Show HN: Flowctl – Open-source self-service workflow automation platform

[cv_h]

https://github.com/cvhariharan/flowctl

Flowctl is a self-service platform that gives users secure access to complex workflows, all in a single binary. These workflows could be anything, granting SSH access to an instance, provisioning infra, or custom business process automation. The executor paradigm in flowctl makes it domain-agnostic.

This initial release includes: - SSO with OIDC and RBAC - Execution on remote nodes via SSH (fully agentless) - Approvals - Cron-based scheduling - Flow editor UI - Encrypted credentials and secrets store - Docker and Script executors - Namespaces

I built this because I needed a simple tool to manage my homelab while traveling, something that acts as a UI for scripts. At work, I was also looking for tools to turn repetitive ops/infra tasks into self-service offerings. I tried tools like Backstage and Rundeck, but they were either too complex, or the OSS versions lacked important features.

Flowctl can simply be described as a pipeline (like CI/CD systems) that people can trigger on-demand with custom inputs.

Would love to hear how you might use something like this!

Demo - https://demo.flowctl.net

Homepage - https://flowctl.net

GitHub - https://github.com/cvhariharan/flowctl

[badmonster]

What makes Flowctl different from existing workflow automation tools like n8n or Zapier?

[cv_h → badmonster]

Hi! Sorry for the late response.

The key difference is the use case. n8n and Zapier are designed for integration automation for connecting apps and services together.

Flowctl focuses on operational workflows that require human approvals and inputs, things like database migrations, infrastructure changes or scheduled maintenance tasks.

n8n has some permissions features, but approvals aren't built-in. Zapier is cloud-only and expensive at scale. Flowctl is fully open-source with no enterprise only features.