# Common Workflow Language

> open standards project

**Wikidata**: [Q56291707](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q56291707)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Workflow_Language)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/common-workflow-language

## Summary
Common Workflow Language (CWL) is an open standard for describing and executing scientific workflows, particularly in bioinformatics. It enables reproducible computational analyses by defining workflows in a machine-readable format, ensuring portability across different platforms and environments. The project was founded in 2014 and has since evolved through multiple versions, with Version 1.0.2 being the latest stable release as of 2019.

## Key Facts
- **Founded in 2014** during the Open Bio Codefest, initiated by John Chilton, Michael R. Crusoe, Nebojša Tijanić, and Peter Amstutz.
- **Primary use**: Standardizing workflows in bioinformatics and scientific computing.
- **Funded by**: The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (Essential Open Source Software for Science), the European Commission (Horizon 2020), and ELIXIR.
- **Versions released**: 1.0 (2016), 1.0.1 (2017), 1.0.2 (2019), 1.1 (2019), and 1.2 (2020).
- **License**: Apache Software License 2.0.
- **Media types**: `application/cwl` and `application/cwl+json`.
- **File extension**: `.cwl`.
- **Parent organization**: Software Freedom Conservancy.
- **Member of**: Joint Roadmap for Open Science Tools.
- **Key participants**: Seven Bridges Genomics, Galaxy platform, Taverna workbench, and research institutions like the Pasteur Institute and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

## FAQs
### Q: What is the purpose of Common Workflow Language?
A: CWL is designed to standardize the description of scientific workflows, making them portable and reproducible across different computing environments. It is particularly used in bioinformatics to ensure computational analyses can be shared and executed consistently.

### Q: Who founded Common Workflow Language?
A: CWL was founded by John Chilton, Michael R. Crusoe, Nebojša Tijanić, and Peter Amstutz in 2014 during the Open Bio Codefest.

### Q: What are the latest versions of CWL?
A: The latest versions are 1.2 (released in 2020) and 1.1 (released in 2019), with 1.0.2 being the most stable version as of 2019.

### Q: How does CWL differ from other workflow languages?
A: CWL is an open standard, meaning it is community-driven and not tied to a single vendor. It supports multiple file formats (including JSON and YAML) and integrates with platforms like Galaxy and Taverna, making it highly interoperable.

### Q: What organizations support CWL?
A: CWL is supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the European Commission, ELIXIR, and the Software Freedom Conservancy, among others.

## Why It Matters
Common Workflow Language addresses a critical need in scientific research by providing a standardized way to describe and execute computational workflows. This standardization ensures reproducibility, portability, and collaboration across different research teams and institutions. By defining workflows in a machine-readable format, CWL eliminates the "works on my machine" problem, allowing scientists to share and reproduce analyses consistently. Its adoption in bioinformatics and other scientific fields has significantly improved the reliability and transparency of computational research, making it a cornerstone of the open science movement.

## Notable For
- **Open standard**: CWL is community-driven and not tied to a single vendor, ensuring broad adoption and interoperability.
- **Bioinformatics focus**: It is widely used in bioinformatics to standardize workflows for genomic and biological data analysis.
- **Multiple versions**: CWL has evolved through several versions, with Version 1.2 introducing new features and improvements.
- **Interoperability**: It integrates with platforms like Galaxy and Taverna, supporting multiple file formats (CWL, JSON, YAML).
- **Funding and support**: Backed by major organizations like the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and the European Commission, ensuring long-term sustainability.

## Body
### Origins and Development
Common Workflow Language was initiated in 2014 during the Open Bio Codefest, with the goal of creating a standard for describing scientific workflows. The founding members—John Chilton, Michael R. Crusoe, Nebojša Tijanić, and Peter Amstutz—aimed to address the lack of standardization in workflow description languages. The project was later incorporated into the Software Freedom Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that supports open-source projects.

### Versions and Releases
CWL has undergone several releases, with Version 1.0 being the first stable release in 2016. Subsequent versions, including 1.0.1 (2017), 1.0.2 (2019), 1.1 (2019), and 1.2 (2020), introduced new features and improvements. Version 1.0.2 is considered the most stable, with Version 1.2 being the latest as of the provided data.

### Use Cases and Adoption
CWL is primarily used in bioinformatics to standardize workflows for genomic and biological data analysis. It supports multiple file formats, including CWL, JSON, and YAML, and integrates with platforms like Galaxy and Taverna. The project has been adopted by research institutions and organizations such as the Pasteur Institute, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Broad Institute.

### Funding and Support
CWL has received funding from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (Essential Open Source Software for Science), the European Commission (Horizon 2020), and ELIXIR. These funding sources have supported its development, ensuring its sustainability and broad adoption.

### Community and Governance
CWL is governed by a community of developers and researchers, with key participants including Seven Bridges Genomics, Galaxy platform, and Taverna workbench. The project is part of the Joint Roadmap for Open Science Tools, reflecting its commitment to open science principles. The board members include Peter Amstutz, John Chilton, Michael R. Crusoe, and others, who oversee its development and direction.

### Technical Specifications
CWL defines workflows using a machine-readable format, ensuring portability and reproducibility. It supports multiple media types, including `application/cwl` and `application/cwl+json`. The file extension for CWL workflows is `.cwl`, and the project is archived on Zenodo. The official website is [commonwl.org](https://www.commonwl.org), and the source code is hosted on GitHub under the [common-workflow-language](https://github.com/common-workflow-language/common-workflow-language) repository.

### Impact and Significance
CWL has significantly improved the reliability and transparency of computational research by providing a standardized way to describe and execute workflows. Its adoption in bioinformatics and other scientific fields has made it a critical tool for ensuring reproducibility and collaboration. The project's open standard approach and community-driven development have set a precedent for other open science initiatives.

## References

1. [Release 1.0. 2016](https://github.com/common-workflow-language/common-workflow-language/releases/tag/v1.0)
2. [Release 1.0.1. 2017](https://github.com/common-workflow-language/common-workflow-language/releases/tag/v1.0.1)
3. [Release 1.0.2. 2019](https://github.com/common-workflow-language/common-workflow-language/releases/tag/v1.0.2)
4. [Source](https://github.com/common-workflow-language/cwl-v1.1/releases/tag/v1.1.0)
5. [Source](https://github.com/common-workflow-language/cwl-v1.2/releases/tag/v1.2.0)
6. [adding CWL. 2018](https://github.com/OpenScienceRoadmap/jrost/commit/9f88bbfae6b54bb8aa5451a535845013cd71ecab)
7. [Source](https://www.commonwl.org/)
8. [Source](https://www.open-bio.org/wiki/Codefest_2014)
9. [Source](https://api.github.com/repos/common-workflow-language/common-workflow-language)
10. [Source](https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/application/cwl)
11. [Source](https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/application/cwl+json)
12. [Source](https://www.commonwl.org/about/#citation)
13. [Source](https://chanzuckerberg.com/eoss/proposals/)
14. [Source](https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/823830)
15. [Source](https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/675728)
16. [Source](https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/824087)
17. [Source](https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/739563)
18. [Source](https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/730976)
19. [Source](https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/676559)
20. [Source](https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/653477)
21. [Source](https://elixir-europe.org/about-us/commissioned-services/cwl-2018)
22. YouTube API