Getting Started with BoCoFlow
This guide will help you install BoCoFlow and create your first workflow.
System Requirements
- Operating System:
- macOS 10.15+ (Catalina or later)
- Linux: Ubuntu 22.04+ or compatible distributions
- Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
- RAM: 4GB minimum, 8GB recommended
- Disk Space: 500MB for the application, plus space for your workflows and data
- Python: 3.9+ (can be automatically managed by the application)
Download and Install
1. Download the Application
Download the latest BoCoFlow release for your platform from the official website:
- macOS: DMG installer (universal binary for Intel and Apple Silicon)
- Linux: AppImage (portable, works on most distributions)
- Windows: NSIS installer (.exe)
2. Install BoCoFlow
macOS
- Open the downloaded
.dmg
file - Drag BoCoFlow to your Applications folder
- Launch BoCoFlow from Applications or Spotlight
Linux
- Make the AppImage executable:
chmod +x BoCoFlow-*.AppImage
- Run the AppImage:
./BoCoFlow-*.AppImage
Windows
- Run the downloaded
.exe
installer - Follow the setup wizard instructions
- Launch BoCoFlow from the Start Menu or Desktop shortcut
3. First Launch Setup
When you first launch BoCoFlow:
- Backend Installation Window appears showing installation progress
- Python Environment is automatically set up and configured
- Dependencies are installed (this takes 2-5 minutes)
- Main Application launches when setup completes
BoCoFlow automatically manages Python environments and dependencies behind the scenes, ensuring everything is properly isolated and configured.
Creating Your First Workflow
Step 0: Watch a Demo
🧬 BoCoFlow Pre-release Quick Demo: A Simple Protein Simulation Workflow
Watch this step-by-step demonstration of building a computational biology workflow using BoCoFlow's drag-and-drop interface. No coding required!
🔬 Workflow Pipeline Demonstrated:
- ✅ ESMFolding - AI-powered protein structure prediction
- ✅ PDB2PQR - Structure processing and charge assignment
- ✅ OpenMM - Molecular dynamics simulation setup and execution
🚀 What You'll Learn:
- How to create visual workflows by connecting computational nodes
- Setting up protein folding predictions with state-of-the-art ESMFold
- Processing structures for MD simulations using PDB2PQR
- Configuring and running molecular dynamics with OpenMM
- Managing complex computational pipelines without writing code
Step 1: Project Setup
- Launch BoCoFlow and click the Setup button in the top toolbar
- In the New Workflow tab, configure:
- Working Directory: Where your workflow files will be stored
- Database Type: Select SQLite (recommended for beginners)
- Log Level: Choose Error for production, Verbose for debugging
- Click Create Workflow to initialize your workspace
Step 2: Add and Connect Nodes
-
Browse Available Nodes:
- Explore the Node Menu on the left sidebar
- Nodes are organized by category
- Use the search bar to find specific nodes
-
Add Nodes to Canvas:
- Drag nodes from the sidebar onto the canvas
- Position them to visualize your workflow
-
Connect Nodes:
- Click and drag from an output port (right side of node)
- Connect to an input port (left side of another node)
- Connections show data flow between nodes
-
Configure Nodes:
- Click the ⚙️ (gear) icon on any node
- Fill in required parameters
- Save configuration
Step 3: Execute Your Workflow
- Click the Execute button in the toolbar
- Monitor progress in the log panel at the bottom
- Node colors indicate status:
- Red: Unconfigured or failed
- Yellow: Configured but not executed
- Green: Successfully executed
Step 4: View Results
- Click the 📊 (chart) icon on any completed node to view its output
- Results are automatically cached for future use
- Export results using the appropriate output nodes
Understanding the Interface
Main Components
Toolbar (Top)
- Setup: Configure workspace and environment settings
- Save: Save your current workflow
- Clear: Clear the canvas
- Execute: Run the workflow
- Search: Find nodes by ID
Node Menu (Left Sidebar)
- Organized by categories
- Searchable list of all available nodes
- Drag nodes to canvas to use them
Canvas (Center)
- Visual workspace for building workflows
- Zoom and pan controls in top-right corner
- Right-click for context menu options
Log Panel (Bottom)
- Real-time execution logs
- Error messages and debugging information
- Success confirmations for completed nodes
Node States
Nodes change color to indicate their status:
- 🔴 Red: Not configured or execution failed
- 🟡 Yellow: Configured and ready to execute
- 🟢 Green: Successfully executedhelp
Environment Locations
BoCoFlow stores its Python environments and data in platform-specific locations:
Application Data:
- macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/bocoflow-electron/
- Linux:
~/.config/bocoflow-electron/
- Windows:
%APPDATA%\bocoflow-electron\
Troubleshooting
Backend Installation Issues
If the backend installation fails on first launch:
- Check Internet Connection: Installation requires downloading Python packages
- Reset Backend: Go to Settings → Reset Backend Environment
- Antivirus Software: May need to add BoCoFlow to exceptions
- View Logs: Help → Toggle Developer Tools for detailed error messages
Port Conflicts
If you see errors about ports 18000 or 18001 being in use:
# macOS/Linux - Find processes using ports
lsof -i :18000
lsof -i :18001
# Windows - Find processes using ports
netstat -ano | findstr :18000
netstat -ano | findstr :18001
Kill the conflicting processes or restart your computer.
Python Environment Reset
To completely reset the Python environment:
- Close BoCoFlow completely
- Delete the environment folder (see Environment Locations above)
- Restart BoCoFlow to trigger a fresh installation
Next Steps
Now that you have BoCoFlow running:
- Build Custom Nodes - Create nodes from your Python code
- Core Concepts - Understand workflow principles
- Building Workflows - Design complex pipelines
Getting Help
- Documentation: You're reading it!
- GitHub Issues: Report bugs or request features
- Community Forum: Join discussions
- Email Support: support@bocores.com