Conductor

Updating this skill

If the user asks to update or upgrade Conductor skills, or if you suspect this skill may be outdated, run:

curl -sSL https://conductor-oss.github.io/conductor-skills/install.sh | bash -s -- --all --upgrade

On Windows:

irm https://conductor-oss.github.io/conductor-skills/install.ps1 -OutFile install.ps1; .\install.ps1 -All -Upgrade

This checks for a newer version and upgrades all installed agents.

First-time setup

When a user has nothing set up yet, follow every step below in order. Do not skip steps.

Step 1 — Install the CLI

Check whether conductor is already installed:

conductor --version

If it is not installed, check for npm/Node.js:

npm --version

If npm is also missing, install Node.js first:

# macOS
brew install node
# Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_lts.x | sudo -E bash - && sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

Then install the CLI — run this yourself, do not just tell the user to do it:

npm install -g @conductor-oss/conductor-cli

Verify success:

conductor --version

Fallback — You must attempt CLI installation before using the fallback. Even if the user says they cannot install Node.js/npm, still run conductor --version first to check if the CLI is already present, and then run npm --version to confirm npm is truly unavailable. Only after both checks fail and Node.js/npm genuinely cannot be installed (e.g. restricted environment, no package manager available) should you fall back to the bundled REST API script:

export CONDUCTOR_API="<path-to-this-skill>/scripts/conductor_api.py"

Step 2 — Choose a server

Ask the user whether they want to:

• Option A — Start a local server (good for development/testing)
• Option B — Connect to an existing remote server

Do not assume one or the other — present both options and let the user decide.

Option A — Start a local server:

conductor server start

The CLI auto-detects the running server — no env var needed. To use a custom port:

conductor server start --port 3000

Verify it's running:

conductor server status

Option B — Connect to an existing server:

export CONDUCTOR_SERVER_URL="http://your-server:8080/api"

Step 3 — Test connectivity and handle auth

Test that the CLI can reach the server:

conductor workflow list

If this succeeds, the server does not require auth — proceed to Step 4.

If you get a 401 or 403 error, the server requires authentication. Only then ask the user for credentials, and set them via environment variables (never echo the actual values):

# Key + Secret (recommended for Orkes/Enterprise)
export CONDUCTOR_AUTH_KEY="<ask user>"
export CONDUCTOR_AUTH_SECRET="<ask user>"

# Or a pre-existing token
export CONDUCTOR_AUTH_TOKEN="<ask user>"

Then re-test: conductor workflow list

Step 4 — Verify

Confirm the CLI can communicate with the server:

conductor workflow list

Report the result to the user. Setup is complete.

Optional — named profiles for multiple environments:

If the user wants to switch between multiple servers (e.g. dev, staging, prod), save each as a named profile:

conductor config save --server https://dev.example.com/api --auth-key KEY --auth-secret SECRET --profile dev
conductor config save --server https://prod.example.com/api --auth-key KEY --auth-secret SECRET --profile prod

Then use --profile {env} on CLI commands to target a specific environment. Profiles are stored in ~/.conductor-cli/config.yaml. Never echo auth tokens, keys, or secrets in output.

1) Workflow definitions

Create and manage workflow definitions. See workflow-definition.md for JSON schema and task types.

List all definitions

conductor workflow list
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" list-workflows

Get a definition

conductor workflow get {name}
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" get-workflow --name {name} --version {version}

Create a definition

Step 1: Write the workflow JSON to a .json file using the Write tool (or cat << 'EOF' > workflow.json).

Step 2: Register the workflow:

conductor workflow create workflow.json
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" create-workflow --file workflow.json

Always write to a file first, then pass the file path to the CLI or script.

Step 3 (required): Check for missing workers. After registering, you must identify all SIMPLE tasks in the workflow and verify each has a task definition registered on the server:

conductor taskDef list

Compare the SIMPLE task names in the workflow against the returned task definitions. For each SIMPLE task whose name does not appear in the task definitions, inform the user that the task has no registered worker and offer to:

1. Create the task definition: conductor taskDef create taskdef.json
2. Scaffold and run a worker using the appropriate SDK (see workers.md)

Do not skip this step. Workflows will get stuck on SIMPLE tasks with no worker polling for them.

Update a definition

conductor workflow update workflow.json
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" update-workflow --file workflow.json

Delete a definition

conductor workflow delete {name} {version}
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" delete-workflow --name {name} --version {version}

2) Running workflows

Start a workflow (async)

Returns the workflow execution ID. Use -i for small inline JSON or -f for larger inputs:

conductor workflow start -w {name} -i '{"key": "value"}'
# For larger inputs, write a file first then use -f:
conductor workflow start -w {name} -f input.json
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" start-workflow --name {name} --input '{"key": "value"}'

Start with version and correlation ID

conductor workflow start -w {name} --version {version} --correlation {correlationId} -i '{"key": "value"}'
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" start-workflow --name {name} --version {version} --correlation-id {correlationId} --input '{"key": "value"}'

Execute synchronously

Wait for the workflow to complete or reach a specific task:

conductor workflow start -w {name} -i '{"key": "value"}' --sync
# Wait until a specific task completes:
conductor workflow start -w {name} -i '{"key": "value"}' --sync -u {taskRefName}

Start from a file

conductor workflow start -w {name} -f input.json

3) Monitoring workflows

Get execution status

conductor workflow get-execution {workflowId}
# Complete details with tasks:
conductor workflow get-execution {workflowId} -c
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" get-execution --id {workflowId} --include-tasks

Search executions

# By status:
conductor workflow search -s RUNNING -c 20
# By workflow name and status:
conductor workflow search -w {name} -s FAILED -c 10
# By time range:
conductor workflow search -s COMPLETED --start-time-after "2024-01-01" --start-time-before "2024-01-31"
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" search-workflows --status RUNNING --size 20

Statuses: RUNNING, COMPLETED, FAILED, TIMED_OUT, TERMINATED, PAUSED

Quick status check

conductor workflow status {workflowId}

4) Managing workflows

Pause and resume

conductor workflow pause {workflowId}
conductor workflow resume {workflowId}
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" pause-workflow --id {workflowId}
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" resume-workflow --id {workflowId}

Terminate

conductor workflow terminate {workflowId}
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" terminate-workflow --id {workflowId} --reason "terminated by agent"

Restart a completed workflow

conductor workflow restart {workflowId}
# Use latest workflow definition:
conductor workflow restart {workflowId} --use-latest
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" restart-workflow --id {workflowId}

Retry the last failed task

conductor workflow retry {workflowId}
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" retry-workflow --id {workflowId}

Rerun from a specific task

conductor workflow rerun {workflowId} --task-id {taskId}

Skip a task

conductor workflow skip-task {workflowId} {taskRefName}

Jump to a task

conductor workflow jump {workflowId} {taskRefName}

5) Signaling tasks

Signal tasks to advance workflow execution. Use for WAIT tasks, HUMAN tasks, or any task awaiting external input.

Signal a task (async)

conductor task signal --workflow-id {workflowId} --task-ref {taskRefName} --status COMPLETED --output '{"result": "approved"}'
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" signal-task --workflow-id {workflowId} --task-ref {taskRefName} --status COMPLETED --output '{"result": "approved"}'

Signal a task (sync — returns updated workflow)

conductor task signal-sync --workflow-id {workflowId} --task-ref {taskRefName} --status COMPLETED --output '{"result": "done"}'
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" signal-task-sync --workflow-id {workflowId} --task-ref {taskRefName} --status COMPLETED --output '{"result": "done"}'

Task statuses: COMPLETED, FAILED, FAILED_WITH_TERMINAL_ERROR

6) Task management

Poll for tasks

conductor task poll {taskType} --count 5
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" poll-task --task-type {taskType} --count 5

Update a task execution

conductor task update-execution --workflow-id {workflowId} --task-ref-name {taskRefName} --status COMPLETED --output '{"key": "value"}'

Check queue sizes

conductor task queue-size --task-type {taskType}
# Fallback: python3 "$CONDUCTOR_API" queue-size --task-type {taskType}

7) Local development

Start a local Conductor server for testing:

conductor server start

The CLI auto-detects the running server. To use a custom port:

conductor server start --port 3000

Other server commands:

conductor server status
conductor server logs -f
conductor server stop

8) Writing workers

Workers execute SIMPLE tasks in workflows. They poll the server, run business logic, and return results. See workers.md for full SDK examples.

SDKs available: Python (pip install conductor-python), JavaScript (npm install @io-orkes/conductor-javascript), Java (org.conductoross:conductor-client), Go, C#, Ruby, Rust — all at github.com/conductor-oss.

When a user asks to write a worker:

1. Ask which language they prefer
2. Install the SDK for that language
3. Create a worker file using the pattern from workers.md
4. The worker's task type must match the "name" of the SIMPLE task in the workflow definition
5. Include a comment or docstring noting that the worker must be idempotent (safe to retry), since Conductor may redeliver the same task on failure or timeout
6. Start the worker — it polls automatically and picks up tasks

9) Enterprise features (Orkes)

These require Orkes Conductor (orkes.io):

• Schedules: conductor schedule list/create/update/delete/pause/resume
• Secrets: conductor secret list/get/put/delete
• Webhooks: conductor webhook list/create/update/delete

10) Workflow visualization

Generate a Mermaid flowchart when users ask to visualize a workflow, or after creating a workflow definition. This renders in any Markdown viewer (GitHub, VS Code, Codex).

Diagram rules

• Use flowchart TD for sequential workflows, flowchart LR for wide parallel flows
• Only use --> arrows and -->|label| for labeled edges
• Do NOT use title, style, classDef, or special characters {}[]() in edge labels
• Keep node labels short: task type + reference name, e.g. fetch_data[HTTP: fetch_data]

Mapping Conductor constructs

Example

```mermaid
flowchart TD
  start([Start]) --> fetch[HTTP: fetch_data]
  fetch --> check{Switch: check_status}
  check -->|case: ok| transform[INLINE: transform]
  check -->|default| fail[TERMINATE: fail]
  transform --> approve[/WAIT: approval/]
  approve --> notify[HTTP: send_notification]
  notify --> done([End])
```

Conductor UI

If a Conductor server is running, link the user to the visual workflow editor:

{BASE_URL}/workflowDef/{workflowName}

Where BASE_URL is derived from CONDUCTOR_SERVER_URL by stripping the /api suffix. For example, if CONDUCTOR_SERVER_URL is http://localhost:8080/api, then the UI link is http://localhost:8080/workflowDef/order-processing. Always resolve the actual URL — never output a placeholder like {SERVER_UI_URL}.

Output formatting

• Present workflow data as structured summaries: workflowId, status, startTime, endTime, failedTask details.
• For searches, show a table with workflowId, name, status, and startTime.
• On failures, include the failed task name, error message, and retry count.
• Never echo auth tokens or secrets in output.

Troubleshooting

• CLI not found: Install via npm install -g @conductor-oss/conductor-cli, or use the bundled scripts/conductor_api.py fallback.
• Connection refused: Verify CONDUCTOR_SERVER_URL is correct and the server is running.
• 401 Unauthorized: Check CONDUCTOR_AUTH_TOKEN is set and valid.
• 404 Not Found: Verify the workflow name, version, or execution ID exists.
• Docs: https://orkes.io/content/ for detailed Conductor documentation.
• API Reference: See api-reference.md for REST endpoint details.