What is BPMN?
Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) is an internationally recognised standard (ISO 19510) maintained by the Object Management Group (OMG). It gives business analysts and developers a shared visual language for describing workflows — from a simple approval flow to a multi-department order-fulfilment pipeline.
Because BPMN diagrams are backed by a well-defined XML schema, a diagram is not just documentation: it is an executable specification. Engines such as Fleans parse that XML and run the process exactly as drawn.
The four symbol families
Section titled “The four symbol families”Every BPMN diagram is built from just four categories of symbols.
| Family | Shape | Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Events | Circle | Something that happens — starts, interrupts, or ends a process | Start Event, Timer, Message, End Event |
| Activities | Rounded rectangle | A unit of work the engine executes | Script Task, User Task, Call Activity, Sub-Process |
| Gateways | Diamond | A routing decision that splits or merges the flow | Exclusive (XOR), Parallel (AND), Inclusive (OR) |
| Flows | Arrow | Connects the above elements in sequence | Sequence Flow, Message Flow |
A minimal example
Section titled “A minimal example”The simplest possible BPMN process is a start event, one task, and an end event connected by sequence flows. Add one exclusive gateway and you can already model a real approval:
In practice you also layer in parallel gateways, intermediate events for waiting on timers or messages, and sub-processes for encapsulating reusable logic.
Where to go next
Section titled “Where to go next”- BPMN Support — see which BPMN elements Fleans implements today and how to use them.
- OMG BPMN 2.0 Specification — the full standard if you want every detail.