What are the differences between flow, private flow & sub flow? in MuleSoft
In MuleSoft 4, while all three (flow, private flow, and sub-flow) are elements used to build integration logic, they have distinct characteristics and use cases:
Flow:
Purpose: The fundamental building block for Mule applications. It represents a complete message processing unit with a well-defined starting point (source) and an ending point (endpoint).
Structure: A flow typically consists of:
Source: Defines how a message enters the flow (e.g., HTTP listener, file inbound endpoint).
Processors: Perform transformations, routing decisions, or interact with external systems (e.g., DataWeave transformation, message router, connector).
Error Handling (Optional): Defines how to handle errors that might occur during processing (e.g., try-catch scope).
Endpoint (Optional): Defines where the processed message is sent (e.g., HTTP outbound endpoint, database connector).
Scope: A flow can be reused across different Mule applications by referencing it as a sub-flow within another flow.
Error Handling: Inherits error handling strategy from the parent flow (if referenced as a sub-flow) or relies on its own error handling configuration (if used as a standalone flow).
Sub-Flow:
Purpose: A reusable unit of processing logic within a single flow. It promotes code modularity and reusability.
Structure: Similar to a flow, it can contain processors for data manipulation, routing, or external interactions. However, it does not have its own source or endpoint definition.
Scope: Local to the flow it's embedded within. It cannot be reused independently across different flows.
Error Handling: Inherits error handling behavior from the parent flow. Exceptions within the sub-flow propagate back to the parent flow for handling.
Private Flow:
Purpose: Similar to a sub-flow, it encapsulates reusable processing logic. However, it offers more autonomy and flexibility compared to sub-flows.
Structure: Like a flow, it can have processors for data manipulation, routing, or external interactions. Unlike a sub-flow, it does not have its own source definition but can have its own endpoint definition.
Scope: Local to the flow it's embedded within. It cannot be reused independently across different flows.
Error Handling: Has its own error handling strategy independent of the parent flow. This allows for defining specific error handling behavior tailored to the private flow's logic.
Threading: Private flows can be configured to run asynchronously or synchronously, providing more flexibility in message processing compared to sub-flows which are always synchronous.
Here's a table summarizing the key differences:
Choosing the Right Approach:
Use a flow when you need a complete message processing unit with a defined source and endpoint.
Use a sub-flow when you want to encapsulate reusable logic within a single flow and don't require a separate error handling strategy or asynchronous processing.
Use a private flow when you need reusable processing logic with its own error handling behavior or the ability to run asynchronously within a flow.
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