Summary
Camunda is a process orchestration and automation platform built on the BPMN 2.0 and DMN standards. Camunda 8 runs on the Zeebe engine and includes applications such as Operate, Tasklist and Optimize, plus connectors and, starting with version 8.8, a connector for AI agents. It's available as SaaS or Self-Managed.
Kikwiflow is a work orchestration platform: the process is modeled visually in Craft in its own format (.kikwi, JSON), run by Engine (a Java 21 library embedded in Spring Boot applications) and tracked in Monitor. It's open core, with the Community Edition under Apache 2.0.
Side-by-side comparison
| Criteria | Kikwiflow | Camunda |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Work orchestration (application orchestration) | BPMN-based process orchestration and automation |
| Process model | Purpose-built visual model in Craft, saved as .kikwi (JSON) | BPMN 2.0 and DMN, in Web Modeler or Desktop Modeler |
| Engine | Java 21 engine embedded in Spring Boot applications, with persistence in MongoDB | Camunda 8: Zeebe, run as a cluster. Camunda 7: embeddable Java engine |
| Human tasks | Wait steps (external tasks) completed by people or systems via API/callback | BPMN user tasks, with the Tasklist application |
| AI agents | Called from any step, with timeouts, retries, human approval and a trail in Monitor | AI Agent connector with ad-hoc sub-processes (from version 8.8) |
| Observability and intervention | Monitor: the state of every case by step; fix, approve, retry and resume | Operate to track instances and resolve incidents; Optimize for analytics |
| Hosting | Self-hosted, on your infrastructure | SaaS or Self-Managed |
| License | Community Edition under Apache 2.0; Enterprise through atoxfy | Camunda 8: source under the Camunda License v1; production use of Self-Managed requires the Enterprise Edition. Desktop Modeler under MIT |
When Camunda is the better choice
- BPMN 2.0 or DMN are requirements, whether as a corporate standard or for audit or interoperability.
- Your organization already has a BPM team trained in BPMN.
- You need a broad catalog of ready-made connectors and dedicated applications for human tasks and analytics.
- You prefer a managed SaaS and have budget for an enterprise license in production.
When Kikwiflow is the better choice
- You want a process model leaner than BPMN, easy for business and engineering to read, and for AI agents too (JSON).
- The work mixes people, systems and AI agents, and your operations team needs to intervene case by case.
- Your stack is Java/Spring Boot and you want orchestration embedded in your application.
- You need to run in production, on your own infrastructure, with an open source edition (Apache 2.0).
Migrating off Camunda 7
Camunda 7 Community Edition reached end of life in October 2025, with version 7.24 as its final release; Camunda 7 Enterprise Edition remains supported until April 2030. Teams on the Community Edition need to choose between migrating to Camunda 8, buying enterprise support or switching platforms.
atoxfy offers architecture and migration consulting for Camunda 7/8, including an assessment of whether Kikwiflow is a good fit for your case. Talk to an expert.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kikwiflow an alternative to Camunda 7?
It can be, for Java/Spring Boot teams that want orchestration embedded in their application, an open source edition that runs in production, and a leaner process model than BPMN. If BPMN 2.0 or DMN are requirements, the natural path is Camunda 8.
Does Kikwiflow use BPMN?
No. Processes are modeled in Craft in Kikwiflow's own format, saved as .kikwi (JSON), which is leaner than BPMN and easy to read for business teams, engineers and AI agents.
How long is Camunda 7 supported?
Camunda 7 Community Edition reached end of life in October 2025, with version 7.24 as the final release. Camunda 7 Enterprise Edition remains supported until April 2030.
Can I run it in production without a paid license?
With Kikwiflow, yes: the Community Edition is licensed under Apache 2.0 and runs on your own infrastructure. With Camunda 8, production use of Self-Managed requires the Enterprise Edition.
Sources
Information about Camunda is based on its public documentation, reviewed in October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.