LocalCloud Cloud Workflows Local Emulator
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Cloud Workflows

Workflows orchestrates a sequence of API calls and application steps. It makes retries, branching, and execution state explicit in a workflow definition.

When to use Cloud Workflows

Typical uses

Use when a process coordinates several API calls and needs explicit sequencing, branching, retries, and a queryable execution result.

Examples

  • Multi-step service orchestration
  • HTTP integrations with retry handling

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Example usage

Service ID: workflows. Starts by default. Use an already running LocalCloud runtime for the examples below.

Export the local project and mapped endpoints in your client process, then use the client settings below. First-time setup

# Export GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT and WORKFLOWS_EMULATOR_HOST
eval "$(localcloud env)"

REST gateway examples use the generated HTTP address in SERVICE_USAGE_EMULATOR_HOST; native SDKs can use a different protocol.

Java · REST

List deployed workflows

List workflow definitions; Workflows coordinates API calls with sequencing, branching, and retries.

Call the Google Cloud REST API with the JDK HTTP client. Requires JDK 17+. Results reflect resources already created in your local project.

Discovery check · reads existing local state.

Save as Hello.java

import java.net.URI;
import java.net.http.*;
import java.time.Duration;
import java.util.Objects;

public class Hello {
  public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
    var project = Objects.requireNonNull(System.getenv("GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT"));
    var endpoint = Objects.requireNonNull(System.getenv("SERVICE_USAGE_EMULATOR_HOST"));
    var url = URI.create(endpoint.replaceAll("/+$", "") + "/v1/projects/" + project + "/locations/us-central1/workflows");
    var request = HttpRequest.newBuilder(url).timeout(Duration.ofSeconds(30)).GET().build();
    var client = HttpClient.newBuilder().connectTimeout(Duration.ofSeconds(10)).build();
    var response = client.send(request, HttpResponse.BodyHandlers.ofString());
    if (response.statusCode() >= 400) {
      throw new IllegalStateException(response.statusCode() + ": " + response.body());
    }
    System.out.println(response.body());
  }
}

Run the example

java Hello.java

Verify the result

The request succeeds. An empty list or no printed rows is valid before matching resources exist. Continue with the documented workflows for a resource test.

Verify a resource workflow by creating isolated state, performing the operation, and reading the result back. Run cleanup even after a failure; delete only test-owned resources.

Connection failed? Check localcloud status --verbose, enabled services, and client exports. Stop accidental Google Cloud calls; correct local routing before retrying.

Documented workflows

  • Workflow deployment and lifecycle

    Deploy a workflow definition, inspect its source and configuration, and update or delete it through the local API. Keep resource names scoped to the test project.

  • Local interpreter, standard library, and execution step history

    Execute a workflow that calls a local handler, branches on its result, and retries an expected failure. Inspect execution state and JSON step history to assert the path taken.

Service boundaries

  • Limited connector and expression support
  • Active executions fail on restart with InstanceRestart
Agent testing

Use Cloud Workflows with an AI agent

Before the agent changes application logic, have it create local Cloud Workflows state, read it back with the project SDK, and note which feature the check covered. That first local call catches accidental production routing and needs no GCP account, service-account key, or billing project.

Configure this repo

Set up this repository to use LocalCloud for local GCP development. First read https://local.cloud/ai/agents.md, then inspect this repo, identify the GCP services and SDK language, configure emulator environment variables, and run the narrowest integration test against localhost. Do not use real GCP credentials or production endpoints.

Production endpoints, auth, IAM, quotas, regional behavior, and final release validation still need the target Google Cloud project.

Agent resources has more prompts and the AGENTS.md template.

Related guides

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