objectstack-ai · xuyushun441-sys · May 31, 2026 · May 31, 2026 · May 31, 2026 · May 31, 2026
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # ADR-0019: Collapse Approval into Flow — one engine, approval as a durable-pause node
 
-**Status**: Proposed (2026-05-31)
+**Status**: Accepted (2026-05-31) — fully implemented (A1–A5)
 **Deciders**: ObjectStack Protocol Architects
 **Builds on**: [ADR-0018](./0018-unified-node-action-registry.md) (open action registry — approval becomes a consumer), [ADR-0009](./0009-execution-pinned-metadata.md) (execution pinning — reconcile to one mechanism), [ADR-0012](./0012-notification-platform.md) (outbox / `notify`), [ADR-0010](./0010-nl-to-flow-authoring.md) + [ADR-0011](./0011-actions-as-ai-tools.md) (AI authoring — the design center)
 **Revises**: ADR-0018's premise that Approval stays a separate paradigm with its own closed `ApprovalActionType` enum, and the "Workflow-Rule → Flow compiler" (M5) — both dropped here (greenfield, no legacy).
@@ -133,27 +133,33 @@ removal (A4/A5) can be reviewed and sequenced on its own once consumers move ove
  `approve` / `reject` edge. New correlation fields on `sys_approval_request`
  (`flow_run_id` / `flow_node_id` / `node_config_json`). The standalone process engine is left
  intact for the migration window.
-4. **A4 — delete parallel pieces.** ⏳ **Follow-up PR (destructive).** Remove
- `action-executor.ts`, `ApprovalActionType`, `ApprovalProcessSchema` (top-level) +
- `approval.form.ts`; route all actions through the ADR-0018 registry; retire `process_hash`
- pinning in favor of Flow pinning. Gated on consumers (CRM examples, API routes, app seeders,
- `metadata-type-schemas.ts` / `metadata-form-registry.ts`) migrating off the process model.
-5. **A5 — cleanup.** ⏳ **Follow-up PR.** Remove the `workflow_rule` paradigm remnants (the M5
- compiler itself was already removed in #1398) and `connector_action` remnants in
- `flow.zod.ts`; migrate `approval-service.test.ts` / `phase-b.test.ts` to drive the
- Approval node.
-
-> **Landed in this PR:** A1–A3. The engine gained real durable suspend/resume (P1), spec gained
-> the Approval node contract (P2), and `plugin-approvals` gained the working node bridge (P3) —
-> all additive and green (spec 6605, service-automation 79, plugin-approvals 41). A4/A5 are the
-> destructive removal of the now-superseded standalone engine and are deliberately a separate PR.
+4. **A4 — delete parallel pieces.** ✅ **Done (this PR, destructive).** Removed
+ `action-executor.ts`, `ApprovalActionType`, `ApprovalProcessSchema` / `ApprovalStepSchema` /
+ `ApprovalActionSchema` (top-level) + `approval.form.ts`, the `sys_approval_process` object,
+ the `approvals` stack collection, the lifecycle auto-trigger, the REST `/approvals/processes`
+ + submit/recall routes, and the app-plugin process seeder; retired `process_hash` pinning in
+ favor of Flow pinning. All actions now route through the ADR-0018 registry. Consumers (CRM /
+ showcase examples, API routes, app seeders, `metadata-type-schemas.ts` /
+ `metadata-form-registry.ts`, CLI / metadata stats) migrated off the process model.
+5. **A5 — cleanup.** ✅ **Done (this PR).** The M5 compiler was already removed in #1398; the
+ `workflow_rule` paradigm remnants are gone with the process engine. `connector_action` is
+ **retained** — it is a deliberate open extension point on the ADR-0018 registry, not a process
+ remnant. `approval-service.test.ts` rewritten to drive the Approval node; `phase-b.test.ts`
+ deleted.
+
+> **Landed across two PRs:** A1–A3 (additive foundation) shipped first — the engine gained real
+> durable suspend/resume (P1), spec gained the Approval node contract (P2), and `plugin-approvals`
+> gained the working node bridge (P3). **This PR lands A4–A5**: the destructive removal of the
+> now-superseded standalone process engine. Approval exists *only* as a flow node. Green across
+> spec / platform-objects / plugin-approvals / runtime / rest / cli / metadata and both example apps.
 
 ## Migration map
 
 | Asset | Disposition |
 |:---|:---|
 | `plugin-approvals` execution loop + `action-executor.ts` | **Delete** (engine + actions now Flow's) |
-| `ApprovalActionType`, `connector_action` remnants, M5 compiler | **Delete** |
+| `ApprovalActionType`, M5 compiler (`workflow_rule`) | **Delete** |
+| `connector_action` | **Keep** — deliberate open extension point (ADR-0018), not a process remnant |
 | `ApprovalProcessSchema`, `approval.form.ts` (top-level authoring type) | **Deprecate / remove** — concepts → Approval node config + Flow graph |
 | `ApproverType`, `behavior`, `escalation`, `lockRecord`, `approvalStatusField` | **Re-home** → Approval node config schema |
 | Approver resolution (team/dept BFS/manager/role/queue) | **Keep** (move under node, ~verbatim) |

diff --git a/examples/app-crm/objectstack.config.ts b/examples/app-crm/objectstack.config.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import * as emails from './src/emails/index.js';
 import { allHooks } from './src/hooks/index.js';
 import { allFlows } from './src/flows/index.js';
 import { HighValueDealWorkflow, StaleOpportunityWorkflow } from './src/workflows/index.js';
-import { DiscountApprovalProcess } from './src/approvals/index.js';
 import {
  SalesAssistantAgent,
  LookupContactTool,
@@ -105,7 +104,6 @@ export default defineStack({
  hooks: allHooks,
  flows: allFlows,
  workflows: [HighValueDealWorkflow, StaleOpportunityWorkflow],
- approvals: [DiscountApprovalProcess],
  jobs: [LeadScoringJob, PipelineReportJob, RenewalSweepJob],
  emailTemplates: Object.values(emails),
 

diff --git a/examples/app-crm/src/approvals/discount-approval.approval.ts b/examples/app-crm/src/approvals/discount-approval.approval.ts
diff --git a/examples/app-crm/src/approvals/index.ts b/examples/app-crm/src/approvals/index.ts
diff --git a/examples/app-crm/src/flows/discount-approval.flow.ts b/examples/app-crm/src/flows/discount-approval.flow.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2025 ObjectStack. Licensed under the Apache-2.0 license.
+
+import type { Flow } from '@objectstack/spec/automation';
+
+/**
+ * Discount approval — ADR-0019 approval-as-flow-node.
+ *
+ * What used to be a standalone two-step approval *process* is now an ordinary
+ * autolaunched flow with two `approval` nodes. The flow suspends on each
+ * approval and resumes down the matching `approve` / `reject` edge:
+ *
+ * start → manager_review ──approve──▶ finance_review ──approve──▶ end
+ * └─reject──▶ rejected └─reject──▶ rejected
+ *
+ * Finance only signs off when the discount exceeds 30% — that gate is just a
+ * decision node on the approve edge out of the manager step.
+ */
+export const DiscountApprovalFlow: Flow = {
+ name: 'crm_discount_approval',
+ label: 'Opportunity Discount Approval',
+ description: 'Two-step approval for opportunities with significant discounts.',
+ type: 'autolaunched',
+
+ nodes: [
+ {
+ id: 'start',
+ type: 'start',
+ label: 'On Discount Above Threshold',
+ config: {
+ objectName: 'crm_opportunity',
+ triggerType: 'record-after-update',
+ condition: 'discount_percent > 20',
+ },
+ },
+ {
+ id: 'manager_review',
+ type: 'approval',
+ label: 'Manager Review',
+ config: {
+ approvers: [{ type: 'role', value: 'sales_manager' }],
+ behavior: 'first_response',
+ lockRecord: true,
+ approvalStatusField: 'approval_status',
+ },
+ },
+ {
+ id: 'needs_finance',
+ type: 'decision',
+ label: 'Discount Above 30%?',
+ config: { condition: 'discount_percent > 30' },
+ },
+ {
+ id: 'finance_review',
+ type: 'approval',
+ label: 'Finance Review',
+ config: {
+ approvers: [{ type: 'role', value: 'finance_approver' }],
+ behavior: 'unanimous',
+ lockRecord: true,
+ approvalStatusField: 'approval_status',
+ },
+ },
+ { id: 'approved', type: 'end', label: 'Approved' },
+ { id: 'rejected', type: 'end', label: 'Rejected' },
+ ],
+ edges: [
+ { id: 'e1', source: 'start', target: 'manager_review' },
+ { id: 'e2', source: 'manager_review', target: 'needs_finance', label: 'approve' },
+ { id: 'e3', source: 'manager_review', target: 'rejected', label: 'reject' },
+ { id: 'e4', source: 'needs_finance', target: 'finance_review', label: 'true' },
+ { id: 'e5', source: 'needs_finance', target: 'approved', label: 'false' },
+ { id: 'e6', source: 'finance_review', target: 'approved', label: 'approve' },
+ { id: 'e7', source: 'finance_review', target: 'rejected', label: 'reject' },
+ ],
+};
diff --git a/examples/app-crm/src/flows/index.ts b/examples/app-crm/src/flows/index.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ import { OpportunityWonFlow } from './opportunity-won.flow.js';
 import { LeadQualificationFlow } from './lead-qualification.flow.js';
 import { RenewalReminderFlow } from './renewal-reminder.flow.js';
 import { ConvertLeadScreenFlow } from './convert-lead.flow.js';
+import { DiscountApprovalFlow } from './discount-approval.flow.js';
 
 export { ConvertLeadScreenFlow } from './convert-lead.flow.js';
 
-export const allFlows = [OpportunityWonFlow, LeadQualificationFlow, RenewalReminderFlow, ConvertLeadScreenFlow];
+export const allFlows = [OpportunityWonFlow, LeadQualificationFlow, RenewalReminderFlow, ConvertLeadScreenFlow, DiscountApprovalFlow];
diff --git a/examples/app-crm/src/objects/opportunity.object.ts b/examples/app-crm/src/objects/opportunity.object.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,19 @@ export const Opportunity = ObjectSchema.create({
  min: 0,
  max: 100,
  }),
+ // Mirror target for the Discount Approval flow's approval nodes
+ // (ADR-0019). The approval runtime writes the request status here; it is
+ // readonly to users so only the flow drives it.
+ approval_status: Field.select({
+ label: 'Approval Status',
+ readonly: true,
+ options: [
+ { label: 'Pending', value: 'pending', color: '#F59E0B' },
+ { label: 'Approved', value: 'approved', color: '#10B981' },
+ { label: 'Rejected', value: 'rejected', color: '#EF4444' },
+ { label: 'Recalled', value: 'recalled', color: '#94A3B8' },
+ ],
+ }),
  renewal_of: Field.lookup('crm_opportunity', {
  label: 'Renewal Of',
  }),

diff --git a/examples/app-showcase/objectstack.config.ts b/examples/app-showcase/objectstack.config.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import { allReports } from './src/reports/index.js';
 import { allActions } from './src/actions/index.js';
 import { ComponentGalleryPage } from './src/pages/index.js';
 import { allFlows } from './src/flows/index.js';
-import { allApprovals } from './src/approvals/index.js';
 import { allWebhooks } from './src/webhooks/index.js';
 import { allJobs } from './src/jobs/index.js';
 import { allEmails } from './src/emails/index.js';
@@ -85,7 +84,6 @@ export default defineStack({
 
  // Logic
  flows: allFlows,
- approvals: allApprovals,
  jobs: allJobs,
  emailTemplates: allEmails,
  webhooks: allWebhooks,

diff --git a/examples/app-showcase/src/approvals/index.ts b/examples/app-showcase/src/approvals/index.ts
diff --git a/examples/app-showcase/src/coverage.ts b/examples/app-showcase/src/coverage.ts
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ export const COVERAGE = {
  },
  capabilityChains: {
  security: 'security/index.ts — roles + permission set (CRUD + FLS + RLS) + sharing + policy',
- automation: 'flows/index.ts + approvals/index.ts + webhooks/index.ts + jobs/index.ts + emails/index.ts',
+ automation: 'flows/index.ts (incl. approval nodes) + webhooks/index.ts + jobs/index.ts + emails/index.ts',
  ai: 'agents/index.ts — agent + tool + skill',
  },
  i18nThemingPortals: {

diff --git a/examples/app-showcase/src/flows/index.ts b/examples/app-showcase/src/flows/index.ts
@@ -89,4 +89,69 @@ export const ReassignWizardFlow = defineFlow({
  ],
 });
 
-export const allFlows = [TaskCompletedFlow, ReassignWizardFlow];
+/**
+ * Project Budget Approval — ADR-0019 approval-as-flow-node.
+ *
+ * What used to be a standalone two-step approval *process* is now an ordinary
+ * autolaunched flow with two `approval` nodes. The flow suspends on each
+ * approval and resumes down the matching `approve` / `reject` edge. The
+ * executive step only runs for budgets above $500k — that gate is a decision
+ * node on the manager step's approve edge.
+ */
+export const BudgetApprovalFlow = defineFlow({
+ name: 'showcase_budget_approval',
+ label: 'Project Budget Approval',
+ description: 'Two-step approval for projects above budget thresholds.',
+ type: 'autolaunched',
+ nodes: [
+ {
+ id: 'start',
+ type: 'start',
+ label: 'On Large Budget',
+ config: {
+ objectName: 'showcase_project',
+ triggerType: 'record-after-update',
+ condition: 'budget > 100000',
+ },
+ },
+ {
+ id: 'manager_review',
+ type: 'approval',
+ label: 'Manager Review',
+ config: {
+ approvers: [{ type: 'role', value: 'manager' }],
+ behavior: 'first_response',
+ lockRecord: true,
+ },
+ },
+ {
+ id: 'needs_exec',
+ type: 'decision',
+ label: 'Budget Above $500k?',
+ config: { condition: 'budget > 500000' },
+ },
+ {
+ id: 'exec_review',
+ type: 'approval',
+ label: 'Executive Review',
+ config: {
+ approvers: [{ type: 'role', value: 'exec' }],
+ behavior: 'unanimous',
+ lockRecord: true,
+ },
+ },
+ { id: 'approved', type: 'end', label: 'Approved' },
+ { id: 'rejected', type: 'end', label: 'Rejected' },
+ ],
+ edges: [
+ { id: 'e1', source: 'start', target: 'manager_review' },
+ { id: 'e2', source: 'manager_review', target: 'needs_exec', label: 'approve' },
+ { id: 'e3', source: 'manager_review', target: 'rejected', label: 'reject' },
+ { id: 'e4', source: 'needs_exec', target: 'exec_review', label: 'true' },
+ { id: 'e5', source: 'needs_exec', target: 'approved', label: 'false' },
+ { id: 'e6', source: 'exec_review', target: 'approved', label: 'approve' },
+ { id: 'e7', source: 'exec_review', target: 'rejected', label: 'reject' },
+ ],
+});
+
+export const allFlows = [TaskCompletedFlow, ReassignWizardFlow, BudgetApprovalFlow];
diff --git a/examples/app-showcase/test/seed.test.ts b/examples/app-showcase/test/seed.test.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ describe('showcase stack', () => {
  expect((stack.dashboards ?? []).length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
  expect((stack.reports ?? []).length).toBe(4);
  expect((stack.flows ?? []).length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
- expect((stack.approvals ?? []).length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
  expect((stack.roles ?? []).length).toBe(3);
  expect((stack.agents ?? []).length).toBe(1);
  });

diff --git a/packages/cli/src/utils/format.ts b/packages/cli/src/utils/format.ts
@@ -121,7 +121,6 @@ export interface MetadataStats {
  actions: number;
  flows: number;
  workflows: number;
- approvals: number;
  agents: number;
  apis: number;
  roles: number;
@@ -162,7 +161,6 @@ export function collectMetadataStats(config: any): MetadataStats {
  actions: count(config.actions),
  flows: count(config.flows),
  workflows: count(config.workflows),
- approvals: count(config.approvals),
  agents: count(config.agents),
  apis: count(config.apis),
  roles: count(config.roles),
@@ -249,7 +247,6 @@ export function printMetadataStats(stats: MetadataStats) {
  items: [
  ['Flows', stats.flows],
  ['Workflows', stats.workflows],
- ['Approvals', stats.approvals],
  ['Agents', stats.agents],
  ['APIs', stats.apis],
  ],

diff --git a/packages/metadata/src/plugin.ts b/packages/metadata/src/plugin.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ const ARTIFACT_FIELD_TO_TYPE: Record<string, string> = {
  actions: 'action',
  themes: 'theme',
  workflows: 'workflow',
- approvals: 'approval',
  flows: 'flow',
  roles: 'role',
  permissions: 'permission',