improvement(start): revert to start block

icecrasher321 · icecrasher321 · commit 6d1b93e80a30 · 2025-10-27T21:13:48.000-07:00
diff --git a/apps/docs/content/docs/en/triggers/index.mdx b/apps/docs/content/docs/en/triggers/index.mdx
@@ -7,46 +7,35 @@ import { Card, Cards } from 'fumadocs-ui/components/card'
 
 ## Core Triggers
 
-Pick one trigger per workflow to define how it starts:
+Use the Start block for everything originating from the editor, deploy-to-API, or deploy-to-chat experiences. Other triggers remain available for event-driven workflows:
 
 <Cards>
-  <Card title="API" href="/triggers/api">
-    HTTP endpoint that maps JSON bodies into workflow inputs
+  <Card title="Start" href="/triggers/start">
+    Unified entry point that supports editor runs, API deployments and chat deployments
   </Card>
-  <Card title="Chat" href="/triggers/chat">
-    Deployed chat interface with streaming responses
-  </Card>
-  <Card title="Input Form" href="/triggers/input-form">
-    Typed manual input used in editor runs and child workflows
-  </Card>
-  <Card title="Manual" href="/triggers/manual">
-    On-demand runs with no additional data
+  <Card title="Webhook" href="/triggers/webhook">
+    Receive external webhook payloads
   </Card>
   <Card title="Schedule" href="/triggers/schedule">
     Cron or interval based execution
   </Card>
-  <Card title="Webhook" href="/triggers/webhook">
-    Receive external webhook payloads
-  </Card>
 </Cards>
 
 ## Quick Comparison
 
 | Trigger | Start condition |
 |---------|-----------------|
-| **API** | Authenticated HTTP POST |
-| **Chat** | Chat deployment message |
-| **Input Form** | On manual submit in editor or parent workflow |
-| **Manual** | Run button in editor |
+| **Start** | Editor runs, deploy-to-API requests, or chat messages |
 | **Schedule** | Timer managed in schedule modal |
 | **Webhook** | On inbound HTTP request |
 
+> The Start block always exposes `input`, `conversationId`, and `files` fields. Add custom fields to the input format for additional structured data.
+
 ## Using Triggers
 
-1. Drop the trigger block in the start slot.
+1. Drop the Start block in the start slot (or an alternate trigger like Webhook/Schedule).
 2. Configure any required schema or auth.
 3. Connect the block to the rest of the workflow.
 
 > Deployments power every trigger. Update the workflow, redeploy, and all trigger entry points pick up the new snapshot. Learn more in [Execution → Deployment Snapshots](/execution).
 
-Legacy Starter blocks remain for existing flows but no longer appear in new builds.
diff --git a/apps/docs/content/docs/en/triggers/meta.json b/apps/docs/content/docs/en/triggers/meta.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-  "pages": ["index", "api", "chat", "input-form", "manual", "schedule", "starter", "webhook"]
+  "pages": ["index", "start", "schedule", "webhook", "starter"]
 }
diff --git a/apps/sim/app/api/workflows/[id]/execute/route.ts b/apps/sim/app/api/workflows/[id]/execute/route.ts
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ export async function POST(
             : undefined),
         workflowTriggerType:
           body.workflowTriggerType || (isInternalCall && body.stream ? 'chat' : 'api'),
-        input: body.input !== undefined ? body.input : body,
+        input: body,
       }
     }
 
@@ -576,13 +576,19 @@ export async function POST(
       const blocks = deployedData.blocks || {}
       logger.info(`[${requestId}] Loaded ${Object.keys(blocks).length} blocks from workflow`)
 
+      const startTriggerBlock = Object.values(blocks).find(
+        (block: any) => block.type === 'start_trigger'
+      ) as any
       const apiTriggerBlock = Object.values(blocks).find(
         (block: any) => block.type === 'api_trigger'
       ) as any
+      logger.info(`[${requestId}] Start trigger block found:`, !!startTriggerBlock)
       logger.info(`[${requestId}] API trigger block found:`, !!apiTriggerBlock)
 
-      if (apiTriggerBlock?.subBlocks?.inputFormat?.value) {
-        const inputFormat = apiTriggerBlock.subBlocks.inputFormat.value as Array<{
+      const triggerBlock = startTriggerBlock || apiTriggerBlock
+
+      if (triggerBlock?.subBlocks?.inputFormat?.value) {
+        const inputFormat = triggerBlock.subBlocks.inputFormat.value as Array<{
           name: string
           type: 'string' | 'number' | 'boolean' | 'object' | 'array' | 'files'
         }>
diff --git a/apps/sim/app/api/workflows/[id]/status/route.ts b/apps/sim/app/api/workflows/[id]/status/route.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,14 @@ export async function GET(request: NextRequest, { params }: { params: Promise<{
       const normalizedData = await loadWorkflowFromNormalizedTables(id)
 
       if (!normalizedData) {
-        return createErrorResponse('Failed to load workflow state', 500)
+        // Workflow exists but has no blocks in normalized tables (empty workflow or not migrated)
+        // This is valid state - return success with no redeployment needed
+        return createSuccessResponse({
+          isDeployed: validation.workflow.isDeployed,
+          deployedAt: validation.workflow.deployedAt,
+          isPublished: validation.workflow.isPublished,
+          needsRedeployment: false,
+        })
       }
 
       const currentState = {
diff --git a/apps/sim/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/w/[workflowId]/components/control-bar/components/deploy-modal/deploy-modal.tsx b/apps/sim/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/w/[workflowId]/components/control-bar/components/deploy-modal/deploy-modal.tsx
@@ -121,12 +121,12 @@ export function DeployModal({
     try {
       const blocks = Object.values(useWorkflowStore.getState().blocks)
 
-      // Check for API trigger block first (takes precedence)
+      // Check for start_trigger first, then API trigger, then legacy starter
+      const startTriggerBlock = blocks.find((block) => block.type === 'start_trigger')
       const apiTriggerBlock = blocks.find((block) => block.type === 'api_trigger')
-      // Fall back to legacy starter block
       const starterBlock = blocks.find((block) => block.type === 'starter')
 
-      const targetBlock = apiTriggerBlock || starterBlock
+      const targetBlock = startTriggerBlock || apiTriggerBlock || starterBlock
 
       if (targetBlock) {
         const inputFormat = useSubBlockStore.getState().getValue(targetBlock.id, 'inputFormat')
diff --git a/apps/sim/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/w/[workflowId]/components/control-bar/control-bar.tsx b/apps/sim/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/w/[workflowId]/components/control-bar/control-bar.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 'use client'
 
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from 'react'
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 import {
   Bug,
   ChevronLeft,
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ import {
   getKeyboardShortcutText,
   useKeyboardShortcuts,
 } from '@/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/w/hooks/use-keyboard-shortcuts'
+import { useDebounce } from '@/hooks/use-debounce'
 import { useFolderStore } from '@/stores/folders/store'
 import { useOperationQueueStore } from '@/stores/operation-queue/store'
 import { usePanelStore } from '@/stores/panel/store'
@@ -265,6 +266,17 @@ export function ControlBar({ hasValidationErrors = false }: ControlBarProps) {
     activeWorkflowId ? state.workflowValues[activeWorkflowId] : null
   )
 
+  const statusCheckTrigger = useMemo(() => {
+    return JSON.stringify({
+      blocks: Object.keys(currentBlocks || {}).length,
+      edges: currentEdges?.length || 0,
+      subBlocks: Object.keys(subBlockValues || {}).length,
+      timestamp: Date.now(),
+    })
+  }, [currentBlocks, currentEdges, subBlockValues])
+
+  const debouncedStatusCheckTrigger = useDebounce(statusCheckTrigger, 500)
+
   useEffect(() => {
     // Avoid off-by-one false positives: wait until operation queue is idle
     const { operations, isProcessing } = useOperationQueueStore.getState()
@@ -299,16 +311,7 @@ export function ControlBar({ hasValidationErrors = false }: ControlBarProps) {
     }
 
     checkForChanges()
-  }, [
-    activeWorkflowId,
-    deployedState,
-    currentBlocks,
-    currentEdges,
-    subBlockValues,
-    isLoadingDeployedState,
-    useOperationQueueStore.getState().isProcessing,
-    useOperationQueueStore.getState().operations.length,
-  ])
+  }, [activeWorkflowId, deployedState, debouncedStatusCheckTrigger, isLoadingDeployedState])
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (session?.user?.id && !isRegistryLoading) {
diff --git a/apps/sim/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/w/[workflowId]/hooks/use-workflow-execution.ts b/apps/sim/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/w/[workflowId]/hooks/use-workflow-execution.ts
@@ -857,14 +857,18 @@ export function useWorkflowExecution() {
           selectedBlockId = blockEntry[0]
 
           // Extract test values from the API trigger's inputFormat
-          if (selectedTrigger.type === 'api_trigger' || selectedTrigger.type === 'starter') {
+          if (
+            selectedTrigger.type === 'api_trigger' ||
+            selectedTrigger.type === 'start_trigger' ||
+            selectedTrigger.type === 'starter'
+          ) {
             const inputFormatValue = selectedTrigger.subBlocks?.inputFormat?.value
             const testInput = extractTestValuesFromInputFormat(inputFormatValue)
 
             // Use the test input as workflow input
             if (Object.keys(testInput).length > 0) {
               finalWorkflowInput = testInput
-              logger.info('Using API trigger test values for manual run:', testInput)
+              logger.info('Using trigger test values for manual run:', testInput)
             }
           }
         }
@@ -884,15 +888,18 @@ export function useWorkflowExecution() {
         if (blockEntry) {
           selectedBlockId = blockEntry[0]
 
-          // Extract test values from input trigger's inputFormat if it's an input_trigger
-          if (selectedTrigger.type === 'input_trigger') {
+          // Extract test values from input trigger's inputFormat if it's an input_trigger or start_trigger
+          if (
+            selectedTrigger.type === 'input_trigger' ||
+            selectedTrigger.type === 'start_trigger'
+          ) {
             const inputFormatValue = selectedTrigger.subBlocks?.inputFormat?.value
             const testInput = extractTestValuesFromInputFormat(inputFormatValue)
 
             // Use the test input as workflow input
             if (Object.keys(testInput).length > 0) {
               finalWorkflowInput = testInput
-              logger.info('Using Input trigger test values for manual run:', testInput)
+              logger.info('Using trigger test values for manual run:', testInput)
             }
           }
         }
diff --git a/apps/sim/blocks/blocks/api_trigger.ts b/apps/sim/blocks/blocks/api_trigger.ts
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ import type { BlockConfig } from '@/blocks/types'
 export const ApiTriggerBlock: BlockConfig = {
   type: 'api_trigger',
   triggerAllowed: true,
-  name: 'API',
-  description: 'Expose as HTTP API endpoint',
+  name: 'API (Legacy)',
+  description: 'Legacy block for exposing HTTP API endpoint. Prefer Start block.',
   longDescription:
     'API trigger to start the workflow via authenticated HTTP calls with structured input.',
   bestPractices: `
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ export const ApiTriggerBlock: BlockConfig = {
   - In production, the curl would come in as e.g. curl -X POST -H "X-API-Key: $SIM_API_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"paramName":"example"}' https://www.staging.sim.ai/api/workflows/9e7e4f26-fc5e-4659-b270-7ea474b14f4a/execute -- If user asks to test via API, you might need to clarify the API key.
   `,
   category: 'triggers',
+  hideFromToolbar: true,
   bgColor: '#2F55FF',
   icon: ApiIcon,
   subBlocks: [
diff --git a/apps/sim/blocks/blocks/chat_trigger.ts b/apps/sim/blocks/blocks/chat_trigger.ts
@@ -9,12 +9,13 @@ export const ChatTriggerBlock: BlockConfig = {
   type: 'chat_trigger',
   triggerAllowed: true,
   name: 'Chat',
-  description: 'Start workflow from a chat deployment',
+  description: 'Legacy chat start block. Prefer the unified Start block.',
   longDescription: 'Chat trigger to run the workflow via deployed chat interfaces.',
   bestPractices: `
   - Can run the workflow manually to test implementation when this is the trigger point by passing in a message.
   `,
   category: 'triggers',
+  hideFromToolbar: true,
   bgColor: '#6F3DFA',
   icon: ChatTriggerIcon,
   subBlocks: [],
diff --git a/apps/sim/blocks/blocks/input_trigger.ts b/apps/sim/blocks/blocks/input_trigger.ts
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ const InputTriggerIcon = (props: SVGProps<SVGSVGElement>) => createElement(FormI
 export const InputTriggerBlock: BlockConfig = {
   type: 'input_trigger',
   triggerAllowed: true,
-  name: 'Input Form',
-  description: 'Start workflow manually with a defined input schema',
+  name: 'Input Form (Legacy)',
+  description: 'Legacy manual start block with structured input. Prefer Start block.',
   longDescription:
     'Manually trigger the workflow from the editor with a structured input schema. This enables typed inputs for parent workflows to map into.',
   bestPractices: `
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ export const InputTriggerBlock: BlockConfig = {
   - Also used in child workflows to map variables from the parent workflow.
   `,
   category: 'triggers',
+  hideFromToolbar: true,
   bgColor: '#3B82F6',
   icon: InputTriggerIcon,
   subBlocks: [
diff --git a/apps/sim/blocks/blocks/manual_trigger.ts b/apps/sim/blocks/blocks/manual_trigger.ts
@@ -8,15 +8,16 @@ const ManualTriggerIcon = (props: SVGProps<SVGSVGElement>) => createElement(Play
 export const ManualTriggerBlock: BlockConfig = {
   type: 'manual_trigger',
   triggerAllowed: true,
-  name: 'Manual',
-  description: 'Start workflow manually from the editor',
+  name: 'Manual (Legacy)',
+  description: 'Legacy manual start block. Prefer the Start block.',
   longDescription:
     'Trigger the workflow manually without defining an input schema. Useful for simple runs where no structured input is needed.',
   bestPractices: `
   - Use when you want a simple manual start without defining an input format.
   - If you need structured inputs or child workflows to map variables from, prefer the Input Form Trigger.
   `,
   category: 'triggers',
+  hideFromToolbar: true,
   bgColor: '#2563EB',
   icon: ManualTriggerIcon,
   subBlocks: [],
diff --git a/apps/sim/blocks/blocks/start_trigger.ts b/apps/sim/blocks/blocks/start_trigger.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import { StartIcon } from '@/components/icons'
+import type { BlockConfig } from '@/blocks/types'
+
+export const StartTriggerBlock: BlockConfig = {
+  type: 'start_trigger',
+  triggerAllowed: true,
+  name: 'Start',
+  description: 'Unified workflow entry point for chat, manual and API runs',
+  longDescription:
+    'Collect structured inputs and power manual runs, API executions, and deployed chat experiences from a single start block.',
+  bestPractices: `
+  - The Start block always exposes "input", "conversationId", and "files" fields for chat compatibility.
+  - Add custom input format fields to collect additional structured data.
+  - Test manual runs by pre-filling default values inside the input format fields.
+  `,
+  category: 'triggers',
+  bgColor: '#2563EB',
+  icon: StartIcon,
+  hideFromToolbar: false,
+  subBlocks: [
+    {
+      id: 'inputFormat',
+      title: 'Input Format',
+      type: 'input-format',
+      layout: 'full',
+      description: 'Add custom fields beyond the built-in input, conversationId, and files fields.',
+    },
+  ],
+  tools: {
+    access: [],
+  },
+  inputs: {},
+  outputs: {},
+  triggers: {
+    enabled: true,
+    available: ['chat', 'manual', 'api'],
+  },
+}
diff --git a/apps/sim/blocks/registry.ts b/apps/sim/blocks/registry.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ import { SharepointBlock } from '@/blocks/blocks/sharepoint'
 import { SlackBlock } from '@/blocks/blocks/slack'
 import { StagehandBlock } from '@/blocks/blocks/stagehand'
 import { StagehandAgentBlock } from '@/blocks/blocks/stagehand_agent'
+import { StartTriggerBlock } from '@/blocks/blocks/start_trigger'
 import { StarterBlock } from '@/blocks/blocks/starter'
 import { SupabaseBlock } from '@/blocks/blocks/supabase'
 import { TavilyBlock } from '@/blocks/blocks/tavily'
@@ -154,6 +155,7 @@ export const registry: Record<string, BlockConfig> = {
   stagehand_agent: StagehandAgentBlock,
   slack: SlackBlock,
   starter: StarterBlock,
+  start_trigger: StartTriggerBlock,
   input_trigger: InputTriggerBlock,
   chat_trigger: ChatTriggerBlock,
   manual_trigger: ManualTriggerBlock,
diff --git a/apps/sim/executor/index.ts b/apps/sim/executor/index.ts
diff --git a/apps/sim/lib/workflows/block-outputs.ts b/apps/sim/lib/workflows/block-outputs.ts
diff --git a/apps/sim/lib/workflows/triggers.ts b/apps/sim/lib/workflows/triggers.ts

Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
`@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@`
`1`	`1`	`{`
`2`		`- "pages": ["index", "api", "chat", "input-form", "manual", "schedule", "starter", "webhook"]`
	`2`	`+ "pages": ["index", "start", "schedule", "webhook", "starter"]`
`3`	`3`	`}`