> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://velt.dev/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create Definition

Use this API to register a new workflow definition (the static blueprint of nodes, edges, and optional parallel groups). Definitions are validated at write time: schema errors, `compileGraph` edge-contract errors, and linter graph-shape errors are rejected with explicit validation keys.

# Endpoint

`POST https://api.velt.dev/v2/workflow/definitions/create`

# Headers

**x-velt-api-key** `string` *required*

Your API key.

**x-velt-auth-token** `string` *required*

Your [Auth Token](https://velt.dev/docs/security/auth-tokens.md).

# Body

#### Params

**data** `object` *required*

**properties**

**definitionId** `string` *required*

`^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9-]{2,63}$`. Stable identifier for this definition.

**name** `string` *required*

1–200 chars. Human-readable label.

**description** `string`

0–2000 chars.

**scope** `object`

Defaults to `{ level: "apiKey" }`. Options:

* `{ level: "apiKey" }`: workspace-wide.
* `{ level: "organization", organizationId: "<id>" }`: bound to one organization. `organizationId` is required (returns `INVALID_ARGUMENT` if omitted).
* `{ level: "document", organizationId: "<id>", documentId: "<id>" }`: bound to one document under an organization. Both fields required.

The response echoes back the same `organizationId` / `documentId` you sent. The engine keeps its own internal namespaced copies for storage, but they are never returned, so a definition read round-trips safely into a create or update call. See [Duplicating a workflow](https://velt.dev/docs/ai/approval-engine/patterns.md#duplicating-a-workflow).

**nodes** `array` *required*

1–100 nodes. Each node has `nodeId` (1–64 chars), a `type`, and a `config` block validated strictly against that type.

| `type` | What it does | `config` essentials |
| - | - | - |
| `agent` | Runs a Velt agent against a URL. | `agentId` plus `url` or `urlPath` (at least one required). Optional `aiConfig` sets the AI provider and model for the run. |
| `human` | Waits for reviewers to approve or reject. | `reviewers[]` or legacy `reviewerIds[]`. |
| `notification` | Sends an email or Slack message from the workflow. | `channel` and `bodyTemplate`, plus `recipients` (email) or `slackTarget` (slack). |
| `webhook` | Calls your HTTPS endpoint. `async` mode waits for your callback. | `url`, optional `mode`, `authMode`, `timeoutMs`. |

Each node also accepts an optional `slaMs` (integer ms, up to 7 days) and optional cosmetic `name` (1–200 chars) and `description` (≤ 2000 chars) labels echoed verbatim in the response. Full field tables: [Node configuration](https://velt.dev/docs/ai/approval-engine/customize-behavior.md#node-configuration).

**edges** `array` *required*

0–500 edges. Each edge: `{ from, to, on?, when?, loop? }`. `from` / `to` are `EdgeEndpoint`s: a bare node-id string, `{ kind: "node", nodeId }`, or `{ kind: "group", groupId }`.

| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
| - | - | - | - |
| `from` | `EdgeEndpoint` | yes | Source node or group. |
| `to` | `EdgeEndpoint` | yes | Target node or group. |
| `on` | enum | no (default `"always"`) | `approve` / `reject` / `always` / `exhausted` / `custom`. `approve` and `reject` auto-compile their predicates. |
| `when` | JSON-AST string | only when `on:"custom"` | Custom predicate over the source step's output. Invalid on any other `on` role. See [custom predicates](https://velt.dev/docs/ai/approval-engine/customize-behavior.md#custom-predicates). |
| `loop` | `{ maxIterations }` | only on an `on:"reject"` back-edge | `maxIterations` 1–20. Marks the reject edge as a loop-back; the server derives the loop region. A sibling `on:"exhausted"` edge handles cap exhaustion. |

A `human` node must have an outgoing `on:"reject"` edge or the definition is rejected with `APPROVAL_HUMAN_NODE_REQUIRES_REJECT_PATH`. See [the edge model](https://velt.dev/docs/ai/approval-engine/customize-behavior.md#edge-model) for the full role and loop semantics.

**groups** `array`

0–100 parallel-group definitions. See [parallel groups and quorum policies](https://velt.dev/docs/ai/approval-engine/customize-behavior.md#parallel-groups-and-quorum-policies).

A group can be an edge source (`from: { kind: "group", groupId }`): a `waitAll` group fans out a collective approve/reject decision by unanimity (every member approved → approve, else reject), and a `cancelOnQuorum` group fans out a collective approve successor on quorum. A forward `on:"reject"` from a `joinOnQuorum` / `cancelOnQuorum` group is a rejected dead edge. Edge-to-group fan-out (`to: { kind: "group", groupId }`) is accepted for all quorum policies.

**triggers** `array`

0–50 trigger declarations. A trigger starts executions for you, with no dispatch call.

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
| - | - | - | - |
| `triggerId` | string | yes | 1–128 chars. Stable identifier, also the idempotency-key prefix. |
| `eventName` | string | no | ≤ 128 chars. Optional label. |
| `filters` | object | no | Free-form match filters. |
| `inboundWebhook` | object | no | External systems POST to start a run. See [Inbound webhook trigger](https://velt.dev/docs/ai/approval-engine/customize-behavior.md#inbound-webhook-trigger). |
| `schedule` | object | no | Cron cadence starts runs. See [Scheduled trigger](https://velt.dev/docs/ai/approval-engine/customize-behavior.md#scheduled-cron-trigger). |
| `appTrigger` | object | no | A connected GitHub App or Vercel Integration routes events. See [App trigger](https://velt.dev/docs/ai/approval-engine/customize-behavior.md#app-trigger). |

`inboundWebhook`, `schedule`, and `appTrigger` are mutually exclusive on a single trigger entry (`APPROVAL_APP_TRIGGER_EXCLUSIVE`). A definition may declare several entries, each using a different mechanism. A triggered run always inherits the definition's `scope`.

**webhookConfig** `object`

Default webhook receiver for every execution of this definition: `{ url, secret, eventTypes? }`. `url` is `https`-only and SSRF-guarded; `secret` is 16–512 chars; optional `eventTypes` limits delivery to up to 50 event types. A per-execution `webhookUrl` / `webhookSecret` on [Dispatch Execution](https://velt.dev/docs/api-reference/rest-apis/v2/approval-engine/executions/dispatch-execution.md) overrides this.

**tags** `string[]`

0–20 tags, each ≤ 64 chars.

**custom** `object`

Free-form metadata.

**organizationId** `string`

Required when `scope.level` is `organization` or `document`.

**documentId** `string`

Required when `scope.level` is `document`.

#### Node object examples

```JSON theme={null}
{
  "nodeId": "brand-check",
  "type": "agent",
  "name": "Brand check",
  "description": "Verifies copy against brand guidelines.",
  "config": { "agentId": "brand-agent-v1", "urlPath": "documentUrl", "requireNonEmptyOutput": true },
  "slaMs": 3600000
}
```

```JSON theme={null}
{
  "nodeId": "nightly-audit",
  "type": "agent",
  "config": {
    "agentId": "broken-links",
    "url": "https://acme.com",
    "aiConfig": { "provider": "claude", "model": "claude-sonnet-5" }
  }
}
```

```JSON theme={null}
{
  "nodeId": "notify-stakeholders",
  "type": "notification",
  "config": {
    "channel": "email",
    "recipients": ["lead@acme.dev"],
    "subjectTemplate": "Approval {{input.decision}}",
    "bodyTemplate": "Findings: {{input.agentResultsSummary.summary}}"
  }
}
```

> [!WARNING]
>
> An `agent` node must set `url` or `urlPath`, or the definition is rejected with `APPROVAL_AGENT_NODE_REQUIRES_URL_OR_URLPATH`. `blocking: true` requires a sibling `resolutionPolicy` to pass schema validation, and the pair is then rejected at run time with `agent-blocking-not-supported`; place a `human` node downstream of the agent instead.

#### Edge object examples

```JSON theme={null}
{ "from": "brand-check", "to": "legal-review", "on": "approve" }
{ "from": "human-review", "to": "rework-notice", "on": "reject" }
{ "from": "human-review", "to": "agent-draft", "on": "reject", "loop": { "maxIterations": 3 } }
{ "from": "human-review", "to": "escalate", "on": "exhausted" }
{ "from": "brand-check", "to": "legal-review", "on": "custom", "when": "{\"op\":\"eq\",\"args\":[{\"var\":\"output.passesBrandCheck\"},true]}" }
```

## **Example Requests**

#### Create a marketing-copy approval workflow

```JSON theme={null}
{
  "data": {
    "definitionId": "marketing-copy-approval",
    "name": "Marketing copy approval",
    "scope": { "level": "apiKey" },
    "nodes": [
      { "nodeId": "agent-draft",   "type": "agent", "config": { "agentId": "copy-agent-v1",    "urlPath": "documentUrl" } },
      { "nodeId": "human-review",  "type": "human", "config": { "reviewers": [{ "userId": "u_reviewer_01", "mandatory": true }] } },
      { "nodeId": "agent-publish", "type": "agent", "config": { "agentId": "publish-agent-v1", "urlPath": "documentUrl" } },
      { "nodeId": "agent-rework",  "type": "agent", "config": { "agentId": "rework-agent-v1",  "urlPath": "documentUrl" } }
    ],
    "edges": [
      { "from": "agent-draft", "to": "human-review" },
      { "from": "human-review", "to": "agent-publish", "on": "approve" },
      { "from": "human-review", "to": "agent-rework", "on": "reject" }
    ]
  }
}
```

#### Start runs from a nightly cron schedule

```JSON theme={null}
{
  "data": {
    "definitionId": "nightly-content-audit",
    "name": "Nightly content audit",
    "nodes": [
      { "nodeId": "audit", "type": "agent", "config": { "agentId": "broken-links", "url": "https://acme.com" } }
    ],
    "edges": [],
    "triggers": [
      {
        "triggerId": "nightly-audit",
        "schedule": { "cron": "0 2 * * *", "timezone": "America/Los_Angeles", "enabled": true }
      }
    ]
  }
}
```

# Response

#### Success Response

```JSON theme={null}
{
  "result": {
    "definitionId": "marketing-copy-approval",
    "name": "Marketing copy approval",
    "description": null,
    "version": 1,
    "scope": { "level": "apiKey", "organizationId": null, "documentId": null },
    "nodes": [
      { "nodeId": "agent-draft", "type": "agent", "config": { "agentId": "copy-agent-v1", "urlPath": "documentUrl" } },
      { "nodeId": "human-review", "type": "human", "config": { "reviewers": [{ "userId": "u_reviewer_01", "mandatory": true }] } },
      { "nodeId": "agent-publish", "type": "agent", "config": { "agentId": "publish-agent-v1", "urlPath": "documentUrl" } },
      { "nodeId": "agent-rework", "type": "agent", "config": { "agentId": "rework-agent-v1", "urlPath": "documentUrl" } }
    ],
    "edges": [
      { "from": "agent-draft", "to": "human-review" },
      { "from": "human-review", "to": "agent-publish", "on": "approve" },
      { "from": "human-review", "to": "agent-rework", "on": "reject" }
    ],
    "groups": null,
    "compiled": {
      "forwardEdges": [
        { "from": "agent-draft", "to": "human-review", "role": "always", "when": null },
        { "from": "human-review", "to": "agent-publish", "role": "approve", "when": { "op": "eq", "args": [{ "var": "output.decision" }, "approve"] } },
        { "from": "human-review", "to": "agent-rework", "role": "reject", "when": { "op": "eq", "args": [{ "var": "output.decision" }, "reject"] } }
      ],
      "loops": []
    },
    "triggers": null,
    "tags": null,
    "custom": null,
    "createdAt": 1731432000000,
    "updatedAt": 1731432000000,
    "status": "active"
  }
}
```

The read-only `compiled` block is added to every `DefinitionView` (create / get / list). `compiled.forwardEdges` is the runtime forward-edge list the engine drives execution from; `compiled.loops` is the derived loop region list. The authored `edges` still echo `sourceEdges` byte-for-byte. See [Get Definition](https://velt.dev/docs/api-reference/rest-apis/v2/approval-engine/definitions/get-definition.md) for the full `compiled` schema.

#### Failure Response

```JSON theme={null}
{
  "error": {
    "message": "ERROR_MESSAGE",
    "status": "INVALID_ARGUMENT"
  }
}
```

**Errors:** `INVALID_ARGUMENT` (schema, `compileGraph`, or linter failure; message includes the validation key) / `ALREADY_EXISTS` (definitionId already in use).

```js theme={null}
{
  "result": {
    "definitionId": "marketing-copy-approval",
    "name": "Marketing copy approval",
    "description": null,
    "version": 1,
    "scope": { "level": "apiKey", "organizationId": null, "documentId": null },
    "nodes": [
      { "nodeId": "agent-draft", "type": "agent", "config": { "agentId": "copy-agent-v1", "urlPath": "documentUrl" } }
    ],
    "edges": [],
    "groups": null,
    "compiled": { "forwardEdges": [], "loops": [] },
    "triggers": null,
    "tags": null,
    "custom": null,
    "createdAt": 1731432000000,
    "updatedAt": 1731432000000,
    "status": "active"
  }
}
```


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.