[](https://hub.docker.com/repository/docker/elsaworkflows/elsa-v3)
Elsa is a powerful workflow library that enables workflow execution within any .NET application. Elsa allows you to define workflows in various ways, including:
> This Docker image is based on a reference ASP.NET application that hosts both the workflow server and designer and is not intended for production use.
Elsa is continually evolving, and while it offers powerful capabilities, there are some known limitations and ongoing work:
- Documentation is still a work in progress.
- The designer is not yet fully embeddable in other applications; this feature is planned for a future release.
- C# and Python expressions are not yet fully tested.
- Bulk Dispatch Workflows is a new activity and not yet fully tested.
- Input/Output is not yet implemented in the Workflow Instance Viewer.
- Starting workflows from the designer is currently supported only for workflows that do not require input and do not start with a trigger; this is planned for a future release.
- The designer currently only supports Flowchart activities. Support for Sequence and StateMachine activities is planned for a future release.
## Contributing
We welcome contributions from the community and are pleased that you are interested in helping to improve the Elsa Workflow project! Here are the steps to contribute to our project:
### 1. Fork and Clone the Repo
To get started, you'll need to fork the repository to your own GitHub account. You can do this by navigating to the [Elsa Workflow GitHub repository](https://github.com/elsa-workflows/elsa-core) and clicking the "Fork" button in the top-right corner of the page. Once you have forked the repo, you can clone it to your local machine using the following command:
Replace `YOUR_USERNAME` with your GitHub username. For more information on forking a repo, check out the GitHub documentation [here](https://docs.github.com/en/github/getting-started-with-github/fork-a-repo).
Incorporating the details about the "apps" folder and its projects into the second point about opening the `Elsa.sln` using your favorite IDE, we can expand the instructions to guide developers on where to start and what projects they might want to explore first. Here's an updated version of that section with the additional information:
After cloning the repository, navigate to the cloned directory and open the `Elsa.sln` solution file with your preferred IDE that supports .NET development, such as Visual Studio, JetBrains Rider, or Visual Studio Code with the appropriate extensions.
Within the solution, you will find an "apps" folder containing three projects designed to help you get started and explore the capabilities of Elsa Workflow:
- **Elsa.Server.Web**: This project is a reference ASP.NET Core application that acts as a workflow server. It's a great starting point if you want to understand how Elsa functions as a server-side workflow engine.
- **Elsa.ServerAndStudio.Web**: This project serves a dual purpose. Like `Elsa.Server.Web`, it acts as a workflow server. Additionally, it hosts the Elsa Studio Blazor WebAssembly app. This is the perfect project to run if you want to see the full capabilities of Elsa, including both the server aspects and the client-side studio experience in one application.
- **Elsa.Studio.Web**: This project is a reference Blazor WebAssembly application that solely hosts the Elsa Studio Blazor WebAssembly app. It requires a running Elsa server application to connect to. Use this project if you're interested in focusing on the Elsa Studio UI and its interactions with an Elsa workflow server.
### 3. Submit a PR with Your Changes
Once you have made your changes, commit them and push them back to your fork. Then, navigate to the original Elsa Workflow repository and create a new Pull Request. Ensure your PR description clearly describes the changes and any relevant information that will help the reviewers understand your contributions. For a detailed guide on creating a pull request, visit [Creating a pull request from a fork](https://docs.github.com/en/github/collaborating-with-issues-and-pull-requests/creating-a-pull-request-from-a-fork).
### 4. Open an Issue First
Before you start working on your changes or submit a pull request, please open an issue to discuss what you would like to do. This step is crucial as it ensures you don't spend time working on something that might not align with the project's goals or might already be under development by someone else. You can open an issue [here](https://github.com/elsa-workflows/elsa-core/issues).
This approach helps us streamline contributions and ensures that your efforts are aligned with the project's needs and priorities. We look forward to your contributions and are here to support you throughout the process. Thank you for contributing to the Elsa Workflow project!
