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Quick Start Guide

Get started with ZephFlow in three ways: embed it in JVM applications, run as a standalone Docker container, or deploy as an HTTP API service for distributed data pipeline processing.

ZephFlow is a flexible data processing framework that allows you to build and execute powerful data transformation pipelines. This guide will help you get started with ZephFlow and explore its basic functionality.

Introduction​

ZephFlow enables you to create data processing workflows using a directed acyclic graph (DAG) structure. You can define data flows that filter, transform, and process data using SQL or the Fleak Eval Expression Language (FEEL), a flexible expression language designed for data manipulation.

With ZephFlow, you can:

  • Create data processing pipelines with filtering, transformation, and validation
  • Run pipelines in various environments (standalone, as an HTTP service, or embedded)
  • Process data in various formats
  • Apply complex transformations using a powerful expression language
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To understand what is a DAG and how ZephFlow uses DAG to express processing logic, check the DAG structure docs.

Ways to Use ZephFlow​

There are three primary ways to use ZephFlow:

  1. Within an existing JVM program: Integrate ZephFlow directly into your Java application
  2. Standalone data pipeline process: Run ZephFlow as an independent process using CLI
  3. HTTP backend: Run ZephFlow as an HTTP service that processes data through API calls

Let's explore each approach.

Using ZephFlow Within a JVM Program​

Project Setup​

Add your dependency to the project:

implementation 'io.fleak.zephflow:sdk:0.4.1'

Basic Usage​

Here's a simple example that demonstrates how to use ZephFlow within a Java application:

// Create a simple flow to filter numbers > 5 and add additional properties
ZephFlow flow = ZephFlow.startFlow();

// Create input flow
ZephFlow inputFlow = flow.stdinSource(EncodingType.JSON_ARRAY);

// Filter and transform
ZephFlow processedFlow =
    inputFlow
        .filter("$.num > 5")
        .eval("dict(original=$.num, doubled=$.num*2, description='High value')");

// Output to stdout
ZephFlow outputFlow = processedFlow.stdoutSink(EncodingType.JSON_OBJECT);

// Execute the flow
outputFlow.execute("test_id","test_env","test_service");

This code creates a simple data processing pipeline that:

  1. Reads JSON arrays from standard input
  2. Filters elements where the num property is greater than 5
  3. Transforms each element by adding new properties
  4. Outputs the results as JSON objects to standard output

The pipeline follows this pattern: Single input source → filter → transform → output

The outputFlow.execute() method runs the entire data flow within the same JVM thread.

Running ZephFlow as a Standalone Process with CLI Starter​

The CLI starter provides a convenient way to run ZephFlow pipelines in a Docker container without embedding them in a Java application. This section guides you through creating and running a simple data processing pipeline using the CLI starter.

Overview​

The ZephFlow CLI starter:

  • Reads a DAG definition file that defines your data pipeline
  • Processes data according to the defined pipeline
  • Supports various input/output modes defined in your pipeline definition (stdin/stdout, files, Kafka, etc.)

Installation​

Pull the CLI starter docker image:

docker pull fleak/zephflow-clistarter:latest

Quick Start Example​

Let's create a simple pipeline that reads JSON data from standard input, filters records, transforms them, and outputs the results to standard output.

Step 1: Create a sample DAG definition file​

Create a file named simple_pipeline.yml with the following content:

jobContext:
  otherProperties: { }
  metricTags:
    env: "default_env"
    service: "default_service"
  dlqConfig: null

dag:
  - id: "stdin_source"
    commandName: "stdin"
    config: |
      {
        "encodingType": "JSON_ARRAY"
      }
    outputs:
      - "filter_node"

  - id: "filter_node"
    commandName: "filter"
    config: |
      $.value > 10
    outputs:
      - "transform_node"

  - id: "transform_node"
    commandName: "eval"
    config: |
      dict_merge($, dict(
        processed=true,
        timestamp_iso=epoch_to_ts_str($.timestamp, "yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss"),
        doubled_value=$.value * 2
      ))
    outputs:
      - "stdout_sink"

  - id: "stdout_sink"
    commandName: "stdout"
    config: |
      {
        "encodingType": "JSON_OBJECT"
      }
    outputs: [ ]

This DAG reads a collection of JSON objects from your standard input, keeps only the ones with values greater than 10, and enhances them with useful additions. Each record gets a "processed" flag, a human-readable timestamp converted from Unix time, and a "doubled_value" field that's twice the original. The processed output records are then printed out in your terminal.

Step 2: Run the ZephFlow CLI starter​

Run the Docker container, mapping your DAG definition file and allowing stdin/stdout to flow through:

docker run -i \
  -v $(pwd)/simple_pipeline.yml:/app/simple_pipeline.yml \
  fleak/zephflow-clistarter:latest -f /app/simple_pipeline.yml

The -i flag is critical as it keeps stdin open, allowing you to send data to the container.

Step 3: Send test data and observe results​

Once the container is running, you can send JSON data via stdin. In your terminal, paste the following JSON and press Enter:

[
  {
    "value": 5,
    "timestamp": 1635724800000
  },
  {
    "value": 15,
    "timestamp": 1635724800000
  },
  {
    "value": 25,
    "timestamp": 1635724800000
  }
]

After entering the data, press Ctrl+D to signal the end of input (EOF).

You should see output similar to:

{"doubled_value":30,"processed":true,"timestamp":1635724800000,"timestamp_iso":"2021-11-01T00:00:00","value":15}
{"doubled_value":50,"processed":true,"timestamp":1635724800000,"timestamp_iso":"2021-11-01T00:00:00","value":25}

Notice that only records with value > 10 appear in the output, and they include the additional fields defined in the transform node.

Generating a DAG Definition with the ZephFlow SDK​

If you prefer to build your DAG programmatically, you can use the ZephFlow SDK to generate the YAML definition:

import io.fleak.zephflow.lib.serdes.EncodingType;
import io.fleak.zephflow.runner.dag.AdjacencyListDagDefinition;
import io.fleak.zephflow.sdk.ZephFlow;

public class GenerateDagDefinition {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    // Create a flow starting point
    ZephFlow flow = ZephFlow.startFlow();

    // Define source: read JSON from stdin
    ZephFlow inputFlow = flow.stdinSource(EncodingType.JSON_OBJECT);

    // Add filter: keep only records with value > 10
    ZephFlow filteredFlow = inputFlow.filter("$.value > 10");

    // Add transformation
    ZephFlow transformedFlow =
        filteredFlow.eval(
            "dict_merge($, dict("
                + "  processed=true,"
                + "  timestamp_iso=epoch_to_ts_str($.timestamp, \"yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss\"),"
                + "  doubled_value=$.value * 2"
                + "))");

    // Define sink: output JSON to stdout
    ZephFlow outputFlow = transformedFlow.stdoutSink(EncodingType.JSON_OBJECT);

    // Generate and print the DAG definition
    AdjacencyListDagDefinition dagDefinition = outputFlow.buildDag();
    System.out.println(dagDefinition); // Prints YAML representation
  }
}

You can save this output to a file and use it with the CLI starter.

Running ZephFlow as an HTTP Backend​

ZephFlow can also run as an HTTP API backend, providing a convenient way to expose data processing pipelines as services:

Installation​

Pull the HTTP starter docker image:

docker pull fleak/zephflow-httpstarter:latest

Run the container using docker:

docker run -p 8080:8080 fleak/zephflow-httpstarter

Usage​

Once started, you can access the Swagger UI at http://localhost:8080/swagger-ui/index.html

Creating a Workflow​

POST to the /api/v1/workflows endpoint to create a workflow. The request body should contain a JSON array of DAG nodes, where each node represents a step in your workflow. For example:

{
  "dag": [
    {
      "id": "node1",
      "commandName": "filter",
      "config": "$.value > 10",
      "outputs": [
        "node2"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "node2",
      "commandName": "eval",
      "config": "dict(result=$.value * 2)",
      "outputs": []
    }
  ]
}

Each node in the DAG requires:

  • id: Unique identifier for the node
  • commandName: The operation to perform (e.g., "filter", "eval")
  • config: Configuration string for the operation (usually a FEEL expression)
  • outputs: Array of node IDs that this node connects to

You can also use the ZephFlow SDK to submit a workflow:

ZephFlow flow = ZephFlow.startFlow();

ZephFlow outputFlow = ... // code to construct the dag

// For HTTP API usage
String hostUrl = "http://localhost:8080";
String workflowId = outputFlow.submitApiEndpoint(hostUrl);
System.out.println("Created workflow with ID: " + workflowId);

The response will contain the newly created workflow ID that you'll use when submitting data for processing.

Processing Data​

Send data for processing to:

/api/v1/execution/run/{workflow_id}/batch

The API supports several input formats:

  • JSON array: Each array element is treated as an input record
  • CSV: Each row is treated as an input record
  • Text lines: Each line is treated as an input record

Make sure to set the appropriate Content-Type header for the API to correctly parse your data.

  • JSON array: application/json
  • CSV: text/csv
  • Text lines: text/plain
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Workflows created through the API cannot contain a source command in the DAG. The API backend automatically attaches an HTTP source at the beginning of the DAG.

Debugging Workflow Execution​

To debug workflow execution, you can enable additional output parameters:

/api/v1/execution/run/{workflow_id}/batch?includeErrorByStep=true&includeOutputByStep=true
  • includeErrorByStep=true: Include errors at each node in the response
  • includeOutputByStep=true: Include intermediate processing results at each node in the response

Data Transformation in ZephFlow​

ZephFlow provides multiple approaches for data transformation, filtering, and validation. The framework is built with a modular command architecture, where each command in the DAG is a standalone unit that performs a specific function.

Transformation Approaches​

Fleak Eval Expression Language (FEEL)​

FEEL provides a concise, expressive way to manipulate data structures. Common FEEL-based commands include:

  • filter: Selectively process records based on conditions

    $.status == "success" and $.response_time < 500

  • eval: Transform data structures

    dict(
      user_id=$.user.id,
      total_amount=$.items[0].price * $.items[0].quantity
    )

  • assertion: Validate data against conditions

    $.user_id != null and $.transaction_id != null

SQL Transformations​

ZephFlow also supports SQL-based transformations for users who prefer SQL syntax for data manipulation.

TODO: Add SQL transformation documentation

Source and Sink Commands​

ZephFlow pipelines, if not running as REST API backend, typically begin with a source command and end with a sink command:

  • Source commands bring data into the pipeline (e.g., file, stdin, Kafka)
  • Sink commands output the processed data (e.g., file, stdout, Kafka, database)

We currently support the following sources and sinks:

  • kafka source/sink
  • AWS S3 sink
  • AWS Kinesis Sink
  • stdout source/sink

Example Pipeline Using Multiple Commands​

Here's an example that demonstrates how various commands can be combined in a pipeline:

ZephFlow flow = ZephFlow.startFlow();

ZephFlow pipeline = flow
    .kafkaSource("my_broker", "input_topic", "test_group", EncodingType.JSON_OBJECT, null)             // Source command
    .filter("$.level == 'ERROR'")                // FEEL filter command
    .eval("dict_merge($, dict(timestamp_ms=ts_str_to_epoch($.timestamp, 'yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss')))") // FEEL transform
    .sql("SELECT level, message, timestamp_ms FROM records WHERE timestamp_ms > 1632268800000") // SQL command
    .kafkaSink("my_broker", "output_topic", null, EncodingType.JSON_OBJECT, null);                    // Sink command

Next Steps​

After getting familiar with the basics of ZephFlow, you might want to: