Overview

DBFlow is a model-first approval workflow engine for Laravel and Filament. It attaches approvals, workflow tasks, reject flows, and audit trails to your Eloquent models.

This documentation covers Core (dbflowlabs/core), Filament Standard (dbflowlabs/filament), and Pro (dbflowlabs/filament-pro) where noted.

Alpha notice: Pin exact package tags for production. dbflowlabs/core and dbflowlabs/filament are on Packagist.

Quick start

1. Install Core — Composer install and migrations
2. Build Your First Workflow — refund approval walkthrough
3. Add HasWorkflow — trait on your model
4. Start a workflow — DBFlow::start() from a business action
5. Approve / reject — task handling and reject strategies
6. View timeline — audit history in Filament

Optional: Try Live Demo — no local install required.

How DBFlow works

1. Eloquent model — your domain record
2. Workflow definition — steps, transitions, assignees
3. Workflow instance — a run on that record
4. Pending task — waiting for an approver
5. Approve or reject — DBFlow::approve() / reject()
6. Business continues — status updates via WorkflowHooks or your logic

Workflow state lives in dbflow_workflow_* tables. Your application keeps business logic.

Layers: Core runs workflows → Filament provides UI → Pro visual builder (preview). See Architecture.

Maturity

DBFlow is in public alpha. Before production use:

• Package Status
• Release Policy
• Roadmap

Learning paths

Laravel developers

1. Eloquent models — HasWorkflow trait
2. Code-defined workflows — JSON definitions and sync
3. Build Your First Workflow
4. Workflow Hooks — host status mapping
5. Testing Workflows — PHPUnit patterns

Host wiring (providers, resolvers, guards): Host Integration.

Filament developers

1. Filament UI — install and register the panel
2. Filament Resource Actions — start from resources
3. My Tasks — approval inbox
4. Workflow Timeline — instance history

Walkthroughs: Refund Approval · Purchase Request.

Visual builder (preview)

1. Pro Visual Builder
2. ProCanvasField
3. Conditions
4. Preview Limitations

Pro is in Early Access at $129/year (Creem). Core executes workflows; Pro helps design definitions.

Advanced topics

• Conditions — transition routing
• Reject Strategies — RejectStrategy matrix
• Permissions — PermissionChecker contracts
• Host Integration — providers, resolvers, sync
• Host Reference Patterns — ERP-style patterns
• Architecture — DAG execution, concurrency, hooks

Reference

• What is DBFlow?
• Pricing

Install snippet

Requirements: PHP 8.3+, Laravel 13+, Composer 2+

composer require dbflowlabs/core
php artisan vendor:publish --tag=dbflow-migrations
php artisan migrate

use DbflowLabs\Core\Traits\HasWorkflow;

class Refund extends Model
{
    use HasWorkflow;
}

Next: Build Your First Workflow →