[Neos] Thought about implementing workflows

[Søren Malling]

Hi,

As localization (dimensions) is getting closer I would like to share some
suggestion from my current boss about workflows.

The concept is quite different from workspaces and stages as we know them
today in TYPO3 CMS and is more like setting up a set of "rules" about nodes
of different kind.

It's very much inspired by the "Rules" [1] concept of Drupal (my boss is
quiet a Drupal fan, because of it's modules) where you assign rules to
different actions.

Come to think about it, a workflow (proofreading etc.) just like a rule:

"Before this node can be published, it must be proofread by another user in
this group"
"Before this nodetype, "Text with image", can be published, a PR guy must
confirm usage of the image"
"When this node is published, automaticly give it the tag, 'new content'"
"When this node is 7 days old, remove the tag 'new content'" (maybe this is
using is in a wrong context, but you get the sense for, where extending it
can go)
"When this node is deleted order a dog from amazon"
you get the picture..

A rule should be able to be bound to every node type. In this way you can
avoid having a application to "hardcode" different kind of features.
Example:

A newsmedia distribution of TYPO3 Neos, can have a, and multiple, "rules"
saying

"When this nodetype, Newsletter, is published, sent it to the following
distribution lists"

So instead of having hook/signal/slot functionality coded in, you have a
rule.

This functionality, will require code for each workflow/rule strategy, but
I see this as simple objects like the different Typoscript objects have
become.

And, in the long run the rule concept can be used separately from
TYPO3.Neos, and simply together with TYPO3.TYPO3CR if you are building a
application on top of that.

Looking forward to hear your feedback!

Cheers

Søren


[1] https://drupal.org/project/rules