iTasks: executable specifications of interactive work flow systems for the web

In this paper we introduce the iTask system: a set of combinators to specify work flows in a pure functional language at a very high level of abstraction. Work flow systems are automated systems in which tasks are coordinated that have to be executed by humans and computers. The combinators that we propose support work flow patterns commonly found in commercial work flow systems. Compared with most of these commercial systems, the iTask system offers several advantages: tasks are statically typed, tasks can be higher order, the combinators are fully compositional, dynamic and recursive work flows can be specified, and last but not least, the specification is used to generate an executable web-based multi-user work flow application. With the iTask system, useful work flows can be defined which cannot be expressed in other systems: work can be interrupted and subsequently directed to other workers for further processing. The implementation is special as well. It is based on the Clean iD...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2007
• Where: ICFP
• Authors: Rinus Plasmeijer, Peter Achten, Pieter W. M. Koopman
• Keywords: Combinators, ICFP 2007, Programming Languages, Work Flow Systems, Work Flows