What is a process suite?
A process suite is software that business units use to model and run business processes graphically. The BPMN notation is usually used for this. It includes forms, task lists for case handlers, reports and connections to other systems.
Well-known examples are Camunda, Pega and Appian, as well as the process tools of large platforms.
What is Temporal?
Temporal is an open-source platform for durable workflows. Workflows are written as ordinary code, for example in Go, Java, Python, TypeScript or .NET. Temporal continuously saves their state, retries failed steps and handles waiting times over days or months.
Temporal does not include graphical modelling or forms. It is aimed at development teams and at workflows that take place mainly between systems.
The comparison
| Criterion | Process suite | Temporal |
|---|---|---|
| Describing the workflow | graphically, usually BPMN | as code |
| Who designs it | business unit together with IT | development team |
| Strength | manual tasks, forms, visibility for the business unit | system calls, error handling, very long or very many workflows |
| Errors and compensation | in the model, partly with program code | in code, with retries and compensation steps |
| Tests | depends on the product | automated like other code |
| Changes | in the model, with versions | in code, with versioning for running workflows |
| Licence | mostly commercial, some with an open-source core | open source; Temporal Cloud as a commercial service |
When is a process suite the right fit?
- Many steps are handled by people in forms.
- The business unit should be able to see and adapt workflows itself.
- Task lists, deputies and escalations are the main focus.
- The number of calls to other systems is manageable.
When is Temporal the right fit?
- The workflow consists mainly of calls to other systems.
- Outages, retries and compensation are the real difficulty.
- Workflows take a long time or run in large numbers.
- The team wants to develop, test and release workflows like other software.
Can you use both?
Yes. Often a process suite handles the tasks for people and Temporal the technical workflows between the systems. What matters is a clear boundary: who is in charge of the case, and who only handles part of it?
This demarcation is part of our tool-neutral analysis. If a process suite is a better fit for a workflow, we will say so.