In the previous Unit, we learned about the Process itself and how to create a Process. Now, it’s time to continue and learn about Activity, since a Process can’t exist without Activity. And together with the activities, we have the activity buttons.
In previous topics, we have learned how to create functions and explored the API states associated with them. Understanding these states is crucial as they determine how and when a function can be used within activities.
API States Overview
When creating a function or a model entity, you encounter various API states. Each state plays a specific role in the lifecycle of a function:
Active
This is the current live version of the API, meant for productive use.
When a function is set to active, it is available for integration into activities and processes, ensuring it can be used in a live environment.
Beta
The beta version of an API is not meant for productive use. It is typically used for testing and validation before a function goes live.
Setting a function to beta allows developers to test features and integrations without affecting the production environment.
Decommissioned
APIs in the decommissioned state are no longer intended for production.
These functions are essentially retired and should not be used in any active activities or processes.
Deprecated
While deprecated functions still support productive use, they are intended to be decommissioned soon.
This state serves as a warning that the function will not be supported in the future, prompting users to transition to a newer version.
Internal
Generally, when a function is first created, it defaults to the internal API state.
Internal state means that the function is not yet ready for production and may be undergoing further development or testing.
Business Example: Let’s consider a finance application within an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Suppose you have created a function that calculates end-of-month financial summaries. You initially set the API state to Internal during development and testing phases. Once confident that the function performs as expected, you transition it to Beta and allow a select group of users to test it in a controlled environment. After successful testing, you set the API state to Active, enabling it for productive use across the organization. As new regulations come into effect requiring changes, you might create a new version while marking the old version as Deprecated, eventually moving it to Decommissioned.