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ServFlow Pro can run in two distinct modes depending on your workflow and deployment needs. This guide explains both modes, when to use each, and how they differ.

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Overview

When you start ServFlow Pro, you choose how to run it:
  • Dashboard Mode — Visual UI for building and managing APIs interactively
  • Headless Mode — YAML-first approach for production deployments and code-based workflows
Both modes execute the same API engine — the difference is how you create and manage your API configurations. 
# Dashboard Mode — includes the visual builder UI
servflow-pro start --config config.toml --dashboard

# Headless Mode — runs APIs from YAML files only
servflow-pro start --config config.toml

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Dashboard Mode

Dashboard Mode starts the visual web interface alongside the API server. This is the recommended mode for:
  • Learning ServFlow — Visual feedback helps you understand how workflows connect
  • Rapid prototyping — Quickly build and test APIs without writing configuration files
  • Interactive development — See changes immediately in the builder interface

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Starting Dashboard Mode

servflow-pro start --config config.toml --dashboard
This starts two servers:
ServerDefault PortPurpose
API Server8080Handles incoming API requests
Dashboard3000Visual builder interface

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What You Get

  • Visual workflow builder — Drag-and-drop interface for creating API workflows
  • Real-time editing — Changes saved in the dashboard are immediately available
  • Secrets management UI — Store and manage API keys through the interface
  • Integration management — Configure database connections and external services visually
The dashboard saves your API configurations as YAML files in the config_folder directory. This means you can start with the dashboard, then switch to headless mode for production.

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When to Use Dashboard Mode

Use CaseWhy Dashboard Mode
New to ServFlowVisual interface provides guided experience
Building new APIsFaster iteration with immediate visual feedback
Debugging workflowsSee the flow structure and test interactively
Team demosEasy to show and explain API logic visually

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Headless Mode

Headless Mode runs the API server without the dashboard interface. ServFlow reads YAML configuration files directly from your config_folder and serves the defined APIs. This is the recommended mode for:
  • Production deployments — No UI overhead, minimal attack surface
  • CI/CD pipelines — Deploy APIs from version-controlled YAML files
  • Code-first workflows — Write configurations in your editor with full control
  • Containerized environments — Smaller footprint without dashboard dependencies

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Starting Headless Mode

servflow-pro start --config config.toml
This starts only the API server (default port 8080). No dashboard is available.

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What You Get

  • Lightweight execution — Only the API server runs
  • File-based configuration — All APIs defined in YAML files
  • Version control friendly — YAML files can be tracked in Git
  • Reproducible deployments — Same config files produce same behavior

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When to Use Headless Mode

Use CaseWhy Headless Mode
Production deploymentNo UI overhead, security-focused
GitOps workflowsYAML configs stored in repositories
Automated deploymentsCI/CD pipelines deploy config changes
Resource-constrained environmentsLower memory and CPU usage

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Feature Comparison

Not all features are available in both modes. Here’s what each mode supports:
FeatureDashboard ModeHeadless Mode
API execution✅✅
YAML config files✅✅
Visual workflow builder✅❌
Secrets management UI✅❌
Integration management UI✅❌
Metrics dashboard✅❌
OAuth integrations✅ (requires SQLite)❌
File-based storage✅✅
SQLite storage✅✅
Some dashboard features like secrets management and OAuth integrations require SQLite storage. See Configuration Reference for SQLite setup.

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Typical Workflow: Dashboard to Production

A common pattern is to use Dashboard Mode during development, then deploy with Headless Mode:

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1. Develop with Dashboard

Start with the dashboard to build and test your APIs visually: 
servflow-pro start --config config.toml --dashboard
Create your workflows in the visual builder. The dashboard saves configurations as YAML files in your config_folder.

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2. Version Control Your Configs

The YAML files in config_folder are your source of truth. Commit them to Git: 
git add configs/
git commit -m "Add user authentication API"

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3. Deploy in Headless Mode

In production, run without the dashboard: 
servflow-pro start --config config.toml
Or with Docker: 
docker run -d \
  -p 8080:8080 \
  -v $(pwd)/config.toml:/app/config.toml \
  -v $(pwd)/configs:/app/configs \
  servflow/servflow-pro start --config /app/config.toml

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4. Update via CI/CD

When you need to update APIs:
  1. Make changes in the dashboard (development environment)
  2. Commit the updated YAML files
  3. CI/CD pipeline deploys new configs to production

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Importing Existing Configs

If you have existing YAML configurations and want to manage them in the dashboard with SQLite storage, use the --import-configs flag: 
servflow-pro start --config config.toml --dashboard --import-configs
This imports all YAML files from config_folder into the SQLite database, making them editable in the dashboard.
The --import-configs flag requires both --dashboard and SQLite to be configured. It’s a one-time import operation — run it once when transitioning to dashboard-managed configs.

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Choosing Your Mode

QuestionRecommended Mode
Are you new to ServFlow?Dashboard Mode
Building APIs for the first time?Dashboard Mode
Deploying to production?Headless Mode
Using GitOps or CI/CD?Headless Mode
Need visual debugging?Dashboard Mode
Running in containers?Headless Mode
Want full code control?Headless Mode
You can switch between modes at any time. The same YAML configuration files work in both modes.

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Next Steps

Quickstart (Dashboard)

Build your first API using the visual dashboard interface.

Quickstart (YAML)

Build your first API using YAML configuration files.

Configuration Reference

Explore all TOML configuration options for both modes.

Actions Overview

Learn about the actions available for your workflows.