Camunda 8 UserTask connector / template

Camunda 8 Topics
1

I am trying to write a connector that would replicate the “io.camunda.zeebe:userTask” feature, but I want to be able to specify my own topic. I want the BPMN element to resemble a userTask with assignment and all other features, but also trigger a service task on my own defined topic. Is this possible?

Also, is it possible to disable “io.camunda.zeebe:userTask” completely?

2

Hi @PieterS - yes, it’s possible. You would need to build your template and code to accept all of the features a User Task would have. I think you need to build this all manually, however, as User Tasks are a separate item from Connectors, so there isn’t a template you can fork.

Depending on why you want to do this, you could also create a job worker that listens for User Tasks. That way the BPMN element is still a User Task, but your code is working with it. There are many examples if you search the forums, here is one such thread.

3

Thanks @nathan.loding. Apologies for the delayed reponse.

I basically want my business users to use pure BPMN, meaning a user task is a user task, no need for extra training. So I want to create a UserTask that publishes on a dedicated topic instead of io.camunda.zeebe:userTask.

Our goal is to set up a multi-tenanted environment. Our current implementation is utilising io.camunda.zeebe:userTask, but I am very uncomfortable with the fact that:

  1. The JobWorker implementing io.camunda.zeebe:userTask will have to handle EVERY use case for any process deployed into the cluster, acting as a god-component
  2. Anyone can deploy a JobWorker with io.camunda.zeebe:userTask and wreak havoc on my existing system

After speaking to Camunda, there are architectural infrastructure options that can disable io.camunda.zeebe:userTask, but it seems heavyweight and I do want the job created, just on a dedicated topic

For now we have a single application deployed in the cluster, so it is ok. Keen to see what the upcoming 8.3 release will contain, and if multi-tenancy will take the above limitations and security concerns of io.camunda.zeebe:userTask into account.

4

Hi @PieterS ! In case you are still working on it - I am curious what you are building on the other end, i.e. what is that worker doing that you are building as a replacement for Camunda User Tasks. Would you mind to shed some light here?

Best,
Christian, Tasklist Product Manager

5

Hi Christian

The idea is to have decoupled integration with a custom tasklist UI. So upon receipt of the Job, we take the taskId and associate it with some business data, so we can render our tasklist with business data not stored in Camunda.

Happy to discuss further, Oana from Camunda has my contact details

Pieter