workflow-init
vercel/workflow
Install and configure Vercel Workflow SDK for Next.js, Express, Hono, Fastify, NestJS, Nitro, Nuxt, Astro, SvelteKit, or Vite.
What is workflow-init?
Sets up the Vercel Workflow SDK in your project before the package is installed. Detects your framework, fetches the official getting-started guide, and walks through installation, configuration, and verification steps.
- Checks if workflow is already installed; directs to /workflow skill if it is
- Auto-detects your framework from package.json and config files, or accepts explicit framework choice
- Fetches and follows the official getting-started guide for your framework
- Installs dependencies and configures the framework for Workflow SDK
- Creates and verifies an example workflow with a route handler
- Provides curl command to test the setup and confirm execution
How to install workflow-init
npx skills add https://github.com/vercel/workflow --skill workflow-init- Node.js and npm/yarn/pnpm installed
- An existing project with package.json, or willingness to create a new framework project
- One of the supported frameworks: Next.js, Express, Hono, Fastify, NestJS, Nitro, Nuxt, Astro, SvelteKit, or Vite
How to use workflow-init
- 1.Run the skill and let it detect your framework, or specify one explicitly
- 2.Review the framework-specific getting-started guide that is fetched
- 3.Follow the step-by-step instructions: install dependencies, configure the framework, create the example workflow file
- 4.Create the route handler to expose the workflow endpoint
- 5.Start your dev server using the command from the guide
- 6.Test the setup by running the provided curl command against the endpoint
- 7.Verify logs show the workflow and steps executing correctly
- 8.After setup completes, use the /workflow skill for ongoing development and documentation
Use cases
- Adding durable workflows to an existing Next.js or Express application
- Setting up Vercel Workflow SDK in a new Nuxt, SvelteKit, or Astro project
- Configuring workflow infrastructure for a NestJS or Fastify API server
- Initializing Workflow SDK in a Hono or Vite-based project before writing workflow code
- Backend and full-stack developers setting up Vercel Workflow for the first time
- Teams building durable, long-running workflows in Node.js frameworks
- Developers migrating existing projects to use Workflow SDK
workflow-init FAQ
The skill checks package.json first and directs you to use the /workflow skill instead, which reads versioned docs from node_modules.
Yes. If no framework is detected, the skill asks what you want to build (web app, API server, or minimal server) and guides you through creating a new project first.
Next.js, Nuxt, SvelteKit, Astro, NestJS, Nitro, Express, Fastify, Hono, and Vite.
The skill confirms successful setup and instructs you to use the /workflow skill for ongoing development, which accesses the bundled documentation in node_modules.
No, but if you have conceptual questions, the skill can fetch the foundations guide and cookbook from the Vercel Workflow documentation.
Full instructions (SKILL.md)
Source of truth, from vercel/workflow.
name: workflow-init description: Install and configure Vercel Workflow SDK before it exists in node_modules. Use when the user asks to "install workflow", "set up workflow", "add durable workflows", "configure workflow sdk", or "init workflow" for Next.js, Express, Hono, Fastify, NestJS, Nitro, Nuxt, Astro, SvelteKit, or Vite. metadata: author: Vercel Inc. version: '1.4'
workflow-init
Initial setup of Vercel Workflow SDK before workflow is installed. Fetch the official getting-started guide for the user's framework.
Decision flow
0) Sanity check
Read package.json. If workflow is already a dependency, tell the user to use /workflow instead (it reads versioned docs from node_modules/workflow/docs/). Only continue if workflow is missing.
1) Determine the framework
Non-interactive: If the user named a framework in their prompt, use it directly.
Auto-detect: Inspect package.json deps and config files. Use the first match:
- Next.js -
nextdep ornext.config.* - Nuxt -
nuxtdep ornuxt.config.* - SvelteKit -
@sveltejs/kitdep orsvelte.config.* - Astro -
astrodep orastro.config.* - NestJS -
@nestjs/coredep ornest-cli.json - Nitro -
nitrodep ornitro.config.* - Express -
expressdep - Fastify -
fastifydep - Hono -
honodep - Vite -
vitedep (and not matched above)
If no match or multiple matches, ask the user to pick.
2) Fetch and follow the getting-started guide
Fetch exactly one of these URLs and follow the guide step-by-step:
Each guide covers: install deps, configure framework, create first workflow, create route handler, run + verify.
3) Verify setup
- Start the dev server per the guide.
- Trigger the example endpoint with the provided
curl. - Confirm logs show the workflow and steps executing.
- Optional:
npx workflow webornpx workflow inspect runs.
4) No framework yet?
If no framework exists, ask what the user wants:
- Web app: Next.js / Nuxt / SvelteKit / Astro
- API server: Express / Fastify / Hono
- Minimal server: Nitro or Vite
Then follow the "Create Your Project" section of the chosen guide.
Concept questions (pre-install)
If the user asks conceptual questions before installing, fetch:
Handoff
When setup is complete, tell the user: Use /workflow for ongoing development - it reads the versioned docs bundled in node_modules/workflow/docs/.
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