Web Services Business Process
Execution Language Version 2.0
OASIS Standard
11 April 2007
Specification URIs:
This Version:
http://docs.oasis-open.org/wsbpel/2.0/
OS/wsbpel-v2.0-OS.html
http://docs.oasis-open.org/wsbpel/2.0/OS/wsbpel-v2.0-OS.doc
http://docs.oa
sis-open.org/wsbpel/2.0/
OS/wsbpel-v2.0-OS.pdf
Prev
ious Version:
http://docs.oasis-open.org/wsbpel/2.0/CS01/wsbpel-v2.0-CS01.html
http://docs.oasis-open.org/wsbpel/2.0/CS01/wsbpel-v2.0-CS01.doc
http://docs.oasis-open.org/wsbpel/2.0/CS01/wsbpel-v2.0-CS01.pdf
Latest Version:
http://docs.oasis-open.org/wsbpel/2.0/wsbpel-v2.0.html
http://docs.oasis-open.org/wsbpel/2.0/wsbpel-v2.0.doc
http://docs.oasis-open.org/wsbpel/2.0/wsbpel-v2.0.pdf
Technical Committee:
OASIS Web Services Business Process Execution Language (WSBPEL) TC
Chair(s):
Diane Jordan, IBM
John Evdemon, Microsoft
Editor(s):
Alexandre Alves, BEA
Assaf Arkin, Intalio
Sid Askary, Individual
Charlton Barreto, Adobe Systems
Ben Bloch, Systinet
Francisco Curbera, IBM
Mark Ford, Active Endpoints, Inc.
Yaron Goland, BEA
Alejandro Guízar, JBoss, Inc.
Neelakantan Kartha, Sterling Commerce
Canyang Kevin Liu, SAP
Rania Khalaf, IBM
Dieter König, IBM
Mike Marin, IBM, formerly FileNet Corporation
Vinkesh Mehta, Deloitte
Satish Thatte, Microsoft
Danny van der Rijn, TIBCO Software
Prasad Yendluri, webMethods
Alex Yiu, Oracle
wsbpel-v2.0-OS 11 April 2007
Copyright © OASIS® 1993–2007. All Rights Reserved. OASIS trademark, IPR and other policies apply. Page 1 of 264
wsbpel-v2.0-OS 11 April 2007
Copyright © OASIS® 1993–2007. All Rights Reserved. OASIS trademark, IPR and other policies apply. Page 2 of 264
Related work:
• See Section 3.
Declared XML Namespace(s):
http://docs.oasis-open.org/wsbpel/2.0/process/abstract
http://docs.oasis-open.org/wsbpel/2.0/process/executable
http://docs.oasis-open.org/wsbpel/2.0/plnktype
http://docs.oasis-open.org/wsbpel/2.0/serviceref
http://docs.oasis-open.org/wsbpel/2.0/varprop
Abstract:
This document defines a language for specifying business process behavior based on Web
Services. This language is called Web Services Business Process Execution Language
(abbreviated to WS-BPEL in the rest of this document). Processes in WS-BPEL export and import
functionality by using Web Service interfaces exclusively.
Business processes can be described in two ways. Executable business processes model actual
behavior of a participant in a business interaction. Abstract business processes are partially
specified processes that are not intended to be executed. An Abstract Process may hide some of
the required concrete operational details. Abstract Processes serve a descriptive role, with more
than one possible use case, including observable behavior and process template. WS-BPEL is
meant to be used to model the behavior of both Executable and Abstract Processes.
WS-BPEL provides a language for the specification of Executable and Abstract business
processes. By doing so, it extends the Web Services interaction model and enables it to support
business transactions. WS-BPEL defines an interoperable integration model that should facilitate
the expansion of automated process integration in both the intra-corporate and the business-to-
business spaces.
Status:
This document was last revised or approved by the Web Services Business Process Execution
Language (WSBPEL) TC on the above date. The level of approval is also listed above. Check the
current location noted above for possible later revisions of this document. This document is
updated periodically on no particular schedule.
Technical Committee members should send comments on this specification to the Technical
Committee’s email list. Others should send comments to the Technical Committee by using the
“Send A Comment” button on the Technical Committee’s web page at http://www.oasis-
open.org/committees/wsbpel.
For information on whether any patents have been disclosed that may be essential to
implementing this specification, and any offers of patent licensing terms, please refer to the
Intellectual Property Rights section of the Technical Committee web page (http://www.oasis-
open.org/committees/wsbpel/ipr.php.
The non-normative errata page for this specification is located at http://www.oasis-
open.org/committees/wsbpel.
wsbpel-v2.0-OS 11 April 2007
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Notices
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The names "OASIS", “WSBPEL” and “WS-BPEL” are trademarks of OASIS, the owner and developer of
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents........................................................................................................................ 4
1. Introduction............................................................................................................................. 6
2. Notational Conventions .......................................................................................................... 9
3. Relationship with Other Specifications ................................................................................ 11
4. Static Analysis of a Business Process................................................................................... 13
5. Defining a Business Process................................................................................................. 14
5.1. Initial Example............................................................................................................... 14
5.2. The Structure of a Business Process.............................................................................. 21
5.3. Language Extensibility .................................................................................................. 31
5.4. Document Linking......................................................................................................... 32
5.5. The Lifecycle of an Executable Business Process......................................................... 33
5.6. Revisiting the Initial Example ....................................................................................... 34
6. Partner Link Types, Partner Links, and Endpoint References.............................................. 36
6.1. Partner Link Types......................................................................................................... 36
6.2. Partner Links.................................................................................................................. 37
6.3. Endpoint References...................................................................................................... 38
7. Variable Properties................................................................................................................ 40
7.1. Motivation...................................................................................................................... 40
7.2. Defining Properties........................................................................................................ 40
7.3 Defining Property Aliases............................................................................................... 41
8. Data Handling....................................................................................................................... 45
8.1. Variables ........................................................................................................................ 45
8.2 Usage of Query and Expression Languages ................................................................... 49
8.3. Expressions .................................................................................................................... 57
8.4. Assignment .................................................................................................................... 59
9. Correlation ............................................................................................................................ 74
9.1. Message Correlation ...................................................................................................... 74
9.2. Declaring and Using Correlation Sets............................................................................ 76
10. Basic Activities................................................................................................................... 84
10.1. Standard Attributes for All Activities.......................................................................... 84
10.2. Standard Elements for All Activities........................................................................... 84
10.3. Invoking Web Service Operations – Invoke................................................................ 84
10.4. Providing Web Service Operations – Receive and Reply ........................................... 89
10.5. Updating Variables and Partner Links – Assign.......................................................... 94
10.6. Signaling Internal Faults – Throw ............................................................................... 94
10.7. Delayed Execution – Wait ........................................................................................... 95
10.8. Doing Nothing – Empty............................................................................................... 95
10.9. Adding new Activity Types – ExtensionActivity........................................................ 95
10.10. Immediately Ending a Process – Exit........................................................................ 96
10.11. Propagating Faults – Rethrow.................................................................................... 96
11. Structured Activities ........................................................................................................... 98
11.1. Sequential Processing – Sequence............................................................................... 98
11.2. Conditional Behavior – If ............................................................................................ 99
11.3. Repetitive Execution – While...................................................................................... 99
11.4. Repetitive Execution – RepeatUntil........................................................................... 100
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11.5. Selective Event Processing – Pick............................................................................. 100
11.6. Parallel and Control Dependencies Processing – Flow ............................................. 102
11.7. Processing Multiple Branches – ForEach.................................................................. 112
12. Scopes ............................................................................................................................... 115
12.1. Scope Initialization .................................................................................................... 116
12.2. Message Exchange Handling..................................................................................... 117
12.3. Error Handling in Business Processes ....................................................................... 117
12.4. Compensation Handlers............................................................................................. 118
12.5. Fault Handlers............................................................................................................ 127
12.6 Termination Handlers ................................................................................................. 135
12.7. Event Handlers........................................................................................................... 137
12.8. Isolated Scopes........................................................................................................... 143
13. WS-BPEL Abstract Processes .......................................................................................... 147
13.1. The Common Base..................................................................................................... 147
13.2. Abstract Process Profiles and the Semantics of Abstract Processes.......................... 154
13.3. Abstract Process Profile for Observable Behavior .................................................... 155
13.4. Abstract Process Profile for Templates...................................................................... 159
14. Extension Declarations ..................................................................................................... 164
15. Examples........................................................................................................................... 166
15.1. Shipping Service........................................................................................................ 166
15.2. Ordering Service........................................................................................................ 171
15.3. Loan Approval Service .............................................................................................. 179
15.4. Auction Service.......................................................................................................... 183
16. Security Considerations .................................................................................................... 191
Appendix A. Standard Faults.................................................................................................. 192
Appendix B. Static Analysis requirement summary (Non-Normative).................................. 194
Appendix C. Attributes and Defaults...................................................................................... 206
Appendix D. Examples of Replacement Logic....................................................................... 208
Appendix E. XML Schemas ................................................................................................... 216
Appendix F. References.......................................................................................................... 258
1. Normative References..................................................................................................... 258
2. Non-Normative References ............................................................................................ 259
Appendix G. Committee Members (Non-Normative)............................................................ 260
