAI Credits
Free40K3500
Starter ($19/mo)400K101,000
Pro ($99/mo)2M252,000
Business ($499/mo)20M504,000
EnterpriseCustomUnlimitedCustom

Tip
Annual billing saves ~17% (12 months for the price of 10). Additional discounts available when paying with $B3.

  • Built-in actions consume minimal CU
  • Dynamic actions and AI interactions consume more based on complexity
  • Redis-first metering provides sub-millisecond cost accounting

See Pricing for full details.

Reusable encrypted credentials that actions reference at runtime. Connectors keep sensitive data out of workflow definitions:

  • Encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM (authenticated encryption)
  • Decrypted only in-memory during action execution
  • Never exposed in API responses or run logs
  • Organization-scoped, available to all workflows within the org

B3OS includes an AI agent with 17+ specialized tools for natural language workflow generation. The agent can:

  • Search the action catalog and resolve full I/O schemas
  • Query live token prices, wallet balances, and DeFi positions
  • Generate production-ready workflow JSON with schema validation and auto-repair
  • Apply incremental JSON patches for modifications (not full regeneration)
  • Access organization knowledge via pgvector semantic search

The agent uses a multi-model strategy (GPT via OpenRouter, Claude Haiku for memory, Nvidia Nemotron for cost optimization) with persistent chat memory for long sessions.

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