Workflows Overview

Introduction to AIOX multi-agent workflows and orchestration patterns

What are Workflows?

Workflows in Synkra AIOX orchestrate multiple tasks and agents to accomplish complex operations. They provide structured sequences of actions that guide development from planning through deployment.

Workflows are the coordination layer that transforms individual agent capabilities into cohesive development processes.

Workflow Types

AIOX supports several workflow patterns for different development scenarios:

1. Story Development Cycle (Primary)

The core workflow for all feature development:

Agents involved: SM → PO → Dev → QA → DevOps

Duration: 1-5 days

Use when: Implementing any new feature or change

2. Epic Creation Workflow

Breaks down large initiatives into actionable stories:

Agents involved: PO → SM → Architect

Duration: 0.5-2 days

Use when: Starting a new epic or major feature set

3. Planning Workflow

Pre-implementation specification and research:

Agents involved: Analyst → PM → Architect → SM

Duration: 0.5-2 days

Use when: Complex features requiring upfront research

4. Quality Gates Workflow

Three-layer validation system:

Agents involved: Dev → QA → DevOps → Human reviewers

Duration: Continuous

Use when: Every code change before merge

Workflow Characteristics

Task-First Architecture

Every workflow step maps to a specific task file in .aiox-core/development/tasks/

Agent Transitions

Workflows define clear handoff points between specialized agents

State Persistence

Workflow state is saved to .aiox/{instance-id}-state.yaml for cross-session continuity

Confidence Gates

Each transition includes confidence thresholds to ensure quality progression

Workflow Execution Modes

Interactive Mode (Default)

Pauses at key decision points for human input:

*run-workflow story-development --mode=interactive

YOLO Mode (Autonomous)

Runs end-to-end without interruption:

*run-workflow story-development --mode=yolo

Pre-flight Mode

Plans all steps upfront, then executes:

*run-workflow story-development --mode=preflight

Workflow State Management

AIOX tracks workflow progress in YAML state files:

workflow_id: story_development
current_phase: 3
status: in_progress
started_at: 2026-03-05T10:30:00Z
phases_completed:
  - validate-story-draft
  - develop
current_context:
  story_id: "3.1"
  story_path: "docs/stories/3.1-feature-name.md"

State Commands

# Check current workflow status
*run-workflow {name} status

# Continue from last checkpoint
*run-workflow {name} continue

# Skip optional step
*run-workflow {name} skip

# Abort workflow (preserves state)
*run-workflow {name} abort

Common Workflow Patterns

Fork-Join Pattern

Execute multiple tasks in parallel, then synchronize:

phases:
  - name: parallel-implementation
    type: fork-join
    parallel_tasks:
      - agent: dev
        task: implement-frontend
      - agent: dev  
        task: implement-backend
    join_condition: all_complete

Organizer-Worker Pattern

One agent delegates to multiple workers:

phases:
  - name: epic-execution
    agent: pm
    task: execute-epic
    delegates:
      - agent: dev
      - agent: qa
      - agent: devops

Iterative Loop Pattern

Repeat until quality criteria met:

phases:
  - name: qa-loop
    type: iterative
    max_iterations: 5
    steps:
      - agent: qa
        task: review
      - agent: dev
        task: apply-fixes
    exit_condition: qa_verdict == APPROVE

Workflow Intelligence

AIOX uses pattern detection to suggest next steps:

1. Detect Context

   Analyzes recent command history and current project state

2. Match Patterns

   Compares against known workflow patterns in workflow-patterns.yaml

3. Calculate Confidence

   Determines likelihood of workflow match (threshold: 0.80)

4. Suggest Next

   Presents recommended next commands with context

Integration with Quality Gates

Workflows automatically enforce quality gates at key transitions:

Transition	Quality Gate	Required Checks
Draft → Approved	Story Validation	Acceptance criteria, file list, structure
Implementation → Review	Pre-commit	Lint, typecheck, tests, build
Review → Merge	PR Automation	CodeRabbit, Quinn review, CI
Merge → Deploy	Human Review	Architecture approval, final sign-off

Next Steps

Planning Workflow

Learn about the analyst → PM → architect → SM planning sequence

Development Cycle

Explore the core SM → Dev → QA → DevOps development workflow

Quality Gates

Understand the three-layer quality validation system

Workflow Commands

Reference for all workflow management commands

Related Documentation

• Agent Reference - Individual agent capabilities
• Tasks Overview - Task definitions and execution
• Story-Driven Development - Core development methodology
• Quality Gates Guide - Validation layers explained