Design3 min read

Test a process before you deploy it: Play mode

Step through a diagram node by node inside the designer, choose gateway branches, and watch variables change — without deploying anything.

In short

01
Runs the draft diagram directly — no deployment needed.
02
Advance one node at a time and pick the branch at a gateway.
03
Nothing is saved and no real system is called.

Play mode answers one question quickly: does this diagram do what I think it does? It runs the diagram you are editing in a throwaway session, one node per click.

Draw

Play

Step

Fix

Deploy

How to use it

Press Play in the diagram editor

A session starts with a token on the start event. Nothing has run yet.

Step

Each step runs exactly one node. The active node is highlighted and the current variables are shown.

Choose at gateways

When the token reaches an exclusive gateway, pick the outgoing path yourself, or let the condition decide.

Set variables on the way

Add or change a variable before a step, for example to satisfy a gateway condition.

What a session is — and is not

Question	Answer
Is anything saved?	No. A session lives in memory and is removed after 30 minutes without activity.
Are real systems called?	No. A connector task never opens a real connection in Play mode; give it a mock response to let it pass.
Does it create instances, jobs or tasks?	No. Your running data is untouched.
Who can use it?	Admins and process owners.

Pair Play mode with service-task mocks: give each service task a mock response, then step through the whole process before any worker exists.

Automating it

Play mode is also available over the API, which is useful for scripted checks of a diagram.

Endpoint	Purpose
POST /play/sessions	Start a session from BPMN XML
POST /play/sessions/{id}/step	Advance one node; optionally choose a branch or set variables
GET /play/sessions/{id}	Read the session without advancing it

See it on your own process

Book a walkthrough with the Orkovia team.

Request a Demo

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