# Workflow Triggering

> Start AEM Workflows on AEM 6.5 LTS using all available triggering mechanisms: Timeline UI, Manage Publication, WorkflowSession API, HTTP Workflow API, and replication-linked triggers.

- Skill: `adobe/workflow-triggering` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 9 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add adobe/workflow-triggering`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/adobe/workflow-triggering/raw
- Safety review: PASS (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Integrations & APIs, REST & GraphQL APIs
- Tags: Adobe Experience Manager, Aem, Curl, Java, Replication, Rest Api, Workflow Triggering
- License: Apache-2.0
- Author: Adobe (https://skillmd.com/u/adobe), verified publisher
- Updated: 2026-07-06
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/adobe/workflow-triggering

---


# Workflow Triggering (AEM 6.5 LTS)

All mechanisms to start a workflow on AEM 6.5 LTS — from UI, programmatic API, HTTP API, Manage Publication, and replication-linked triggers.

## Variant Scope

- AEM 6.5 LTS only.
- Includes replication-linked triggering and legacy `/etc`-based workflow packages.

## Triggering Mechanisms Summary

| Mechanism | Use Case |
|---|---|
| **Timeline UI** | One-off manual start on a single page or asset |
| **Manage Publication** | Multi-page batch, integrates with publish pipeline |
| **WorkflowSession API** | Backend Java code, scheduled jobs, event handlers |
| **HTTP Workflow API** | REST calls, scripts, external integrations |
| **Classic UI Activate** | Replication-linked workflow (legacy) |
| **Workflow Launchers** | Automatic on JCR events — see `workflow-launchers` skill |

## 1. Manual via Timeline UI

1. Open a page or asset → **Timeline** (clock icon) → **Start Workflow**
2. Select model, optionally enter title and comment
3. Click **Start**

## 2. Manage Publication (Multi-Page)

1. Sites Console → select pages → **Manage Publication**
2. Check **Include Workflow** and select a model
3. Click **Publish** or **Publish Later**

AEM creates a `cq:WorkflowContentPackage` under `/etc/workflow/packages/` containing all selected pages.

## 3. Programmatic (WorkflowSession API)

```java
@Component(service = WorkflowStarterService.class)
public class WorkflowStarterService {

    @Reference
    private ResourceResolverFactory resolverFactory;

    public String startWorkflow(String payloadPath, String modelId) throws Exception {
        Map<String, Object> auth = Collections.singletonMap(
            ResourceResolverFactory.SUBSERVICE, "workflow-starter");
        try (ResourceResolver resolver = resolverFactory.getServiceResourceResolver(auth)) {
            WorkflowSession wfSession = resolver.adaptTo(WorkflowSession.class);
            WorkflowModel model = wfSession.getModel(modelId);
            WorkflowData data = wfSession.newWorkflowData("JCR_PATH", payloadPath);
            data.getMetaDataMap().put("workflowTitle", "Triggered by batch job");

            Workflow instance = wfSession.startWorkflow(model, data);
            return instance.getId();
        }
    }
}
```

**Model ID format:** `/var/workflow/models/my-workflow` (runtime path)

For `/etc/workflow/models/` legacy models, the ID is `/etc/workflow/models/my-workflow`.

## 4. HTTP Workflow API

The API is rooted at `/var/workflow/instances` (the legacy `/etc/workflow/instances` path is
still accepted on 6.5 LTS). Do **not** POST to `/api/workflow/instances` — no workflow API is
mounted there, so the Sling default POST servlet silently writes stray JCR nodes and returns a
misleading 2xx **without starting any workflow** (a `GET` on that path returns 404).

```bash
# Start — returns HTTP 201 with an HTML body linking to the new instance path
curl -u admin:admin -X POST \
  "http://localhost:4502/var/workflow/instances" \
  --data-urlencode "_charset_=utf-8" \
  --data-urlencode "model=/var/workflow/models/my-workflow" \
  --data-urlencode "payloadType=JCR_PATH" \
  --data-urlencode "payload=/content/my-site/en/home" \
  --data-urlencode "workflowTitle=My Test Run" \
  --data-urlencode "startComment=triggered via HTTP API"

# List instances — filter by state with a selector (.RUNNING.json, .COMPLETED.json, ...)
curl -u admin:admin "http://localhost:4502/var/workflow/instances.json"
curl -u admin:admin "http://localhost:4502/var/workflow/instances.RUNNING.json"

# Instance detail — the id is the path returned at start,
# e.g. /var/workflow/instances/server0/<date>/my-workflow_1
curl -u admin:admin \
  "http://localhost:4502/var/workflow/instances/server0/<date>/my-workflow_1.json"

# Terminate (abort) — POST state=ABORTED to the instance path, returns HTTP 200
curl -u admin:admin -X POST \
  "http://localhost:4502/var/workflow/instances/server0/<date>/my-workflow_1" \
  --data-urlencode "_charset_=utf-8" \
  --data-urlencode "state=ABORTED" \
  --data-urlencode "terminateComment=cleanup"
```

The start response is HTML, not JSON: parse the instance path from the returned link
(`<a id="Location" …>` / "Modified Resource"). Instance and model listings (`.json`) and
instance detail (`<instanceId>.json`) return JSON.

## 5. Replication-Linked Trigger (6.5 LTS Only)

Configure via **Tools → Replication → Agents → default** → check **Default Agent** properties to associate a workflow with replication events. Or use a Workflow Launcher targeting `/var/audit/com.day.cq.replication/`.

## Guardrails

- Use a service user — never `loginAdministrative()`.
- Model ID must be the `/var/workflow/models/` runtime path.
- For multi-page batch triggering, prefer Manage Publication over programmatic creation of workflow packages.

## References

- [triggering-mechanisms.md](./references/workflow-triggering/triggering-mechanisms.md) — detailed guide for each mechanism
- [programmatic-api.md](./references/workflow-triggering/programmatic-api.md) — WorkflowSession API patterns, service user setup, and HTTP API
- [api-reference.md](./references/workflow-foundation/api-reference.md)
- [jcr-paths-reference.md](./references/workflow-foundation/jcr-paths-reference.md)
- [65-lts-guardrails.md](./references/workflow-foundation/65-lts-guardrails.md)