# Workstation (beta)

## Architecture

A developer or tester creates Traffic Parrot virtual service definitions using a local workstation. The mappings are pushed to version control or artifact storage. The CI/CD pipeline pulls the artifacts to configure the runtime virtual services.

![Traffic Parrot Workstation Architecture Diagram](https://trafficparrot.com/documentation/5.65.x/img/workstation/workstation-architecture.png)

## Features

The workstation allows you to:

- Add/Edit mappings and virtual services using the UI
- Use the UI to generate file based configuration
- Use your local machine to develop virtual services

The server allows you to:

- Run virtual services
- Use file based configuration to define virtual service behaviour

## Workflow

Here is an example of a typical workflow:

- Developer or tester:
  - Uses Traffic Parrot workstation on their local machine to define virtual services using the UI
  - File based configuration is automatically generated
  - Developer stores file based configuration in version control system
- CI/CD:
  - Checks out file based configuration from version control system
  - CI/CD sets up ephemeral Traffic Parrot using the file based configuration
  - CI/CD runs tests configured to use Traffic Parrot virtual services
  - CI/CD tears down ephemeral Traffic Parrot