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+# BASIC Workflow Engine Plan
+
+## Current State
+
+- `workflow_executions` and `workflow_events` tables exist in DB
+- `WorkflowExecution` / `WorkflowEvent` models exist in `core/shared/models/workflow_models.rs`
+- `ORCHESTRATE WORKFLOW` keyword exists in `basic/keywords/orchestration.rs` (stub)
+- `STEP` keyword registered but not durable
+- Compiler (`basic/mod.rs`) produces Rhai AST and runs it in one shot via `engine.eval_ast_with_scope`
+- `HEAR` currently blocks a thread (new) — works but not crash-safe
+
+---
+
+## Goal
+
+BASIC scripts run as **durable step sequences**. Each keyword is a step. On crash/restart, execution resumes from the last completed step. No re-run. No Rhai for control flow.
+
+```basic
+' ticket.bas
+TALK "Describe the issue"       ← Step 1
+HEAR description                ← Step 2 (suspends, waits)
+SET ticket = CREATE(description) ← Step 3
+TALK "Ticket #{ticket} created" ← Step 4
+```
+
+---
+
+## Two Execution Modes
+
+The compiler serves both modes via a pragma at the top of the `.bas` file:
+
+```basic
+' Default: Rhai mode (current behavior, fast, no durability)
+TALK "Hello"
+
+' Workflow mode (durable, crash-safe)
+#workflow
+TALK "Hello"
+HEAR name
+```
+
+`ScriptService::compile()` detects `#workflow` and returns either:
+- `ExecutionPlan::Rhai(AST)` — current path, unchanged
+- `ExecutionPlan::Workflow(Vec<Step>)` — new path
+
+`ScriptService::run()` dispatches accordingly.
+
+---
+
+## Architecture
+
+### 1. Compiler changes (`basic/mod.rs`, `basic/compiler/`)
+
+Add `compile_to_steps(script: &str) -> Result<Vec<Step>>`:
+
+```rust
+pub enum Step {
+    Talk { template: String },
+    Hear { variable: String, input_type: String },
+    Set  { variable: String, expression: String },
+    If   { condition: String, then_steps: Vec<Step>, else_steps: Vec<Step> },
+    Call { function: String, args: Vec<String>, result_var: Option<String> },
+    // ... one variant per keyword
+}
+```
+
+Expressions inside steps (`condition`, `expression`, `template`) are still evaluated by Rhai — but only as **pure expression evaluator**, no custom syntax, no side effects. This keeps Rhai as a math/string engine only.
+
+### 2. WorkflowEngine (`basic/workflow/engine.rs`)
+
+```rust
+pub struct WorkflowEngine {
+    state: Arc<AppState>,
+    session: UserSession,
+}
+
+impl WorkflowEngine {
+    /// Start a new workflow or resume existing one for this session+script
+    pub async fn run(&self, script_path: &str, steps: Vec<Step>) -> Result<()>
+
+    /// Execute one step, persist result, return next action
+    async fn execute_step(&self, exec_id: Uuid, step: &Step, vars: &mut Variables) -> StepResult
+
+    /// Load execution state from DB
+    async fn load_state(&self, exec_id: Uuid) -> (usize, Variables)
+
+    /// Persist step completion
+    async fn save_state(&self, exec_id: Uuid, step_index: usize, vars: &Variables, status: &str)
+}
+
+pub enum StepResult {
+    Continue,           // go to next step
+    Suspend,            // HEAR — save state, return, wait for next message
+    Done,               // script finished
+}
+```
+
+### 3. HEAR in workflow mode
+
+No thread blocking. Instead:
+
+1. `execute_step(Hear)` saves state to `workflow_executions` with `status = "waiting"`, `current_step = N`
+2. Returns `StepResult::Suspend` → engine returns to caller
+3. Next user message → `stream_response` checks `workflow_executions` for `session_id` with `status = "waiting"`
+4. Loads variables, sets `variables["description"] = user_input`, advances `current_step`, resumes
+
+### 4. `stream_response` dispatch (`core/bot/mod.rs`)
+
+```rust
+// At top of stream_response, before LLM:
+if let Some(exec) = WorkflowEngine::find_waiting(state, session_id).await {
+    WorkflowEngine::resume(state, exec, message_content).await?;
+    return Ok(());
+}
+```
+
+### 5. DB schema (already exists, minor additions)
+
+```sql
+-- Already exists:
+workflow_executions (id, bot_id, workflow_name, current_step, state_json, status, ...)
+
+-- Add:
+ALTER TABLE workflow_executions ADD COLUMN session_id UUID;
+ALTER TABLE workflow_executions ADD COLUMN script_path TEXT;
+-- state_json stores: { "variables": {...}, "step_index": N }
+```
+
+---
+
+## Migration Path
+
+### Phase 1 — Parallel mode (no breaking changes)
+- Add `compile_to_steps()` alongside existing `compile()`
+- Add `WorkflowEngine` as new struct
+- `#workflow` pragma routes to new path
+- All existing `.bas` files unchanged, run via Rhai as before
+
+### Phase 2 — Keyword parity
+Implement step variants for all keywords used in practice:
+`TALK`, `HEAR`, `SET`, `IF/ELSE/END IF`, `CALL` (HTTP, LLM, tool), `SEND MAIL`, `SCHEDULE`
+
+### Phase 3 — Default for new scripts
+New `.bas` files default to workflow mode. Rhai mode kept for backwards compat and tool scripts (short-lived, no HEAR).
+
+### Phase 4 — Rhai scope reduction
+Remove Rhai custom syntax registrations. Keep Rhai only as expression evaluator:
+```rust
+engine.eval_expression::<Dynamic>(&expr, &scope)
+```
+
+---
+
+## File Map
+
+```
+basic/
+  mod.rs                    ← add compile_to_steps(), ExecutionPlan enum
+  compiler/
+    mod.rs                  ← existing Rhai compiler, unchanged
+    step_compiler.rs        ← NEW: BASIC → Vec<Step>
+  workflow/
+    mod.rs                  ← NEW: WorkflowEngine
+    engine.rs               ← NEW: execute_step, load/save state
+    variables.rs            ← NEW: Variables (HashMap<String, Dynamic>)
+    steps.rs                ← NEW: Step enum
+  keywords/                 ← existing, unchanged in Phase 1
+```
+
+---
+
+## Key Invariants
+
+- **No re-run ever.** Steps before current_step are skipped on resume.
+- **Rhai never removed entirely** — used for expression eval only.
+- **Backwards compatible** — no `#workflow` = Rhai mode, existing bots unaffected.
+- **HEAR in workflow mode = zero threads held.** State in DB, not RAM.
+- **Tool scripts** (called by LLM) stay in Rhai mode — they're short-lived, no HEAR needed.