Custom Workflow Controls (Markdoc query samples)

Concept overview: Workflow queries with formatted data

These workflows return formatted markdown from workflow queries so Cadence Web can render Custom Workflow Controls: Markdoc tags such as {% signal %} and {% start %} become buttons that signal this workflow or start a new one.

Requires Cadence Web v4.0.14 or newer for markdown rendering and interactive controls.

Constants used in the Markdoc snippets (domain, taskList, cluster) match QueryConstants.java: domain samples-domain, task list query, cluster cluster0.

Prerequisites

1. Cadence server running (e.g. Docker Compose from the Cadence repo).
2. Cadence Web v4.0.14+ connected to the same cluster.
3. From the repo root, build: ./gradlew build

Register the domain (required once per cluster)

Starters use domain samples-domain. If you see Domain samples-domain does not exist, register it before starting workflows:

./gradlew -q execute -PmainClass=com.uber.cadence.samples.common.RegisterDomain

Or with the Cadence CLI:

cadence --domain samples-domain domain register

See also the root README.md.

Run the worker (terminal 1)

Leave this process running:

cd /path/to/cadence-java-samples
./gradlew -q execute -PmainClass=com.uber.cadence.samples.query.QueryWorker

Start a workflow (terminal 2)

Run one of the starters (each starts a new workflow execution on task list query):

Markdown Query — query name Signal in the Web UI:

./gradlew -q execute -PmainClass=com.uber.cadence.samples.query.MarkdownQueryStarter

Lunch Vote — query name options:

./gradlew -q execute -PmainClass=com.uber.cadence.samples.query.LunchVoteStarter

Order Fulfillment (ops dashboard) — query name dashboard:

./gradlew -q execute -PmainClass=com.uber.cadence.samples.query.OrderFulfillmentStarter

Use Cadence Web

1. Open the UI (e.g. http://localhost:8088) and select domain samples-domain.
2. Open the workflow run you started.
3. Open the Query tab.
4. Choose the query type (Signal, options, or dashboard) and run it.
5. Use the rendered buttons; re-run the query to refresh markdown after signals.

Source layout

Sample	Workflow interface / impl	Query name
Markdoc + activity	MarkdownQueryWorkflow.java	Signal
Lunch voting	LunchVoteWorkflow.java	options
Order dashboard	OrderFulfillmentWorkflow.java	dashboard