CadenzaFlow FAQ | Answers to Common Questions About Our BPM Platform

Question & Answer

Frequently asked questions
about CadenzaFlow

1. What is CadenzaFlow?

CadenzaFlow is a modern Workflow Management System^[1] for orchestration of Enterprise organizations, with full customer soverignty. In essence, CadenzaFlow has a strong focus for the following:
‍
- Truly Open Source with Freedom for Production Use
- Scalable Performance
- Uncompromised Enterprise-Grade Operational Manageability and Security
- Fully decoupled event-driven Business Tasks triggering
- Pluggable AI Agents
- BPMN2.0, WfMC^[2] standards compliance

‍
1- https://wfmc.org/glossary/#W "WfMC-Workflow Mgmt Coalition Glossary"
2- https://wfmc.org/xpdl/ "About XPDL"

2. Who is behind CadenzaFlow?

CadenzaFlow is developed and maintained by PiA-TEAM Inc.

‍PiA-TEAM (aka PiA Group) is committed to building enterprise-grade product suites and solutions with a strong focus on cloud readiness, open-standards compliance (including TM Forum ODA and Open APIs, BPMN 2.0, 3GPP, and related standards), and security.

CadenzaFlow is launched to provide long-term continuity for the Camunda 7 community while delivering a carefully balanced roadmap centered on security, scalability, and operational manageability — enterprise-class capabilities achieved without compromise.

3. Why is CadenzaFlow created?

CadenzaFlow was created in response to Camunda’s strategic shift away from Camunda 7. Camunda 7 (the previous open-source engine) reached end-of-life in 2025, and its creator moved focus to Camunda 8 (which is not fully open-source and has a different architecture with some advantages as well as operational compromises critical for enterprise use).

To ensure an open-source, enterprise-ready workflow engine that many organizations will continue relying on, PiA-TEAM decided to fork Camunda 7 as CadenzaFlow, similar to how Camunda was born in 2013 (please refer to next FAQ). This ensures continued updates, security patches, and a focus on enterprise features on a truly open platform.

For a more detailed overview, please refer to Why CadenzaFlow?

4. Is CadenzaFlow a fork of Camunda?

In 2013, Camunda forked from the open-source Activiti (https://www.activiti.org/) BPM Engine v5. It was motivated by a desire to create a more robust, developer-friendly core bpm engine (for embedded use) with new features and strong focus on BPMN2.0 compliancy as well as fostering the use of Camunda as an external/standalone Workflow Management System by the Enterprise Organizations.

Similarly, in 2025, CadenzaFlow is forked from the opem-source Camunda 7.23 Bpm Platform base. It inherits Camunda 7’s battle-tested core engine and will be evolving; not only keeping the base up to date to ensure security, but will extend focusing even more on enterprise grade features.

For further details, please refer to next FAQ and Editions&Release Cycles Overview and Product Roadmap

5. How is CadenzaFlow different from Camunda?

CadenzaFlow remains compatible with Camunda 7 APIs and BPMN2.0 process definition models, while its roadmap extends beyond basic maintenance — delivering true enterprise-grade additional enhancements rather than mere security patches.

Unlike Camunda 7 (which is no longer updated), CadenzaFlow has an active roadmap and will ensure an up-to-date technology stack and security updates. It offers a Community Edition that is free and production-ready, and an Enterprise Edition with added value like long-term support (LTS), enhanced monitoring/observability, and SLA-based support. Future releases part of CadenzaFlow roadmap are planning new enterprise capabilities:

- Decoupled and horizontally orchestration triggering via Event Streaming based external tasks tirggering
- Horizontally scalable workflow orchestration with zero operational compromise — achieved through business-key affinity across clustered worker nodes and a co-located, distributed relational data fabric
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For further details, please refer to Product Roadmap.

For further details, on Camunda 8 limitations in this context, please refer to White Paper: Camunda 8 Architecture: Enterprise-Grade Critique.

6. How does CadenzaFlow compare to Camunda 8?

Please also refer to above FAQ 5.

Camunda 8 is a new cloud-native workflow engine with a focus on horizontal scalability, but it is not fully open-source for production use and lacks some of the fine-grained control features that Camunda 7 provided. Please refer to White Paper: Camunda 8 Architecture: Enterprise-Grade Critique.

7. Is CadenzaFlow open source? Is there any long term committed
CadenzaFlow principles/manifesto?

Yes – CadenzaFlow’s Community Edition is completely open source. There are no license restrictions or hidden limitations on the community version . The source code is open for inspection and use, aligning with the principles of transparency and community collaboration. (Note: The project’s source repository and license details will be provided; CadenzaFlow is planned to use a permissive open-source license similar to Camunda 7’s Apache 2.0.)

For further details, please refer to detailed overview, please refer to CadenzaFlow Enterprise Workflow Management Manifesto.

8. Do I need to pay to use CadenzaFlow?

No. The Community Edition of CadenzaFlow is free to download and use, even in production environments . You can run the community version with no cost. For organizations that need additional features or official support, CadenzaFlow will also offers paid Enterprise and OEM/Embedded editions, but using the core platform itself does not require a license fee.

9. What editions of CadenzaFlow are available?

CadenzaFlow is offered in multiple editions to suit different needs:
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- Community Edition: A free open-source edition with all core features, suitable for production use without cost with regular release of new versions including security updates as well as new features.
- Enterprise Edition: A paid edition that includes all community features plus enterprise-grade add-ons (such as advanced operational tools, security patches, and long-term support and maintenance).
- Embedded/OEM Edition: A version intended for Independent Software Vendors or OEM partners who want to embed CadenzaFlow into their own products, with flexible licensing (Application-Specific License) and support options.

10. What features and components does CadenzaFlow include?

CadenzaFlow provides the same core components that Camunda 7 did, ensuring a complete workflow automation stack. It includes:
– A BPMN/DMN process/decision engine (for orchestrating/executing workflows/decisiontables).
– A REST API (HTTP-based) that allows external applications to interact with the engine for operations and integrations^[3]
– User interfaces: such as the CadenzaFlow Modeler (a desktop application for designing BPMN workflows), and web apps like Cockpit, Tasklist, and Admin for monitoring processes, handling user tasks, and administering the engine.

*Additional enhanced features for managing human tasks as part of roadmap.

3 - https://wfmc.org/public-documents/ "WfMC-Workflow Mgmt Coalition Public Documents: Workflow Mgmt System Reference Model as per WFMC-TC-1011, Feb-1999, 3.0 and Interfaces 2&3"

11. How can I download or get started with CadenzaFlow?

You will be able to download CadenzaFlow from the official CadenzaFlow Download page. The Community Edition will be available as a free download – you simply install it on your infrastructure (there will be distributions for various environments, e.g. a standalone server or Docker image).

Comprehensive documentation is provided at CadenzaFlow Documentation page.

Please note that some download links as well as documentation may be marked as “Coming Soon”, indicating that the first public release is imminent. Check the website for updates on the download availability with full coverage in web site to be finalized by no more than end of Nov 2025.

12. When will CadenzaFlow be available (what is the release timeline)?

The initial Community Edition release of CadenzaFlow (version 1.0.0) is availabe as of Oct 2025.

For further details, please refer to detailed overview, please refer to Product Roadmap.

13. Camunda 7 is reaching its end-of-life – how does CadenzaFlow help?

Camunda 7 (Community Edition) will no longer receive updates or fixes after its final version 7.24 in October 2025. This poses risks for enterprise organizations that rely on Camunda 7 Community Edition for production use, as they would miss critical security patches and improvements. CadenzaFlow addresses this by ensuring Camunda 7 compliancy and codebase under active development and support.

In other words, CadenzaFlow is a drop-in successor to Camunda 7 that will keep evolving. By switching to CadenzaFlow, Camunda 7 users can get ongoing updates, bug fixes, and new features on an open platform, instead of being forced to migrate to Camunda 8 which restrict production use. CadenzaFlow provides peace of mind that your workflow engine will remain secure and maintained for the long term.

For impacts on the Camunda 7 clients and code base, with each CadenzaFlow release, please refer to detailed overview, please refer to Product Roadmap What it means? sections.

14. How do I migrate from Camunda 7 to CadenzaFlow?

Migrating from Camunda 7 to CadenzaFlow is intended to be straightforward, provided that your are already at one of the Required Camunda Minor Version.

For further details, please refer to:
- Camunda to CadenzaFlow Migration available in CadenzaFlow documentation.
- Rolling update
- Transition Strategy & Upgrade MoP Blueprint

15. Will my existing Camunda 7 BPMN models and code work on CadenzaFlow?

Yes. CadenzaFlow is designed to be fully compatible with Camunda 7. It supports the same standards – BPMN 2.0 for workflows, DMN 1.3 for decision tables, and even CMMN 1.1 for case management – that Camunda 7 did. This means the processes and decision models you created for Camunda 7 can run on CadenzaFlow without changes. Likewise, custom code (such as Java delegates, scripts, external task clients) will continue to work, aside from slight package and naming space differences that may require slight adjustments. The goal of CadenzaFlow is to provide a seamless migration path, so your investment in Camunda 7 carries forward.

For impacts on the Camunda 7 clients and code base, with each CadenzaFlow release, please refer to detailed overview, please refer to Product Roadmap What it means? sections.

16. What standards does CadenzaFlow support?

Following the roots of Camunda 7 extending on Activiti, now CadenzaFlow extends Camunda 7 with deeper focus on Enterprise grade scalabibility, security and operational manageability. While doing so, CadenzaFlow will continue to be based on open workflow and decision-automation standards established by the Object Management Group (OMG)^[4] and rooted in the early architectural principles defined by the Workflow Management Coalition (WfMC)^[5].

Specifically, it supports:
- BPMN 2.0 (Business Process Model and Notation) — for modeling and executing business workflows.
- DMN 1.1 and 1.3 (Decision Model and Notation) — for defining and executing business decision logic through decision tables and decision requirement diagrams (DRDs).
- CMMN 1.1 (Case Management Model and Notation) (optional) — for case-based and semi-structured workflow scenarios, available in the core engine.
- Process definition interchange (BPMN XML) — fully compliant with the OMG BPMN 2.0 schema, enabling interoperability with other BPMN-compliant modeling tools.
- REST and Java APIs (OpenAPI-aligned) — for integration with enterprise systems and microservice architectures.

In addition, CadenzaFlow’s architecture implicitly conforms to the foundational Workflow Mgmt System Architecture Reference Model and Interfaces concepts of the WfMC Workflow Reference Model (WFMC-TC-1011), particularly its definition of workflow engine components and the five interoperability interfaces (Process Definition, Client Application, Invoked Applications, Inter-Workflow Interoperability, and Administration / Audit).

This alignment positions CadenzaFlow within the broader lineage of enterprise-grade workflow management systems, while advancing the model with modern, cloud-native, and API-driven capabilities.

4- https://www.omg.org/bpmn/ "OMG-Business Process Model & Notation™ (BPMN™)"
5- https://wfmc.org/ "WfMC-Workflow Mgmt Coalition"

17. What are the system requirements or supported platforms for CadenzaFlow?

Please refer to Supported Environments.

18. Does CadenzaFlow offer enterprise support and long-term maintenance?

Yes. In addition to the free community support resources, PiA-TEAM offers Enterprise Support for CadenzaFlow. Enterprise Edition customers receive SLA-backed support (with options for 8×5 or 24×7 coverage) and guaranteed maintenance for up to 5 years on LTS releases.

For further details, please refer to Product Roadmap.

19. How often is CadenzaFlow updated (what is the release cycle)?

CadenzaFlow follows a predictable release schedule. The platform is scheduled to have a major release approximately every 6 months for all editions.

For further details, please refer to Editions & Release Cycles Overview.

20. Is CadenzaFlow self-hosted or offered as a cloud service?

CadenzaFlow is provided as a software product for self-hosting. It is not a proprietary cloud service – you run it on your own servers or cloud infrastructure of your choice, just like you would run Camunda 7. In the pricing information, editions are listed as “Self-Hosted,” which means the user is responsible for deploying and managing the CadenzaFlow instance.

You can deploy CadenzaFlow on-premises or in your private cloud (for example, on VMs or Kubernetes clusters), and you maintain full control over your data and environment. At this time, there is no SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) offering of CadenzaFlow by PiA or any PiA partner – the focus is on an open platform you manage yourself with full customer sovereignty.

21. Can I contribute to the CadenzaFlow project?

Starting from the end of 2025, authorized developers will be able to fork the project, create branches, and submit pull requests or extensions in accordance with the CadenzaFlow team’s contribution policy.

At the same time, any community member will be welcome to report issues, share suggestions, and propose changes through the public issue tracker and discussion channels.

(Note: Detailed contribution guidelines, access controls, and repository information will be published by the CadenzaFlow team. Interested contributors should follow the official website and documentation for updates.)

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