# Guix Workflow Language

> workflow management extension for Guix

**Wikidata**: [Q76184475](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q76184475)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/guix-workflow-language

## Summary
Guix Workflow Language (GWL) is a workflow management extension for GNU Guix, implemented as a workflow language for modeling workflows using GNU Guile. It enables declarative workflow definitions within the Guix ecosystem. GWL is part of the GNU Project and available under the GNU Affero General Public License version 3.0 or later.

## Key Facts
- Instance of workflow language with qualifiers applies to part GNU Guix and GNU package
- Subclass of GNU Guile, a Scheme implementation intended especially for extensions (inception 1993)
- Part of GNU Project, a free software project (inception 1983-09-27)
- Inception 2017
- Aliases GWL, GNU GWL
- Use workflow management, applies to part GNU Guix
- Programming language GNU Guile
- License GNU Affero General Public License version 3.0 or later, SIL Open Font License
- Stable versions: 0.2.0 (2020-02-16), 0.2.1 (2020-03-01), 0.3.0 (2021-02-06), 0.4.0 (2022-01-28), 0.5.0 (2022-07-21), preferred 0.5.1 (2022-11-13)
- Websites: preferred https://guixwl.org/ (English), https://workflows.guix.info/ (English), https://www.gnu.org/software/gwl/ (English)
- User manual URL https://guixwl.org/manual/
- Source code repository URLs: preferred https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/gwl.git (Git, cgit), https://git.savannah.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=gwl.git (Git, Gitweb)
- GNU Savannah project ID gwl
- Guix variable name gwl
- IRC channel URL irc://irc.freenode.net/guix-hpc
- Mailing list archive URLs: https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gwl-devel/ (programmer), https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/help-gwl/ (end user), https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-gwl/ (software bug)
- Free software directory entry gwl, Gwl
- Described at URL https://workflows.guix.info/ (English)
- Copyright status copyrighted
- Wikidata description workflow management extension for Guix

## FAQs
**What is the purpose of Guix Workflow Language?**  
GWL serves as a workflow language for modeling workflows, specifically as a workflow management extension for GNU Guix. It leverages GNU Guile for its implementation.

**What licenses cover GWL?**  
It operates under the GNU Affero General Public License version 3.0 or later, along with the SIL Open Font License.

**Which stable versions of GWL exist and when were they released?**  
Releases include 0.2.0 on 2020-02-16, 0.2.1 on 2020-03-01, 0.3.0 on 2021-02-06, 0.4.0 on 2022-01-28, 0.5.0 on 2022-07-21, and the preferred 0.5.1 on 2022-11-13.

**Where can I find GWL's source code and documentation?**  
Source code is at https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/gwl.git (preferred) or https://git.savannah.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=gwl.git. The user manual is at https://guixwl.org/manual/, with websites https://guixwl.org/, https://workflows.guix.info/, and https://www.gnu.org/software/gwl/.

**How is GWL connected to the GNU ecosystem?**  
GWL is part of the GNU Project, a subclass of GNU Guile, with GNU Savannah project ID gwl, Guix variable name gwl, and free software directory entries gwl and Gwl.

**What community resources support GWL?**  
Access IRC at irc://irc.freenode.net/guix-hpc. Mailing lists include gwl-devel (programmer archive https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gwl-devel/), help-gwl (end user https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/help-gwl/), and bug-gwl (bugs https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-gwl/).

## Why It Matters
Guix Workflow Language addresses workflow management needs within GNU Guix by providing a dedicated language for modeling complex workflows in a declarative, reproducible manner powered by GNU Guile's extensibility. As part of the GNU Project since its 2017 inception, it extends Guix's package management capabilities to handle computational pipelines, ensuring free software principles apply to scientific and data processing tasks. Its evolution through stable releases up to 0.5.1 demonstrates sustained development by contributors like Ricardo Wurmus, filling a gap in open-source tools for Guix users in high-performance computing via channels like guix-hpc. By integrating tightly with Guix—evident in its guix_variable_name gwl and applies_to_part qualifiers—GWL enables bit-for-bit reproducible workflows, reducing errors in research reproducibility and deployment. This positions it as a key enabler in fields requiring auditable computations, amplifying Guix's role in free software infrastructure while offering licensed freedoms under AGPLv3+ and SIL OFL.

## Notable For
- Being a specialized workflow language subclass of GNU Guile, tailored for GNU Guix extensions.
- Multiple stable releases announced by Ricardo Wurmus, from 0.2.0 in 2020 to preferred 0.5.1 in 2022.
- Dual licensing including GNU Affero General Public License v3+ for network-use freedoms.
- Dedicated GNU Savannah presence with project ID gwl and cgit/Gitweb repositories.
- guix-hpc IRC channel for high-performance computing discussions.
- Distinct mailing lists for developers, users, and bug reports.

## Body

### Overview and Classifications
Guix Workflow Language, known by aliases GWL and GNU GWL, functions as a workflow management extension for Guix. It qualifies as an instance of workflow language, with applies_to_part GNU Guix, and as a GNU package. GWL is a subclass_of GNU Guile, the Scheme implementation designed for extensions that began in 1993. Its programming_language is GNU Guile. The project is part_of the GNU Project, the free software initiative from 1983-09-27 operating in the software industry. Wikidata describes it precisely as a workflow management extension for Guix. Copyright status is copyrighted.

### Licensing and Distribution
GWL releases under GNU Affero General Public License, version 3.0 or later, and SIL Open Font License. It appears in free software directories as gwl and Gwl. In Guix, it uses variable name gwl. GNU Savannah hosts it under project_id gwl.

### Versions and Releases
Stable versions track progress with detailed announcements:
- 0.2.0, stable version released 2020-02-16, tarball at https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gwl/gwl-0.2.0.tar.gz, announced by Ricardo Wurmus in "GNU Guix Workflow Language 0.2.0 released" on https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-gnu/2020-02/msg00011.html.
- 0.2.1, stable version released 2020-03-01, tarball at https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gwl/gwl-0.2.1.tar.gz, announced by Ricardo Wurmus in "gwl-0.2.1 released" on https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-gnu/2020-03/msg00000.html.
- 0.3.0, stable version released 2021-02-06, tarball at https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gwl/gwl-0.3.0.tar.gz, announced by Ricardo Wurmus in "gwl-0.3.0 released" on https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-gnu/2021-02/msg00003.html.
- 0.4.0, stable version released 2022-01-28, tarball at https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gwl/gwl-0.4.0.tar.gz, announced by Ricardo Wurmus in "gwl-0.4.0 released" on https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-gnu/2022-01/msg00015.html.
- 0.5.0, stable version released 2022-07-21, tarball at https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gwl/gwl-0.5.0.tar.gz, announced by Ricardo Wurmus in "gwl-0.5.0 released" on https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-gnu/2022-07/msg00005.html.
- 0.5.1, preferred stable version released 2022-11-13, tarball at https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gwl/gwl-0.5.1.tar.gz, announced by Ricardo Wurmus in "gwl-0.5.1 released" on https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-gnu/2022-11/msg00004.html.

All references note English language, with as_of dates like 2021-02-26 or 2023-01-04.

### Websites and Documentation
Primary website is https://guixwl.org/ (preferred, English). Additional sites include https://workflows.guix.info/ (English) and https://www.gnu.org/software/gwl/ (English). User manual available at https://guixwl.org/manual/. Described at https://workflows.guix.info/ (English).

### Source Code Access
Source repositories:
- Preferred https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/gwl.git, with version control Git and interface cgit.
- Alternative https://git.savannah.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=gwl.git, Git with Gitweb interface.

### Community and Support Channels
Inception occurred in 2017. IRC channel at irc://irc.freenode.net/guix-hpc. Mailing list archives:
- Programmer-focused https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gwl-devel/, references https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gwl-devel (as_of 2021-02-26).
- End user https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/help-gwl/, references https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/help-gwl (as_of 2021-02-26).
- Software bugs https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-gwl/, applies_to_part software bug, references https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-gwl (as_of 2021-02-26).

## References

1. [GNU Guix Workflow Language 0.2.0 released. 2020](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-gnu/2020-02/msg00011.html)
2. [gwl-0.2.1 released. 2020](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-gnu/2020-03/msg00000.html)
3. [gwl-0.3.0 released. 2021](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-gnu/2021-02/msg00003.html)
4. [gwl-0.4.0 released. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-gnu/2022-01/msg00015.html)
5. [gwl-0.5.0 released. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-gnu/2022-07/msg00005.html)
6. [gwl-0.5.1 released. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-gnu/2022-11/msg00004.html)
7. [Source](https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gwl-devel)
8. [Source](https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/help-gwl)
9. [Source](https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-gwl)