When setting up Octoparse AI, you might notice that there are two desktop tools available for download: the Workflow Editor and the Bot Agent. If you're wondering why there are two clients, and which one you need, this article is here to help.
Octoparse AI uses a dual-component setup to give you full control over your automation workflows — from designing and scheduling them to executing them across multiple devices. Let’s explore how each tool works and when to use them.
What Is the Workflow Editor?
The Workflow Editor, also known as the Main Client, is the central hub where you create, test, and manage your automation workflows.
With the Workflow Editor, you can:
Build workflows using a visual editor and AI-powered instructions
Run workflows manually for testing, one-time, or regular execution
Set up Time Triggers to run workflows on a schedule
Create Webhooks that allow workflows to be triggered via API
Monitor execution logs and view historical run records
Export log data for tracking and troubleshooting
While the Workflow Editor can run workflows locally, it only runs one task at a time per device. However, it's also capable of executing workflows triggered by Webhooks or Time Triggers, just like a Bot Agent.
Use the Workflow Editor when you need to design workflows, manage settings, or monitor and export execution results.
What Is the Bot Agent?
The Bot Agent is a lightweight executor that runs workflows created in the Workflow Editor. It’s designed to offload execution tasks from the main client — ideal for scaling your automation across multiple devices or environments.
What the Bot Agent can do:
Execute one workflow at a time (per Bot instance)
Be installed on multiple devices to run workflows in parallel
Respond to Webhooks or Time Triggers set in the Workflow Editor
Display real-time logs and basic run history for each execution
However, the Bot Agent does not support workflow creation or editing. It also does not allow you to export logs or configure workflows — for those tasks, you’ll still need the Workflow Editor.
To trigger a workflow via API, you’ll first need to create a webhook in the main client. Once created, any online and enabled Bot Agent (or the main client) can receive and execute the workflow.
Use the Bot Agent when you want to run workflows on other devices or scale execution across multiple machines.
How They Work Together
Think of the Workflow Editor(main client) as the brain of your automation setup — and the Bot Agent as its hands.
Here’s how they complement each other:
Design the workflow in the main client
Set a Time Trigger or Webhook for automatic execution
The workflow is then executed by either:
The main client itself
Any enabled and connected Bot Agent
This setup allows you to build workflows once, then deploy them across as many devices as your plan supports (based on the number of Bot seats). Whether you're triggering tasks on a schedule or through an API call, your Bots — and the main client — can handle execution in parallel.
Which One Should You Use?
Here’s a quick way to decide:
If you want to... | Use Workflow Editor | Use Bot Agent |
Create or edit workflows | ✅ | ❌ |
Test workflows manually | ✅ | ❌ |
Run tasks on a schedule | ✅ (responds to Time Triggers) | ✅ (responds to Time Triggers) |
Trigger workflows via API | ✅ (create + respond to Webhook) | ✅ (respond only) |
Run workflows on multiple devices in parallel | ❌ | ✅ (each Bot runs one) |
View or export detailed logs | ✅ | ❌ |
Note: Each instance — whether Workflow Editor or Bot Agent — runs one workflow at a time, but you can run multiple workflows simultaneously across devices if your plan includes multiple Bot seats.
Where to Download
Download Workflow Editor
Download Bot Agent