AWS step functions - Any way to create the state machine graphically?

Question

When creating a state machine with step functions, we use Amazon States Language (ASL). A visual workflow is rendered showing the state machine. Is there anyway to create the state machine visually to begin with? Creating the states with something like drag and drop and then updating the details for, let's say the specific Lambda that needs to be invoked?

I see that AWS does not provide this feature, and I couldn't find a third party that does, wondering if there's something I didn't find.

Answer 1

Bachman,

I found this 3rd party draw.io plugin to create and export ASL: https://github.com/sakazuki/step-functions-draw.io. I have not used it myself, so I cannot speak to the quality/correctness of it. It looks like a pretty nice tool though!

Update - Here is a youtube video of it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrMcFdTdhhU

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

FYI

Workflow Studio is a new visual workflow designer for AWS Step Functions that makes it faster and easier to build workflows using a drag and drop interface in the AWS console.

https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2021/announcing-workflow-studio-a-new-low-code-visual-workflow-designer-foraws-step-functions/.