Getting Started with Microsoft Windows Workflow Foundation -

MSDN Home Windows Vista Developer Center Building Windows Vista Applications Windows Workflow Foundation Getting Started with Microsoft Windows Workflow Foundation: A Developer Walkthrough Dino Esposito Solid Quality Learning Updated February 2006 Applies to: Microsoft Windows Workflow Foundation Microsoft Windows Vista Summary: Introduces the technologies and features of Microsoft Windows Workflow Foundation that will be of interest to developers in need of creating workflow-driven applications for the Microsoft .NET platform. (39 printed pages) Note This article is written for beta 2 of Windows Workflow Foundation. Be aware that there are likely to be changes before the technologys final release. Contents A Headstart on Adding Workflow Support to the Windows Platform Creating a First Workflow Receiving and Consuming Data The Workflow Runtime Workflows and Activities Developing a Custom Activity Planning a More Realistic Workflow Conclusion A Headstart on Adding Workflow Support to the Windows Platform Microsoft Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) is an extensible framework for developing workflow solutions on the Windows platform. As part of the upcoming Microsoft WinFX, Windows Workflow Foundation provides both an API and tools for the development and execution of workflow-based applications. Windows Workflow Foundation provides a single, unified model to create end-to-end solutions that span categories of applications, including human workflow and system workflow. Windows Workflow Foundation is a broad and general-purpose workflow framework, designed for extensibility from the ground up and at every level. Windows Workflow Foundation -based solutions are made of interconnected components backed up by Microsoft .NET code and running in a host application. Just as you create your Web pages visually in a tailor-made environment, you compose the steps of your specific workflow in a visual designer, and add code behind workflow co