---
title: Hub workflows
description: Build ordered Hub workflows with prompts, routing, outputs, and provider authority.
nav: Workflows
order: 64
category: Hub
---
# Hub workflows
A workflow file contains one trigger and the ordered steps it starts. Files are discovered from `.paseo/workflows/*.yml`.
## Your first workflow
Assume `.paseo/hub.yml` defines an environment named `dev` and an agent named `codex`. Add `.paseo/workflows/slack-help.yml`:
```yaml
name: slack-help
on: slack.mention
max_runtime: 1h
filters:
workspace: T01234567
channels: [C01234567]
from_users: [U01234567]
steps:
- id: answer
environment: dev
max_runtime: 30m
idle_timeout: 5m
agent: codex
prompt:
- text: |
Answer the request. Call hub.reply once, then call hub.finish_execution.
${{ paseo.prompt }}
allow_outputs:
- { type: slack.reply, max: 1, required: true }
```
Hub removes the mention and declared input headers before exposing the remaining text as `${{ paseo.prompt }}`. The reply capability is explicit beside the Slack trigger. Discord uses `discord.reply`; GitHub uses a step-scoped [`github` block](/docs/hub/github), not `hub.reply`.
## Choose where a step runs
A literal selects one named environment:
```yaml
environment: dev
```
A finite input can select among complete named environments:
```yaml
name: route-repository
on: manual.run
max_runtime: 1h
filters:
from_users: [automation]
inputs:
repo:
type: string
required: true
choices: [paseo, hub]
steps:
- id: work
environment: ${{ paseo.inputs.repo }}
max_runtime: 30m
idle_timeout: 5m
agent: codex
prompt:
- text: ${{ paseo.prompt }}
```
Activation checks every `choices` result. Environment objects are never merged or overridden by a workflow.
## Choose an agent
A step may select a named agent:
```yaml
agent: codex-safe
```
Or provide one complete static inline configuration:
```yaml
agent:
provider: claude
mode: full-access
```
For dynamic routing, select complete named agents from a finite expression:
```yaml
name: route-agent
on: manual.run
max_runtime: 1h
filters:
from_users: [automation]
inputs:
agent:
type: string
required: true
choices: [codex-safe, claude]
steps:
- id: work
environment: paseo
max_runtime: 30m
idle_timeout: 5m
agent: ${{ paseo.inputs.agent }}
prompt:
- text: ${{ paseo.prompt }}
```
If `codex-safe` contains structured sandbox options in `hub.yml`, selecting it carries those options unchanged. A dynamic inline object such as `provider: ${{ paseo.inputs.agent }}` is rejected.
## Route from a classifier
An earlier step can return finite structured output. Later authority must be bounded by `enum` or `const` in that output schema.
```yaml
name: classify-request
on: discord.mention
max_runtime: 2h
filters:
guild: "123456789012345678"
from_users: ["345678901234567890"]
values:
selected_environment: ${{ steps.classify.outputs.environment }}
selected_agent: ${{ steps.classify.outputs.agent }}
steps:
- id: classify
environment: hub
max_runtime: 5m
idle_timeout: 1m
agent: claude
prompt:
- include: partials/classify.md
- text: ${{ paseo.prompt }}
output:
schema:
type: object
required: [environment, agent]
properties:
environment: { enum: [paseo, hub] }
agent: { enum: [codex-safe, claude] }
additionalProperties: false
- id: work
environment: ${{ values.selected_environment }}
max_runtime: 1h
idle_timeout: 10m
agent: ${{ values.selected_agent }}
prompt:
- text: |
Complete the request. Call hub.reply once, then call hub.finish_execution.
- text: ${{ paseo.prompt }}
allow_outputs:
- { type: discord.reply, max: 1, required: true }
```
`.paseo/workflows/partials/classify.md`:
```text
Choose one configured repository environment and one complete named agent configuration.
```
The workflow keeps one classifier branch and one worker branch. It does not duplicate a worker step for every environment/provider pair.
## Prompt and context
Prompt blocks remain ordered. Includes are literal file contents; Hub does not recursively scan partial text.
```yaml
prompt:
- include: partials/instructions.md
- text: |
Provider evidence:
${{ paseo.context }}
${{ paseo.prompt }}
```
- `${{ paseo.prompt }}` is normalized request text. It is always explicit in the authored prompt.
- `${{ paseo.context }}` opts this step into provider context materialization and inserts JSON. Without that expression, Hub does not fetch or inject ambient context.
Keep untrusted request text in a clearly delimited block. A partial is instruction text, not hidden authority.
## Conditions and ordered output
Steps run in file order. `if` may read inputs, values, and prior step output:
```yaml
name: conditional-review
on: manual.run
max_runtime: 1h
filters:
from_users: [automation]
steps:
- id: inspect
environment: paseo
max_runtime: 10m
idle_timeout: 2m
agent: codex-safe
prompt:
- text: ${{ paseo.prompt }}
output:
schema:
type: object
required: [needs_review]
properties:
needs_review: { type: boolean }
additionalProperties: false
- id: review
if: ${{ steps.inspect.outputs.needs_review == true }}
environment: paseo
max_runtime: 30m
idle_timeout: 5m
agent: claude
prompt:
- text: Review the prior result and call hub.finish_execution.
```
A step cannot read a later step. Step IDs are unique within the workflow.
## Tell the agent which tool to call
`allow_outputs` grants a capability; it does not rewrite the prompt. Name the required action:
```yaml
prompt:
- text: |
Send the final answer with hub.reply.
Then call hub.finish_execution.
allow_outputs:
- type: slack.reply
max: 1
required: true
```
`max` defaults to `1`. `required: true` prevents successful completion until the capability has been emitted. Keep Slack and Discord reply types in their own provider workflow files.
## Deadlines
The workflow `max_runtime` limits the complete run. Every step has its own `max_runtime` and `idle_timeout`; remaining workflow time caps both. A timeout fails the run and stops later steps.
The [configuration reference](/docs/hub/configuration/hub-yml) lists every field. Provider filters and invocation text are in [Triggers](/docs/hub/triggers).