When developing applications on the Kuika platform, you’ll see two important panels in the top toolbar: the Issues Panel and the WF Engine (Workflow Engine) Panel. They are visible in all modules.

1. What Is the Issues Panel?

The Issues panel is a control panel that operates across the entire project, identifying and listing missing or incorrectly configured elements in your project during the application development process. It opens via the icon in the upper-right corner of the screen and instantly displays the number of detected errors with a red badge. This icon remains in the same location regardless of which module (UI Design, Process Automation, Datasources, etc.) you are in, and it lists all errors across your entire project (not just on the screen you currently have open) collectively. For example, even if you leave a process step incomplete in Process Automation and then switch to the UI Design screen, that error will continue to appear in the Issues panel.

Panel Structure

When the panel opens, you’ll see the following information:

• Total number of issues (All)
• Error/Warning distinction: Errors are critical issues that prevent the application from running; warnings do not prevent it from running but are points that require attention.
• Screen/Area-based grouping: Issues are grouped based on which screen or process step they occur in (e.g., “Sample Step,” “Unknown”).
• “Go to Source” link: This allows you to go directly to the source of the issue, so you don’t have to manually search through the project to find the error.

Why Is This Important?

• It allows you to view structural deficiencies in bulk before deploying the application to production (publish/preview).
• Each error includes a “Learn more” link that directs you to documentation, accelerating the resolution process.
• In team-based development, it enables another developer to easily spot configuration gaps left by a team member.

2. What Is the WF Engine (Workflow Engine)?

The WF Engine is the engine that runs the Process Automation (workflow) module you develop on the Kuika platform. This engine ensures that the workflows you design run in the background, tasks are assigned to the right user at the right time, and each step proceeds according to the rules.

Like the Issues panel, this panel appears as a fixed icon on the top toolbar across the entire project—meaning you can view the engine’s status (Stopped/Running) and start it even when you’re not on the Process Automation screen (for example, while working in UI Design). This is because the WF Engine is not limited to a single screen but is a background service for the entire project; it covers all processes defined in the project.

What Does the WF Engine Panel Show?

Accessible via the icon at the top of the screen—regardless of which screen in the project you’re on—the panel displays the following information:

• Status information: Indicates whether the engine is currently Stopped or running.
• Description: “Runs your app’s Process Automation” — in other words, this engine runs the process automation in your application.
• Start WF Engine: Used to start the engine. As long as the engine is not running, the workflows you’ve designed will not be triggered in the test environment, tasks will not be created, and notifications will not be sent.
• Download WF Engine: This option is used when you need to download and install the engine on your local machine or your own server (for on-premises or private infrastructure scenarios).

Why Do You See “Stopped”?

The WF Engine is stopped by default; this is normal. When you want to test or run an application that includes process automation, you must first manually start the engine. This design is intended to prevent unnecessary resource consumption and allow the developer to decide when to run tests.

The Relationship Between the WF Engine and the Issues Panel

These two components are not independent of each other; in fact, they complement each other and are directly related:

• The Issues panel checks the prerequisites required for the WF Engine to run. Missing connections in the process design (such as missing input/output arrows) or missing parameters (such as SaveRecord) clearly indicate that the process design is broken.
  

• The WF Engine cannot “run” a broken process. Even if you start the engine, if there is an unconnected step in the process or if a required parameter for an action is empty, that process will either not be triggered at all or will throw an error while running. Even if the engine appears to be “running,” the process inside it will not function properly because it is logically broken.
  

• The correct sequence of operations is as follows:
  

• Design the process.
• Check the Issues panel.
• Fix the listed errors.
• Start the WF Engine.
• Test the process.

Skipping this sequence and starting the WF Engine directly can lead to a situation where the engine appears to be “running” but the process is not actually functioning—which makes it difficult to identify the source of the error.