Understanding the Architecture of Workato

Workato is an enterprise tool for automating business processes,it is a platform designed for building workflows through the integration of various applications. It is cloud-based and adopts different architectures in delivering seamless and efficient integrations.

How does Workato work?

The main job of Workato is process automation,this is achieved by the different components or services put together.Each component has its role to play in ensuring that Workato works as expected.The components that makes up Workato architecture includes:

Hosting

Workato is a Cloud-native based platform, this means the workflows the user builds are hosted on the cloud. It is scalable(handles large workloads)and reliable.

Connectors

Connectors are simply applications used for different purposes. Workato offers a wide-range of in-built applications which can be integrated into automations. It also allows the creation of custom connectors using APIs and SDKs.

Triggers and Actions

Triggers are conditions set for the workflow.Actions are the responses to the specified triggers.Workato’s triggers are event driven while it's actions are flexible.

Recipes

In Workato, a recipe is a set of instructions that automates a series of actions in response to specific triggers. Recipes in Workato are made up of triggers, actions and connectors. Recipes are modular and can be reused across different projects and workflows.Workato as a low-code/no-code platform has a drag-and-drop interface,so that users can build recipes with coding.

Security and Compliance

Although Workato is cloud-based,data sent or received are encrypted for safety and security.This is not the best for sensitive data, which is why Activepieces is a better alternative by allowing every data stay on-prem.

Error Handling

Workato provides error handling and debugging tools to detect and troubleshoot errors. It also makes recovery of workflows possible.

Governance

This part of Workato is responsible for the user's roles and permissions assignment especially when it is used for a team-based project. It also maintains a detailed audit of the user’s activities.

API Management and Customisation

APIs are the entry points to applications. Through this component, Workato ensures that API Gateways are secure and scalable. It also allows the customisation of endpoints based on the specific need of the business.

Hybrid Deployment Options

Workato allows for on-prem and cloud hosting respectively although the on-prem hosting still needs to connect with Workato on the cloud to function effectively.

Extensibility and Integration

More connectors are available on Workato's Marketplace for integration and extension of the platform.

How is a workflow built with Workato?

Having known the architecture of Workato, let's take a look at how to combine these components to build a workflow and automate it. To build a workflow with Workato,follow these steps:

Set up the environment

Sign-up with Workato and pick any connector of your choice for linking to Workato

Create a Recipe

Define and configure triggers,set the expected action with the necessary details.

Confirm Data Mapping

Ensure that the data expected in the trigger event is correctly mapped in the action steps.

Test the Recipe

Test the entire workflow to confirm it functions as configured and the response received is as expected. Use the available debugging tools to debug where there are errors

Deployment

Upon successful testing, deployment can be instant or scheduled.This activates the automation.

While Workato is a well-established platform for integration and automation, Activepieces offers certain architectural advantages that makes it a preferable choice. Activepieces is open-source,self-hosted,safe and secure especially for sensitive data.

Activepieces Architecture

Activepieces uses Redis for queueing messages to be processed,and PostgreSQL as its main database.Also,being an open source,it has a high speed of innovation based on the contributions.

Benefits of Activepieces over Workato

Open Source Nature Being an open source platform, Activepieces allows users to see the code, modify and tailor it to their specific needs while also making room for contributions. Flexible Deployment Activepieces can be deployed both On-prem and in the cloud. Its on-prem capabilities allows for total ownership of the workflow; this means the data and the automation lives in the user’s server. This enhances data security and safe transfer. Security and Control Users can customize security protocols based on their needs.Activepieces on-premise deployment allows organizations to have full control over their data, enhancing privacy and compliance with stringent regulations such as HIPAA.