Our philosophy
We truely believe in an open and transparent technology stack and your own sovereignty about any technology decision.
Built for developers, by developers.
In a world of closed systems and rigid platforms, Operaton stands apart. Our code isn’t just written for developers; it’s written by them. Since they very start of this workflow project, it was built on a simple, powerful philosophy: the people who build with our software should be the same people who shape its future. This isn’t a marketing slogan; it’s the core of our DNA. And that will never change.
This developer-first approach means you get a platform that anticipates your needs. You’ll find flexible, intuitive APIs that make sense, documentation that’s actually helpful, and the unrestricted power to customize, extend, and integrate any way you see fit. We contribute to the tools we always wanted to use ourselves—and it shows.
The Greatest Feature is the Community
More than just a platform, Operaton is a living, breathing ecosystem powered by a global community of developers who are true partners in our innovation. The code you deploy is battle-hardened and enhanced by of experts who use it every single day.
- Community-Driven Features & Updates: Some of the most powerful features didn’t come from a roadmap, but from devlopers. The community’s real-world use cases drive the evolution of the platform, suggesting and contributing to updates that solve the complex challenges you actually face.
- Rapid Bug Fixes: With thousands of developers operating as a global QA team, bugs are identified and neutralized with incredible speed. Our community members are instrumental in reporting, verifying, and even submitting pull requests for fixes, leading to a more stable and reliable platform for everyone.
- Collaborative Security: In today’s landscape, security is a shared responsibility. Our active community is a vigilant force, helping us identify potential vulnerabilities and collaboratively develop security patches. This collective oversight makes our entire platform stronger and gives you the confidence to run your most mission-critical processes on Operaton.
When you choose Operaton, you’re not just getting a best-in-class process orchestration platform. You’re joining a movement of developers dedicated to building the future of automation, for uncompromised souverenity.
Investing in Open Source: Your Capital for the Future
Choosing community-driven open-source software isn’t an expense; it’s a strategic investment in sustainable growth and innovation. You are backing a model distinguished by collective intelligence and adaptability.
An Engine for Innovation and Relevance
A community-driven project is a living ecosystem, fueled by the real-world needs of its users. This global collaboration ensures faster, more relevant development, guaranteeing the technology is built for the market, not in spite of it. You invest directly into an endless pool of creativity that keeps your company at the forefront of innovation.
A Guarantee of Resilience and Expertise
Proprietary software ties you to the fate of a single vendor. An open-source project supported by a community is resilient and independent. Its open code and distributed knowledge guarantee the longevity of your investment. At the same time, you gain access to a global talent pool of experts who have already mastered your core technology.
In short: you are not just investing in code, but in a dynamic, future-proof network of talent and innovation.
Free and open source
Although often used synonymously, “Open Source” and “Free Software” differ in their philosophy, not their technology. Both are based on open source code.
Free Software is an ethical movement that aims for user freedom. The name emphasizes “freedom,” not “free of charge.” It’s about the guaranteed right to run, study, modify, and share software.
Free Software is defined by four essential freedoms:
The freedom to run the program for any purpose.
The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your own needs. (Access to the source code is a precondition for this).
The freedom to redistribute copies and thus help others.
The freedom to improve the program and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits. (Access to the source code is a precondition for this).
The goal is the user’s emancipation. It is about the right to understand, modify, and share software – in other words: to make souvereign decisions.
Flexibility and infrastructure
Free and Open Source Software can adapt flexibly to changing infrastructures because its open source code allows for direct access and unrestricted modification. Companies are not tied to the technological roadmaps or product cycles of a single manufacturer.
Flexibility Through Open Source Code
The key advantage lies in its transparent and accessible source code. When the IT infrastructure changes—whether by moving to a new cloud platform, adopting different operating systems, or integrating new hardware—the software can be directly adapted. Developers can modify the code to ensure compatibility, optimize performance, or remove unnecessary components. This modifiability ensures that the software evolves with the infrastructure and does not become a technological obstacle.
Independence Increases Speed and Sovereignty
Independence from proprietary vendors increases a company’s adaptation speed and digital sovereignty for two key reasons:
- No External Dependencies: Companies do not have to wait for a vendor to provide an update or patch for a new infrastructure. Internal teams or external service providers can act immediately and make necessary adjustments themselves. This eliminates waiting times that can often last for months with proprietary software and delay projects.
- Full Control and No Licensing Traps: Companies have full control over their software and its deployment. There are no unexpected license changes that suddenly make running it on a new platform more expensive or forbidden (vendor lock-in). This strategic independence means that infrastructure decisions can be made based solely on technical and business requirements, not restricted by a software vendor’s prohibitive policies.
Process Orchestration
From the perspective of process automation, every resource—whether an API, database, bot, or human—is an abstract endpoint. The orchestrator acts as a central conductor, assigning tasks to these decentralized services and coordinating their results.
Integration is handled via standardized connectors and APIs. This separates technical complexity from business process logic and is the core of modern, decoupled software architectures. Individual services can thus be developed, scaled, and replaced independently without jeopardizing the overall process.
Furthermore, the orchestrator creates transparency and resilience. Errors at one endpoint no longer lead to a system crash, as alternative paths or retries can be initiated automatically. This approach allows companies to remain agile and adapt their application landscape to new requirements flexibly and securely.
Open Standards
The combination of OMG standards (BPMN, DMN, CMMN) with open-source process automation is strategic because it eliminates dependencies on two levels. Open source prevents vendor lock-in for the software, while open standards do the same for the process models. Your digitized business logic thus remains your property—portable, future-proof, and independent of the underlying technology.
At the same time, these visual standards create a common, globally understood language for business and IT. This universal understanding fosters cross-departmental collaboration and provides access to a global talent pool of experts already familiar with the notations. The result is maximum transparency, which allows more employees to participate in the continuous improvement of processes and to effectively drive digital transformation.
Ready to philosophize together?
