Think in Graphs, Not Just Chains: JGraphlet for TaskPipelines

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 13:24:28 +0000

JGraphlet is a tiny, zero-dependency Java library for building task pipelines. It uses a graph model where you define tasks as nodes and connect them to create simple or complex workflows (like fan-in/fan-out). It supports both asynchronous (default) and synchronous tasks, has a simple API, allows data sharing via a PipelineContext, and offers optional caching to avoid re-computing results. **Its power comes not from a long list of features, but from a small set of core design principles that work together in harmony. At the heart of JGraphlet is simplicity, backed by a Graph. Add Tasks to a pipeline and connect them to create your graph. Each `Task` has an input and output. A `TaskPipeline` builds and executes a pipeline while managing the I/O for each Task. For example, a `Map` for Fan-in, a `Record` for your own data model, etc. A Task pipeline also has a way `PipelineContext` to share data between Tasks, and Tasks can also be cached, so the computation doesn’t need to take place again and again. You can choose how your Task pipeline flow should be, and you can decide whether it should be synchronous `SyncTask` or asynchronous. By default, all Tasks are asynchronous. Let’s dive into the eight core principles that define JGraphlet.

1. A Graph-First Execution Model

JGraphlet treats your workflow as a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG). You define tasks as nodes and explicitly draw the connections (edges) between them. This makes complex patterns like fan-out (one task feeding many) and fan-in (many tasks feeding one) natural. Example:

Shaaf Syed on foojay.io - Friends of OpenJDK

Think in Graphs, Not Just Chains: JGraphlet for TaskPipelines

1. A Graph-First Execution Model