Difference between Workflow and Rules

the totally different. workflow-ng is like rules a module that allows you to configure arbitrary rules - which is also really useful when building workflows.

The naming of the two suggests that Workflow-NG is a replacement for workflow, but you just said it's totally different. Can we have a more detailed explaination please?

Thanks.

Workflow is dealing with changing the state of nodes. wf_ng and its D6 version - rules, are dealing with triggering actions upon certain events and conditions. Similar to D6's core module - trigger, only with more options and integrated with more modules core and contrib.

Changed node state is only one kind of trigger, so it sounds like Workflow is only a functional subset of Rules? Am I reading correctly?

No, workflow has nothing to do with rules.

Workflow does one thing, node states. Rules deals with triggers, actions, etc.

Workflow-ng is a bad name that made it sound like it has to do with workflow, but now it's called Rules and people should understand that there's no relation.

A change in node state is an event that can start a trigger.

There's integration, but then that's also true for dozens of modules, they're not related.

Use the workflow module. It's stayed consistent, and it does work with the actions and trigger modules (which are built-in to drupal 6 or separately available for drupal 5).

I went with workflow_ng in drupal 5 and now there is no upgrade path. There is rules instead. I have no idea if rules will still be around for drupal 7, so I'm just going with workflow which has stayed consistent.

@dugh,

1) workflow and Rules are different modules with different goals, some of them may overlap. Rules is more general.
2) There is an upgrade path from workflow_ng to Rules. you can look at the code...
3) Fago, being the author and maintainer has shown that he is committed to his modules. I seriously doubt if Rules will be gone that fast.

You can do workflow things with rules easily, have a look at the editorial workflow tutorial of Rules: http://drupal.org/node/550716

#3 explained it very clearly.

Workflow creates/sets node states and allow complex workflows. Rules is a module that describes a sequence of cause and effect, what happens to a node once it's created for instance. Possible effects are to set a state to the node, and to create a workflow. But also possible effects (actions), are to give the user points, change the node taxonomy, and numerous other things. Rules is a flexible, general module that does many many things, including workflow.

I would suggest using Rules because you'll likely find some other uses for rules besides workflow, and it'll just be 1 less module you'll have to deal with.

On the other hand workflow might be easier to use and be conceptually less complex. I'm saying all this with the assumption that you need to create a workflow. If this is not about workflow, then there is no comparison and no relation.

@Earl Grey: I haven't used Rules, but AFAIK, with a publishing workflow, the Workflow module is easier. It is integrated to the node publish/edit form, but that's not all. You can change workflow state alone without touching node content.

Yes, you can do this with Rules (set trigger to the field content change), but it's more complicated. So I won't use the word "subset". Like I write a module that can execute arbitrary PHP code, ooops, it's not a superset of all module ;-)

The problem with Workflow as I see is that it's not in active development recently.

PS: As I don't use Rules, I don't know how difficult to implement Workflow features in Rules. Someone mentioned a tutorial at http://drupal.org/node/550716 in a comment above. I just skim, and it has some drawbacks.

@jcisio, very well put. The php superset module example is on point! am greatly concerned about the active develpment of workflow as I am implementing a serious building and construction workflow on it.

No, workflow comes back now ;) The author of Pro Drupal Development has recently pushed on it.

And I won't forget to say that I'm using Rules now, too. I remove the administer node permission for editors, I set a rule to publish node when workflow state changes.

Issue should be closed now ;)

All the information is out there, but, imo this issue requires a documentation page and a major mention on the project page. It's inevitable that this question will persist for many drupalers.

Indeed, I think a comparison page is in order.

In case it sways someone, I think more modules are building dependencies on Rules.

For example, Ubercart is ditching it's custom Conditional Actions module for Rules in D7:
#336257-40: Rules integration

I don't use it myself yet, but in the interest of keeping things consistent, I'd lean toward the more generalized Rules module, particularly if I think site feature expansion is be a possibility.

Inactivity in this case = fixed, imo. Anyway, times have changed, and Rules is much better understood in general.

@people-of-the-future: Please do not reopen this issue. Instead, see comments above and further research ongoing efforts in each project to see their respective ongoing directions.