/iblai-workflow

Add AI workflow builder features -- a visual workflow editor with a node type browser sidebar, node configuration panels, connector management, and create/delete workflow modals. Includes a custom canvas with drag-and-drop, bezier curve edges, pan/zoom, undo/redo, and auto-save.

AI Assistant: Do NOT add custom styles, colors, or CSS overrides to ibl.ai SDK components. They ship with their own styling. Keep the components as-is. Do NOT implement dark mode unless the user explicitly asks for it.

When building custom UI around SDK components, use the ibl.ai brand:

• Primary: #0058cc, Gradient: linear-gradient(135deg, #00b0ef, #0058cc)
• Button: bg-gradient-to-r from-[#2563EB] to-[#93C5FD] text-white
• Font: System sans-serif stack, Style: shadcn/ui new-york variant
• Use shadcn components for custom UI -- they share the same Tailwind theme and render in ibl.ai brand colors automatically.

You MUST run /iblai-test before telling the user the work is ready.

Prerequisites

• Auth must be set up first (/iblai-auth)
• MCP and skills must be set up: iblai add mcp

Step 0: Check for CLI Updates

AI Assistant: Before running any iblai command, ensure the CLI is up to date. Run iblai --version to check the current version, then upgrade directly:

• pip: pip install --upgrade iblai-app-cli
• npm: npm install -g @iblai/cli@latest

This is safe to run even if already at the latest version.

Step 0b: Check Environment

AI Assistant: Before proceeding, check for a .env.local (or .env) in the project root. Look for PLATFORM, DOMAIN, and TOKEN variables. If the file does not exist or is missing these variables, tell the user: "You need a .env.local with your platform configuration. Download the template and fill in your values: curl -o .env.local https://raw.githubusercontent.com/iblai/vibe/refs/heads/main/.env.example"

Architecture

The workflow feature has two pages and three custom components:

app/(app)/workflows/
├── page.tsx                          # List page (grid of workflows)
└── [id]/page.tsx                     # Editor page (sidebar + canvas)

components/workflows/
├── types.ts                          # Shared types (CanvasNode, CanvasEdge, NodeConfig)
├── workflow-canvas.tsx               # Custom canvas with SVG edges, pan/zoom, undo/redo
└── node-config-panel.tsx             # Context-aware node property editor

Step 1: SDK Components

Import SDK components directly -- there is no CLI generator:

// UI components
import {
  WorkflowSidebar,
  ConnectorManagementDialog,
  CreateWorkflowModal,
  DeleteWorkflowModal,
} from "@iblai/iblai-js/web-containers";

// RTK Query hooks
import {
  useGetWorkflowsQuery,
  useGetWorkflowQuery,
  useCreateWorkflowMutation,
  useDeleteWorkflowMutation,
  usePatchWorkflowMutation,
  usePublishWorkflowMutation,
  useValidateWorkflowMutation,
  workflowsApiSlice,
} from "@iblai/iblai-js/data-layer";

Step 2: Register workflowsApiSlice in Redux Store

CRITICAL: Add workflowsApiSlice to the store in store/iblai-store.ts:

import {
  coreApiSlice,
  mentorReducer,
  mentorMiddleware,
  workflowsApiSlice,
} from "@iblai/iblai-js/data-layer";

export const store = configureStore({
  reducer: {
    [coreApiSlice.reducerPath]: coreApiSlice.reducer,
    [workflowsApiSlice.reducerPath]: workflowsApiSlice.reducer,
    mentor: mentorReducer,
  },
  middleware: (getDefaultMiddleware) =>
    getDefaultMiddleware()
      .concat(coreApiSlice.middleware)
      .concat(workflowsApiSlice.middleware)
      .concat(mentorMiddleware),
});

Without this, all workflow API hooks will silently return undefined.

SDK Component Props (VERIFIED)

IMPORTANT: The prop names below are the ACTUAL props accepted by the SDK. The skill docs in older versions had incorrect prop names. Do NOT use isOpen, onClose, org, or onCreate -- they will fail.

<WorkflowSidebar>

Node type browser sidebar. Does NOT accept org or tenant.

Prop	Type	Description
onDragStart	(item: {id, label, type}) => void	Called when user starts dragging a node type
onItemClick	(item: {id, label, type}) => void	Called when user clicks a node type

<ConnectorManagementDialog>

Prop	Type	Description
open	boolean	Whether the dialog is visible
onClose	() => void	Close callback

Note: Uses open (NOT isOpen). Does NOT accept org.

<CreateWorkflowModal>

Prop	Type	Description
open	boolean	Whether the modal is visible
onOpenChange	(open: boolean) => void	Open state setter
onCreateWorkflow	(name: string) => void	Callback with workflow name
isCreating	boolean	Loading state

WARNING: Does NOT use isOpen/onClose/onCreate. Those are wrong.

<DeleteWorkflowModal>

Prop	Type	Description
isOpen	boolean	Whether the modal is visible
onClose	() => void	Close callback
onConfirm	() => void	Confirm deletion callback
isDeleting	boolean	Loading state
workflowName	string	Name displayed in confirmation

WARNING: Does NOT use workflowId or onDelete. Those are wrong.

Step 3: Create the Types File

Create components/workflows/types.ts with the shared data model. Node data is nested in node.data (not flat on the node):

// Workflow canvas types — matching mentorai's data model

export interface Variable {
  id: string;
  name: string;
  type: string;
  defaultValue?: string;
}

export interface Condition {
  id: string;
  caseName: string;
  expression: string;
}

export interface TransformExpression {
  id: string;
  key: string;
  value: string;
}

export interface SetStateAssignment {
  id: string;
  variable: string;
  value: string;
}

export interface NodeConfig {
  label: string;
  subtitle?: string;
  color?: string;
  content?: string;
  // Start node
  stateVariables?: Variable[];
  // Mentor node
  entry_mentor_id?: string;
  mentor_id?: string;
  instructions?: string;
  model?: string;
  // Conditional
  conditionCount?: number;
  conditions?: Condition[];
  // While
  whileExpression?: string;
  // User-approval
  userApprovalMessage?: string;
  // Transform
  transformMode?: "expressions" | "object";
  transformExpressions?: TransformExpression[];
  // Set-state
  setStateAssignments?: SetStateAssignment[];
  // End
  output?: string;
  // File-search
  datasetId?: string;
  datasetName?: string;
  maxResults?: number;
  fileSearchQuery?: string;
  // Shared
  continueOnError?: boolean;
  // MCP
  mcpConnectors?: { id: string; name: string; icon?: string }[];
}

export interface CanvasNode {
  id: string;
  type: string;
  position: { x: number; y: number };
  data: NodeConfig;
  width?: number;
  height?: number;
  selected?: boolean;
  dragging?: boolean;
  draggable?: boolean;
  selectable?: boolean;
  connectable?: boolean;
}

export interface CanvasEdge {
  id: string;
  source: string;
  target: string;
  sourceHandle?: string;
  targetHandle?: string;
}

Step 4: Create the Workflow List Page

app/(app)/workflows/page.tsx -- shows all workflows in a grid.

Key patterns:

• Uses useGetWorkflowsQuery({ org: tenant, params: search ? { search } : undefined })
• Workflow response has results array with unique_id, name, is_active, description, updated_at
• Create: passes { name, definition: { nodes: DEFAULT_NODES, edges: DEFAULT_EDGES } }
• Delete: passes { org: tenant, uniqueId: deleteTarget.id }
• Navigates to /workflows/${result.unique_id} after create

Default nodes for new workflows:

const DEFAULT_NODES = [
  {
    id: "start",
    type: "start",
    position: { x: 300, y: 250 },
    data: { label: "Start" },
  },
  {
    id: "mentor-1",
    type: "mentor",
    position: { x: 550, y: 250 },
    data: { label: "My mentor", subtitle: "Mentor" },
  },
];

const DEFAULT_EDGES = [
  {
    id: "e-start-mentor-1",
    source: "start",
    target: "mentor-1",
    sourceHandle: "right",
    targetHandle: "left",
  },
];

Step 5: Create the Workflow Editor Page

app/(app)/workflows/[id]/page.tsx -- loads a workflow and renders the sidebar + canvas with save/publish controls.

Key patterns:

• Uses useGetWorkflowQuery({ org: tenant, uniqueId: workflowId })
• Save: usePatchWorkflowMutation with { org, uniqueId, data: { definition: { nodes, edges } } }
• Publish: save first, then useValidateWorkflowMutation, then usePublishWorkflowMutation
• Validation response: { errors: string[], warnings: string[] }
• Cast workflow.definition?.nodes as CanvasNode[] (API types them as unknown[])

Auto-save pattern

Use a 2-second debounced auto-save:

const autoSaveTimerRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null>(null);
const isSavingRef = useRef(false);

const doSave = useCallback(async () => {
  if (isSavingRef.current) return;
  const { nodes, edges } = currentStateRef.current;
  const current = JSON.stringify({ nodes, edges });
  if (current === initialDataRef.current) return;
  isSavingRef.current = true;
  try {
    await patchWorkflow({ org: tenant, uniqueId: workflowId, data: { definition: { nodes, edges } } }).unwrap();
    initialDataRef.current = current;
    setHasUnsavedChanges(false);
    setSaveMessage("Saved");
    setTimeout(() => setSaveMessage(null), 2000);
  } catch {
    setSaveMessage("Save failed");
    setTimeout(() => setSaveMessage(null), 3000);
  } finally {
    isSavingRef.current = false;
  }
}, [patchWorkflow, tenant, workflowId]);

const scheduleAutoSave = useCallback(() => {
  if (autoSaveTimerRef.current) clearTimeout(autoSaveTimerRef.current);
  autoSaveTimerRef.current = setTimeout(() => doSave(), 2000);
}, [doSave]);

const handleStateChange = useCallback((nodes, edges) => {
  currentStateRef.current = { nodes, edges };
  if (initialDataRef.current) {
    const changed = JSON.stringify({ nodes, edges }) !== initialDataRef.current;
    setHasUnsavedChanges(changed);
    if (changed) scheduleAutoSave();
  }
}, [scheduleAutoSave]);

Manual save should cancel any pending auto-save timer:

const handleSave = async () => {
  if (autoSaveTimerRef.current) clearTimeout(autoSaveTimerRef.current);
  await doSave();
};

Clean up the timer on unmount:

useEffect(() => {
  return () => {
    if (autoSaveTimerRef.current) clearTimeout(autoSaveTimerRef.current);
  };
}, []);

Step 6: Build the Canvas Component

components/workflows/workflow-canvas.tsx -- a custom canvas (no ReactFlow).

Critical implementation details

1. Node dimension measurement: Nodes auto-size to content, so you MUST measure actual rendered dimensions with refs. Without this, edge lines won't connect to handle dots:

   const nodeRefsMap = useRef<Map<string, HTMLDivElement>>(new Map());
   const nodeSizesRef = useRef<Map<string, { w: number; h: number }>>(new Map());
   
   useEffect(() => {
     let changed = false;
     nodeRefsMap.current.forEach((el, id) => {
       const rect = el.getBoundingClientRect();
       const w = rect.width / zoom;
       const h = rect.height / zoom;
       const prev = nodeSizesRef.current.get(id);
       if (!prev || Math.abs(prev.w - w) > 1 || Math.abs(prev.h - h) > 1) {
         nodeSizesRef.current.set(id, { w, h });
         changed = true;
       }
     });
     if (changed) {
       setNodes((prev) => prev.map((n) => {
         const measured = nodeSizesRef.current.get(n.id);
         if (measured && (n.width !== measured.w || n.height !== measured.h))
           return { ...n, width: measured.w, height: measured.h };
         return n;
       }));
     }
   });
   
   const nodeRef = useCallback((id: string) => (el: HTMLDivElement | null) => {
     if (el) nodeRefsMap.current.set(id, el);
     else nodeRefsMap.current.delete(id);
   }, []);
   

   Attach ref={nodeRef(node.id)} to every node div (Start, End, While, Conditional, User-Approval, Note, Mentor, and Default). Missing even one will cause edge misalignment for that node type.

2. Handle position math: The handle dots are positioned with CSS (left: -HANDLE_RADIUS - 2), so the edge endpoint must match:

   const HANDLE_RADIUS = 6;
   const HANDLE_OFFSET = 2; // NOT 8! Must equal center of handle dot relative to node edge
   
   function getHandlePosition(node: CanvasNode, handle: string) {
     const w = node.width ?? NODE_WIDTH;
     const h = node.height ?? NODE_HEIGHT;
     switch (handle) {
       case "left":   return { x: node.position.x - HANDLE_OFFSET, y: node.position.y + h / 2 };
       case "right":  return { x: node.position.x + w + HANDLE_OFFSET, y: node.position.y + h / 2 };
       case "top":    return { x: node.position.x + w / 2, y: node.position.y - HANDLE_OFFSET };
       case "bottom": return { x: node.position.x + w / 2, y: node.position.y + h + HANDLE_OFFSET };
     }
   }
   

   The handle dot CSS is left: -(HANDLE_RADIUS + 2) = -8px from node edge. The dot is 12px wide, so its center is at -8 + 6 = -2px from node edge. Therefore HANDLE_OFFSET = 2 makes the edge endpoint hit the center.

3. Drop handler: Read from e.dataTransfer, NOT from a ref:

   const handleDrop = (e: React.DragEvent) => {
     e.preventDefault();
     const raw = e.dataTransfer.getData("application/json") || e.dataTransfer.getData("text/plain");
     if (!raw) return;
     const item = JSON.parse(raw);
     // ... create node at drop position
   };
   

   Using a ref for the dragged item causes "Cannot read properties of null" because the sidebar's onDragStart may not fire before onDrop.

4. Edge rendering: SVG layer for bezier curves with pan/zoom transform. Use two paths per edge -- one transparent for click target, one visible:

   <path d={path} stroke="transparent" strokeWidth="12" fill="none" onClick={() => removeEdge(edge.id)} />
   <path d={path} stroke="#38A1E5" strokeWidth="2" fill="none" strokeLinecap="round" />
   

5. Node type renderers: Each node type needs its own visual:

   • Start: play icon, right handle only
   • End: stop icon (red), left handle only
   • Mentor: bot icon, pencil config button, all 4 handles
   • Conditional: branch icon, dynamic condition rows with per-condition right handles + left handle
   • While: dashed border container, loop icon, left + right handles
   • User-Approval: thumbs-up icon, approve/reject rows with right handles + left handle
   • Note: amber sticky note background, no handles
   • Default (transform, set-state, etc.): bot icon, type label, all 4 handles

6. Middle-click panning: Handle e.button === 1 BEFORE the e.button !== 0 guard:

   const handleCanvasMouseDown = (e) => {
     if (e.button === 1) { // middle-click -> pan
       setIsPanning(true);
       setPanStart({ x: e.clientX - panOffset.x, y: e.clientY - panOffset.y });
       return;
     }
     if (e.button !== 0) return; // only left-click below
     // ...
   };
   

   If you check e.button !== 0 first, TypeScript narrows the type to 0 and e.button === 1 becomes a type error.

7. Click vs drag distinction: The config panel must open on mouseup (click without drag), NOT on mousedown. Otherwise dragging a node also opens its config panel:

   const handleNodeMouseDown = (e, nodeId) => {
     // Select the node, set up drag tracking
     dragStartRef.current = { x: e.clientX, y: e.clientY };
     dragMovedRef.current = false;
     setDraggedNode(nodeId);
     // Do NOT open config panel here
   };
   
   const handleMouseUp = () => {
     if (draggedNode) {
       setNodes((prev) => prev.map((n) => ({ ...n, dragging: false })));
       if (dragMovedRef.current) {
         saveToHistory(nodes, edges);
       } else {
         // Click without drag -- open config panel
         setSelectedNodeForConfig(draggedNode);
       }
     }
     // ... cleanup
   };
   

   Use DRAG_THRESHOLD = 3 pixels to distinguish click from drag:

   // In handleMouseMove:
   if (dragStartRef.current) {
     const dx = Math.abs(e.clientX - dragStartRef.current.x);
     const dy = Math.abs(e.clientY - dragStartRef.current.y);
     if (dx > DRAG_THRESHOLD || dy > DRAG_THRESHOLD) dragMovedRef.current = true;
   }
   

WorkflowCanvas props

interface WorkflowCanvasProps {
  draggedItem: { id: string; label: string; type: string } | null;
  clickedItem: { id: string; label: string; type: string } | null;
  onStateChange?: (nodes: CanvasNode[], edges: CanvasEdge[]) => void;
  initialNodes?: CanvasNode[];
  initialEdges?: CanvasEdge[];
}

Step 7: Build the Node Config Panel

components/workflows/node-config-panel.tsx -- opens when a node is clicked.

Critical: Event propagation

The config panel MUST stop event propagation on both onClick AND onMouseDown. Without this, clicks inside the panel bubble to the canvas, which deselects the node and closes the panel:

const panelShell = (children: React.ReactNode) => (
  <div
    className="absolute top-4 right-4 z-20 flex max-h-[calc(100vh-14rem)] w-[320px] flex-col rounded-xl border border-zinc-200 bg-white shadow-xl"
    onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
    onMouseDown={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
  >
    <div className="flex-1 space-y-3 overflow-y-auto p-3">{children}</div>
  </div>
);

Any modals spawned from the panel (e.g. "Add variable" modal) also need onClick and onMouseDown stopPropagation on their overlay:

{showAddVar && (
  <div
    className="fixed inset-0 z-50 flex items-center justify-center bg-black/30"
    onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
    onMouseDown={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
  >
    {/* modal content */}
  </div>
)}

Props

interface NodeConfigPanelProps {
  nodeId: string;
  nodeType: string;
  nodeData: NodeConfig;
  onClose: () => void;
  onUpdateNode: (nodeId: string, updates: Partial<NodeConfig>) => void;
  org?: string;
}

Sync pattern with isLocalUpdate ref

Use an isLocalUpdate ref to prevent sync loops. When the panel updates nodeData via onUpdateNode, the parent re-renders with new nodeData. The sync effect should skip that update to avoid overwriting the user's input cursor position:

const isLocalUpdate = useRef(false);

const update = useCallback((updates: Partial<NodeConfig>) => {
  isLocalUpdate.current = true;
  onUpdateNode(nodeId, updates);
}, [nodeId, onUpdateNode]);

// Sync from external changes (undo/redo, switching nodes)
useEffect(() => {
  if (isLocalUpdate.current) {
    isLocalUpdate.current = false;
    return;
  }
  setNodeName(nodeData.label);
  setInstructions(nodeData.instructions ?? "");
  setStateVariables(nodeData.stateVariables ?? []);
  setConditions(nodeData.conditions ?? [{ id: "c-1", caseName: "", expression: "" }]);
  setWhileExpr(nodeData.whileExpression ?? "");
  setTransformExprs(nodeData.transformExpressions ?? [{ id: "t-1", key: "", value: "" }]);
  setTransformMode(nodeData.transformMode ?? "expressions");
  setAssignments(nodeData.setStateAssignments ?? [{ id: "a-1", variable: "", value: "" }]);
  setEndOutput(nodeData.output ?? "");
  setApprovalMsg(nodeData.userApprovalMessage ?? "");
  setContinueOnError(nodeData.continueOnError ?? false);
}, [nodeData]);

Node type panels

Each node type gets its own panel:

• start: State variable list + "Add variable" modal with type picker (String/Number/Boolean/Object/List)
• mentor: Name, instructions textarea, model (read-only), "Continue on error" toggle
• conditional (if-else or conditional): Dynamic condition list with add/remove
• while: Expression textarea
• transform: Mode toggle (expressions/object) + key/value pairs
• set-state: Variable/value assignment pairs
• end: Output textarea
• user-approval: Name + approval message textarea
• guardrails: Checkbox list for PII, Moderation, Jailbreak, Hallucination
• file-search: Max results + query
• mcp: Placeholder for MCP server connections
• fallback: Name field only

Continue on error toggle (mentor panel)

The mentor panel includes a "Continue on error" toggle switch:

<div className="flex items-center justify-between rounded-lg border border-zinc-100 bg-zinc-50/80 p-2.5">
  <span className="text-xs text-zinc-700">Continue on error</span>
  <button
    onClick={() => {
      const next = !continueOnError;
      setContinueOnError(next);
      update({ continueOnError: next });
    }}
    className={`relative inline-flex h-5 w-9 items-center rounded-full transition-colors ${
      continueOnError ? "bg-[#38A1E5]" : "bg-zinc-300"
    }`}
  >
    <span
      className={`inline-block h-3.5 w-3.5 transform rounded-full bg-white transition-transform ${
        continueOnError ? "translate-x-4" : "translate-x-0.5"
      }`}
    />
  </button>
</div>

handleUpdateNode in the canvas

const handleUpdateNode = useCallback(
  (nid: string, updates: Partial<NodeConfig>) => {
    setNodes((prev) => {
      const newNodes = prev.map((n) => {
        if (n.id !== nid) return n;
        // Sync mentor_id when entry_mentor_id is set
        const shouldSync = n.type === "mentor" && updates.entry_mentor_id !== undefined;
        const normalized = shouldSync ? { ...updates, mentor_id: updates.entry_mentor_id } : updates;
        return { ...n, data: { ...n.data, ...normalized } };
      });
      saveToHistory(newNodes, edges);
      return newNodes;
    });
  },
  [edges, saveToHistory]
);

Step 8: Verify

Run /iblai-test before telling the user the work is ready:

1. npm run build -- must pass with zero errors
2. Start dev server and verify the workflow pages render:

   npm run dev &
   npx playwright screenshot http://localhost:3000/workflows /tmp/workflows.png
   

Common Pitfalls

1. Wrong SDK prop names: The skill docs previously listed incorrect props. CreateWorkflowModal uses open/onOpenChange/onCreateWorkflow (NOT isOpen/onClose/onCreate). ConnectorManagementDialog uses open (NOT isOpen). Neither takes org. WorkflowSidebar uses onDragStart/onItemClick (NOT org).

2. Edge line gap: If edges don't connect flush to handle dots, check that HANDLE_OFFSET equals the handle dot's center offset from the node edge (typically 2, not 8). Also ensure ALL node types have ref={nodeRef(node.id)} on their outermost div so dimensions are measured correctly.

3. "Cannot read properties of null": When dropping from sidebar, read e.dataTransfer.getData() instead of a ref. The ref may not be set.

4. TypeScript e.button narrowing: Handle middle-click before the !== 0 guard to avoid type narrowing issues.

5. Node data model: Data must be nested in node.data (NodeConfig), not flat on the node. The API returns { id, type, position, data: {...} }.

6. workflowsApiSlice not in store: All workflow hooks return undefined if the slice isn't registered. Add both reducer and middleware.

7. Config panel closes on click: The panelShell div MUST have both onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()} and onMouseDown={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}. Without BOTH, clicks propagate to the canvas, deselecting the node and closing the panel. Same applies to any modals spawned inside the panel.

8. Dragging opens config panel: Config panel must open on mouseup (when !dragMovedRef.current), NOT on mousedown. Opening on mousedown means every drag also opens the panel.

9. Missing continueOnError in sync effect: If you add continueOnError state, you MUST also add setContinueOnError(nodeData.continueOnError ?? false) to the sync effect. Otherwise undo/redo and node switching won't update the toggle state.

Important Notes

• Import: @iblai/iblai-js/web-containers -- framework-agnostic
• Data hooks: @iblai/iblai-js/data-layer -- RTK Query hooks
• Redux store: Must include mentorReducer, mentorMiddleware, AND workflowsApiSlice
• initializeDataLayer(): 5 args (v1.2+)
• @reduxjs/toolkit: Deduplicated via webpack aliases in next.config.ts
• Brand guidelines: BRAND.md