Camunda vs Flowable

October 14, 2024 | Author: Michael Stromann
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Camunda
Camunda's process orchestration platform allows developers to design, automate and improve processes.
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Flowable
Flowable offers a full-scale and extensible platform for the automation of business processes that combines the power of standards-based Case, Process, and Decision models to increase efficiency and productivity.

In the sprawling, faintly confusing and altogether improbable realm of workflow automation, two grand entities hover mysteriously in the air: Camunda and Flowable. Both, naturally, claim to be your trusty guide through the bureaucratic jungle of Business Process Management (BPM), but like all such claims, the truth is both more complicated and much more bizarre.

Camunda, for instance, is the kind of platform that looks at the unfathomable complexities of business processes and says, "Oh, absolutely! We can handle that!" Armed with something called a BPMN engine (don’t worry about what that means for now), it plunges headlong into the chaos of workflows, bravely orchestrating decisions and actions across applications, systems and, quite possibly, the universe itself. It does this with the kind of cool-headed efficiency that makes developers, those enigmatic creatures who speak in code and think in abstractions, positively giddy. You see, Camunda is lightweight—well, as lightweight as something that deals with impenetrable corporate procedures can be—and it scales, which means it gets bigger when you need it to, like one of those inflatable life rafts. Oh and if you're into microservices (those tiny, mysterious cogs in the machine of modern computing), Camunda slides right into that world like a particularly cooperative puzzle piece.

Meanwhile, Flowable floats nearby, seemingly unfazed by Camunda’s bravado. It too has a BPMN engine, but that’s just the beginning. Flowable goes a step further, offering not just processes but case management (CMMN), where decisions are made on-the-fly, based on shifting realities, like some sort of improvisational jazz performance for your business. It’s modular, adaptable and, dare we say it, rather more concerned with "ease of use" than its friend Camunda. Flowable excels at handling unstructured processes—the type of scenarios where someone says, “Oh, we’ll figure it out as we go,” and somehow doesn’t end in disaster. It’s like a cat that always lands on its feet, no matter how awkwardly it’s tossed.

So, how do you choose between these two towering titans of automation? If you’re in the kind of organization where every process is a Byzantine labyrinth of rules, integrations and peculiarities and you need something robust enough to handle it while still being something developers can get excited about—well, Camunda is probably your best bet. It’s sturdy, scalable and utterly unfazed by the idea of microservices.

But if your needs are more fluid—if your business involves things like "ad-hoc decisions" or "changing conditions" (words that send shivers down the spine of most automation systems)—Flowable’s flexibility and its broader suite of BPM tools might be more your speed. It’s agile, intuitive and rather enjoys a good bit of improvisation, which makes it ideal for case management and other unpredictable workflows.

In short, Camunda is your go-to if you need a powerhouse engine to plow through the structured chaos of BPM with microservices precision, while Flowable is more like the creative problem-solver that thrives in the unknown and, like any good towel, is remarkably handy in a pinch.

See also: Top 10 BPM Software
Author: Michael Stromann
Michael is an expert in IT Service Management, IT Security and software development. With his extensive experience as a software developer and active involvement in multiple ERP implementation projects, Michael brings a wealth of practical knowledge to his writings. Having previously worked at SAP, he has honed his expertise and gained a deep understanding of software development and implementation processes. Currently, as a freelance developer, Michael continues to contribute to the IT community by sharing his insights through guest articles published on several IT portals. You can contact Michael by email [email protected]