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Viewflow

The low-code for developers with yesterday's deadline

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Viewflow is a low-code library for building business applications with Django. It gives you ready-made components for user management, workflows, and reporting. You write less code but keep full control. You can customize everything and connect it to your existing systems.

Build full-featured business applications in a few lines of code. Viewflow ships as one package with everything included. Each part works on its own, but they all work well together.

GPT assisted with Viewflow documentation: Viewflow Pair Programming Buddy

Viewflow comes in two versions:

  • Viewflow Core: Open-source library with base classes. Build your own solution on top.
  • Viewflow PRO: Full package with ready-to-use features and third-party integrations. Commercial license allows private forks and modifications.

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Features

  • Modern, responsive interface with SPA-style navigation
  • Reusable workflow library for BPMN processes
  • Built-in CRUD for complex forms and data
  • Reporting dashboard included
  • Small, easy-to-learn API

Installation

Viewflow works with Python 3.8+ and Django 4.0+

Viewflow:

pip install django-viewflow

Viewflow PRO:

pip install django-viewflow-pro  --extra-index-url https://pypi.viewflow.io/<licence_id>/simple/

Add to INSTALLED_APPS in settings.py:

    INSTALLED_APPS = [
        ....
        'viewflow',
        'viewflow.workflow',  # if you need workflows
    ]

Quick start

Here is a pizza ordering workflow example.

1. Create a model for process data

Viewflow provides a Process base model. Use jsonstore fields to store data without extra database joins:

    from viewflow import jsonstore
    from viewflow.workflow.models import Process

    class PizzaOrder(Process):
        customer_name = jsonstore.CharField(max_length=250)
        address = jsonstore.TextField()
        toppings = jsonstore.TextField()
        tips_received = jsonstore.IntegerField(default=0)
        baking_time = jsonstore.IntegerField(default=10)

        class Meta:
            proxy = True

2. Create flows.py with your workflow

Define a flow class with steps. Use CreateProcessView and UpdateProcessView for the forms:

    from viewflow import this
    from viewflow.workflow import flow
    from viewflow.workflow.flow.views import CreateProcessView, UpdateProcessView
    from .models import PizzaOrder

    class PizzaFlow(flow.Flow):
        process_class = PizzaOrder

        start = flow.Start(
            CreateProcessView.as_view(
                fields=["customer_name", "address", "toppings"]
            )
        ).Next(this.bake)

        bake = flow.View(
            UpdateProcessView.as_view(fields=["baking_time"])
        ).Next(this.deliver)

        deliver = flow.View(
            UpdateProcessView.as_view(fields=["tips_received"])
        ).Next(this.end)

        end = flow.End()

3. Add URLs

Register the workflow with the frontend:

    from django.urls import path
    from viewflow.contrib.auth import AuthViewset
    from viewflow.urls import Application, Site
    from viewflow.workflow.flow import FlowAppViewset
    from my_pizza.flows import PizzaFlow

    site = Site(
        title="Pizza Flow Demo",
        viewsets=[
            FlowAppViewset(PizzaFlow, icon="local_pizza"),
        ]
    )

    urlpatterns = [
        path("accounts/", AuthViewset().urls),
        path("", site.urls),
    ]

4. Run migrations and start the server

Run migrations, start Django, and open the browser. You can now create and track pizza orders through the workflow.

Next steps: https://docs.viewflow.io/workflow/writing.html

Documentation

Latest version: http://docs.viewflow.io/

Version 1.xx: http://v1-docs.viewflow.io

Demo

http://demo.viewflow.io/

Cookbook

Code samples and examples: https://github.com/viewflow/cookbook

License

Viewflow is an Open Source project licensed under the terms of the AGPL license - The GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 with the Additional Permissions described in LICENSE_EXCEPTION

The AGPL license with Additional Permissions is a free software license that allows commercial use and distribution of the software. It is similar to the GNU GCC Runtime Library license, and it includes additional permissions that make it more friendly for commercial development.

You can read more about AGPL and its compatibility with commercial use at the AGPL FAQ

If you use Linux already, this package license likely won't bring anything new to your stack.

Viewflow PRO has a commercial-friendly license allowing private forks and modifications of Viewflow. You can find the commercial license terms in COMM-LICENSE.

Changelog

2.2.15 2025-12-24

  • Fix form button name/value lost on resubmission after validation error with Turbo
  • Fix subprocess double execution when completing synchronously

2.2.14 2025-11-24

  • Add Django 6.0 compatibility (requires Python 3.12+)
  • Improve error handling for permission creation in multiple database configurations
  • Fix BPMN export to include name attribute for gateway nodes (flow.If)

2.2.13 2025-09-24

  • Fix checkbox field error message styling to display in red color

2.2.12 2025-07-25

  • Allow to extend and override process_data template

2.2.11 2025-05-14

  • Return .Avaialble(..) for the start node