Glossary · S
State Machine
State Machine
A model of defined states and permitted transitions
What it means
A state machine describes a system using states and rules for moving between them. In a finite-state model, the set of states is limited and explicitly defined. Events and conditions control transitions. This can make workflow rules easier to test, but it does not remove every possible logic error.
What it means for a business
An order workflow can move through New, Checked, In Progress, Dispatched and Closed. A transition rule can prevent dispatch until required checks are complete. Exception paths, retries and cancellation also need to be defined and tested.
In practice
How we deliver Q-Dev projects