Activepieces is an open-source workflow automation platform designed as a self-hosted alternative to Zapier, with native support for AI agents and Model Communication Protocol (MCP) servers. Built entirely in TypeScript, it enables both technical and non-technical users to create automated workflows through a visual builder while allowing developers to extend functionality via reusable, versioned pieces. Unlike proprietary tools, Activepieces offers full control over data through self-hosting and provides 280+ community-contributed integrations that automatically become MCP servers usable with AI tools like Claude Desktop, Cursor, and Windsurf. This makes it ideal for organizations seeking secure, customizable automation without vendor lock-in.
The platform bridges the gap between no-code users and developers: non-technical teams can build automations using drag-and-drop triggers and actions, while engineers can write custom pieces in TypeScript with hot reloading for rapid iteration. Its AI-first design includes native AI-powered code assistance and human-in-the-loop capabilities like approvals and chat interfaces, making it suitable for enterprise-grade deployments where data privacy and customization are critical.
What You Get
- 280+ Open-Source Integrations (Pieces) - Pre-built connectors for Google Sheets, Discord, RSS, OpenAI, and more — all published as npm packages and fully customizable. Contributions are community-driven with 60% of pieces coming from external developers.
- MCP Server Support for AI Agents - Every piece automatically becomes an MCP server that can be consumed by LLM-powered tools like Claude Desktop, Cursor, and Windsurf, enabling AI agents to trigger workflows without custom APIs.
- TypeScript-Based Piece Development - Create custom integrations using a type-safe framework with hot reloading for local development. Pieces are published to npmjs.com and versioned like any other open-source package.
- Visual Workflow Builder with AI Assistance - Build complex automations using drag-and-drop nodes that support loops, branches, HTTP requests, code execution with NPM packages, and AI-powered data cleaning without writing code.
- Human-in-the-Loop Workflows - Integrate approval steps, delays, and interactive interfaces (chat or form) to pause workflows for human input before proceeding — built as reusable pieces.
- Self-Hosted & Secure by Design - Deploy on your own infrastructure with full data control. No external cloud dependencies; ideal for regulated industries or organizations requiring network isolation.
- Flow Versioning & Multi-Language Support - Every workflow is versioned for audit and rollback. The UI supports translations in French, German, Japanese, Italian, and Portuguese via Crowdin.
Common Use Cases
- Building a multi-tenant SaaS dashboard with automated data syncs - A company uses Activepieces to automatically pull customer data from Google Sheets and send it to a custom API endpoint every hour, with AI pieces cleaning inconsistent entries before ingestion.
- Creating a customer onboarding automation for 10k+ users - A SaaS platform automates welcome emails, Slack notifications, and CRM updates using a single flow triggered by form submissions — with human approval before account activation.
- Problem: Manual data entry between CRM and spreadsheets → Solution: Activepieces piece that reads CSVs, transforms fields using AI code actions, and writes to Notion - Non-technical staff can now update records without writing code by using the AI-assisted code piece to parse and normalize data.
- DevOps teams managing cloud infrastructure alerts - Engineers deploy Activepieces on-premises to trigger PagerDuty alerts or Slack notifications based on log file patterns from internal systems, using custom TypeScript pieces to parse JSON logs and route alerts dynamically.
Under The Hood
ActivePieces is a comprehensive low-code automation platform designed as a monorepo with modular architecture, supporting both frontend and backend components to enable visual workflow creation and extensible automation. The system emphasizes reusable UI elements, clear separation of concerns, and integration-ready APIs.
Architecture
ActivePieces follows a layered architecture with well-defined modules for UI, API, and embedded functionality, enabling scalable and maintainable development.
- The system uses a monorepo structure with Nx workspace configuration to manage cross-project dependencies and micro-frontend patterns
- UI components are built using a component-based approach with state management integrated into the builder interface
- Core domains like flows, pieces, and connections are clearly separated to support modularity and extensibility
- Standardized APIs and triggers allow for plugin-style integration and flexible automation logic
Tech Stack
The platform leverages a modern JavaScript/TypeScript ecosystem with React and Node.js as its core technologies, supported by a rich set of third-party tools.
- Built primarily in TypeScript with React for frontend UI and Node.js for backend services, managed through Nx monorepo setup
- Relies on a wide array of libraries including @tanstack/react-query, @radix-ui components, BullMQ, and AWS SDKs for cloud integration
- Development tools include Vite, Webpack, Bun, and Docker to support fast builds, runtime flexibility, and containerized deployment
- Comprehensive testing infrastructure uses Jest, Vitest, Playwright, and Nx-based runners for frontend, backend, and end-to-end validation
Code Quality
ActivePieces demonstrates a mature approach to code quality with extensive testing and consistent use of error handling practices.
- Testing is applied across multiple levels including unit, integration, and end-to-end scenarios with strong coverage in key modules
- Error handling is consistently implemented using try/catch blocks and custom error messages to ensure robust operation
- Code follows established TypeScript conventions with clear naming and structured organization for maintainability
- Some technical debt exists in duplicated logic and incomplete implementation areas, though overall codebase remains clean and organized
What Makes It Unique
ActivePieces stands out in the automation space by combining visual flow building with extensible, modular components and embedded SDK support.
- Modular piece architecture enables developers to build, share, and reuse automation components across different workflows and integrations
- The embedded SDK allows third-party platforms to seamlessly integrate the flow builder and automation engine into their own systems
- A visual builder with real-time canvas rendering provides an intuitive drag-and-drop experience for both technical and non-technical users
- Strong documentation and developer tooling support rapid onboarding and customization of automation flows