Note
v0.2.0 - Tempo is in ALPHA - API surface and data structures subject to change
Tempo is a workflow automation platform for building, running, and monitoring tenant-scoped data flows. A flow is made of reusable steps, invoked through triggers, persisted with artifacts, and observed through run history, request history, OpenAPI, and MCP.
Tempo ships as:
Tempo: the core workflow/orchestration libraryTempo.Core: server-facing persistence, runtime, settings, and management contractsTempo.Server: the REST API hostTempo.McpServer: an MCP facade over Tempo.Server built on Voltaicdashboard/: a React/Vite operator UIsdk/csharp,sdk/js, andsdk/python: artifact runtime SDKs with exhaustive test apps
- Tenant-scoped CRUD for data flows, steps, triggers, runs, artifacts, users, credentials, roles, and permissions
- Runtime model that supports
Builtin.Class,Builtin.Method,External.Rest,Artifact.Process,Artifact.Python,Artifact.JavaScript,Artifact.DotnetProcess, andHost.Executable - Source-step creation from the UI or API for Python, JavaScript, and C#
- Mutable artifact packages with dashboard file browsing and in-place editing
- Runtime-aware startup seeding that creates working sample steps for each available runtime type
- OpenAPI-backed API Explorer and MCP server for agent-driven automation
- First-run setup wizard that creates and invokes example flows end to end
- K-sortable PrettyId identifiers with fixed prefixes and a maximum length of 32
- Docker Compose deployment, image build scripts, and NuGet publish script
From the repository root:
docker compose -f .\docker\compose.yaml up --buildDefault endpoints:
- Dashboard:
http://localhost:3000 - Tempo.Server:
http://localhost:8901 - Tempo.McpServer HTTP RPC:
http://127.0.0.1:8910/rpc - Tempo.McpServer TCP:
127.0.0.1:8911 - Tempo.McpServer WebSocket:
ws://127.0.0.1:8912/mcp
Default seeded credentials on an empty database:
- Email:
[email protected] - Password:
password
Compose uses named volumes for server config, database, logs, runtime cache, scratch storage, dashboard logs, and MCP configuration. The service images in the compose file are pinned to v0.2.0.
Recommended prerequisites:
| Tool | Required for |
|---|---|
| .NET 10 SDK | Tempo, Tempo.Core, Tempo.Server, Tempo.McpServer, tests |
| Node.js | Dashboard development and Artifact.JavaScript runtime |
| Python 3 | Artifact.Python runtime |
dotnet command |
Artifact.DotnetProcess runtime and C# source-step packaging |
Tempo.Server does not fail startup when optional runtime commands are unavailable. Instead, those runtimes are surfaced as unavailable in the runtime catalog and their startup template steps are skipped. Configure command names or absolute paths in tempo.json under runtimes.externalExecution.
Build and run:
dotnet build .\src\Tempo.sln
dotnet run --project .\src\Tempo.Server\Tempo.Server.csproj
dotnet run --project .\src\Tempo.McpServer\Tempo.McpServer.csproj
cd .\dashboard
npm install
npm run devHelper scripts at the repository root:
build-server.bat v0.2.0build-mcp.bat v0.2.0build-dashboard.bat v0.2.0publish-nuget.bat <nuget-api-key>
| Concept | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Step | A reusable execution unit bound to a runtime and an execution key |
| Data flow | A directed workflow that chains steps through success, failure, and exception edges |
| Trigger | A reusable entry point that invokes a data flow |
| Artifact | A mutable package of files used by artifact-backed runtimes |
| Run | One execution of a data flow |
| Request history | Captured inbound HTTP traffic, response bodies, headers, and summary buckets |
Flows reference steps by executionKey, not by step record ID. This keeps flow definitions stable even when the step row is edited or replaced.
| Runtime key | Purpose |
|---|---|
Builtin.Class |
Executes a registered Tempo.Step subclass |
Builtin.Method |
Executes a registered [StepMethod] method |
External.Rest |
Executes a persisted outbound HTTP request |
Artifact.Process |
Executes a package-local process that speaks Tempo protocol v1 |
Artifact.Python |
Executes a Python handler from an artifact package |
Artifact.JavaScript |
Executes a Node.js handler from an artifact package |
Artifact.DotnetProcess |
Executes a .NET handler from an artifact package using the Tempo SDK host |
Host.Executable |
Executes an operator allowlisted host executable |
Legacy.InlineRest remains a compatibility read path. New REST steps should use External.Rest.
On an empty database, Tempo seeds:
- A default tenant, administrator, tenant user, and credential
- Four protected tenant roles:
Administrator,Editor,Operator, andReadOnly - Built-in runtime sample steps
- Artifact-backed sample steps and sample artifacts for every available artifact runtime
- A host executable sample only when a host allowlist entry is enabled
The dashboard opens a setup wizard on first access. The wizard explains what Tempo is about to create, then creates:
- An echo step packaged from source
- An echo flow and POST trigger
- A chained flow that generates a random number and doubles it
- A GET trigger for the chained flow
- Sample invocations that show both response bodies and response headers
Every workspace in the dashboard includes a page title and subtitle, and sidebar scrolling is independent from workspace scrolling.
Public HTTP trigger routes are:
/v1.0/triggers/http/{triggerId}
For successful trigger execution:
- The HTTP response body is the final step output body
- Execution metadata is returned in headers, not mixed into the JSON body
Current response metadata headers include:
x-tenant-idx-run-idx-dataflow-idx-trigger-idx-run-statex-run-created-utcx-run-started-utcx-run-completed-utcx-run-last-update-utcx-runtime-msx-run-errorwhen applicable
Tempo includes SDKs for artifact-backed handlers:
Notes:
- The C# SDK targets
net8.0andnet10.0 - The server-side projects target
net10.0 - Each SDK ships with a test application intended to exercise the public API surface exhaustively
Artifacts are file packages, not opaque zip-only deployment units. Tempo stores package contents in a way that supports:
- Uploading artifacts and versions
- Editing individual files in the dashboard
- Creating steps directly from pasted Python, JavaScript, or C# source
- Reusing one artifact across multiple steps and versions
For artifact-backed runtimes and manifests, see docs/ARTIFACT_MANIFEST.md.
Primary reference material:
Additional operator and implementation guides:
- docs/RUNTIME_PROVIDER_AUTHORING.md
- docs/ARTIFACT_MANIFEST.md
- docs/PROTOCOL_V1.md
- docs/PYTHON_ARTIFACT_QUICKSTART.md
- docs/EXTERNAL_EXECUTION_OPERATOR_GUIDE.md
- docs/SECURITY_TRUST_BOUNDARIES.md
- docs/INLINE_REST_MIGRATION.md
- docs/DASHBOARD_ARTIFACTS_RUNTIMES.md
OpenAPI is exposed at:
http://localhost:8901/openapi.json
Runtime configuration schemas in OpenAPI use oneOf, which keeps the API Explorer and generated clients aligned with the concrete runtime config being used.
Core solution:
dotnet build .\src\Tempo.sln
dotnet run --project .\src\Test.Automated\Test.Automated.csproj
dotnet test .\src\Test.Xunit\Test.Xunit.csproj
dotnet test .\src\Test.Nunit\Test.Nunit.csprojSDK test applications:
dotnet run --project .\sdk\csharp\Tempo.Sdk.TestApp\Tempo.Sdk.TestApp.csproj
npm.cmd --prefix .\sdk\js test
python .\sdk\python\test_app\test_sdk.pyNuGet packaging:
publish-nuget.bat YOUR_NUGET_API_KEYThat script packs and pushes:
TempoTempo.Sdk- their matching
.snupkgsymbol packages
| Path | Purpose |
|---|---|
src/Tempo |
Core orchestration library |
src/Tempo.Core |
Persistence, runtimes, settings, server contracts |
src/Tempo.Server |
REST API host |
src/Tempo.McpServer |
MCP bridge over Tempo.Server |
dashboard |
React/Vite operator UI |
sdk/csharp |
C# SDK and test app |
sdk/js |
JavaScript SDK and test app |
sdk/python |
Python SDK and test app |
docker |
Compose file and container config |
docs |
Focused operator and developer guides |
| Technology | Role in Tempo |
|---|---|
| .NET 10 | Primary runtime for Tempo, Tempo.Core, Tempo.Server, Tempo.McpServer, and the server-side test projects |
| Watson | Embedded web server used by Tempo.Server for HTTP routing, OpenAPI exposure, and trigger/API handling |
| Voltaic | MCP scaffolding and transport layer used by Tempo.McpServer |
| React 19 | Component model for the dashboard UI |
| React Router 7 | Client-side routing for dashboard workspaces and navigation |
| Vite 6 | Dashboard development server and production build toolchain |
| Microsoft.Data.Sqlite | SQLite persistence provider for local and lightweight Tempo deployments |
| Microsoft.Data.SqlClient | SQL Server persistence provider |
| Npgsql | PostgreSQL persistence provider |
| MySqlConnector | MySQL persistence provider |
| PrettyId | K-sortable ID generation for Tempo resource identifiers |
| RestWrapper | Outbound HTTP execution support for REST-backed steps |
| SyslogLogging | Structured logging used across the server-side projects |
Follow the coding and review rules in CLAUDE.md. Keep README, changelog, API docs, and the Postman collection in sync with code changes.
MIT. See LICENSE.md.
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