> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://aidocs.ethanbragdon.icu/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Approval Workflows

> Configure and operate human approval gates for sensitive Starfire AI workflow steps without turning a missing response into implicit authorization.

# Approval workflows

Approval gates let automation prepare a sensitive action while keeping the final authorization with an approved human role.

## Good approval candidates

Use an approval gate for actions such as:

* publishing or deploying an artifact
* destructive file changes
* high-cost actions beyond a configured threshold
* changes to important organization configuration
* sensitive external-service actions
* other consequential operations defined by policy

## Approval lifecycle

```text theme={null}
Workflow reaches protected step
        ↓
Create approval request
        ↓
WAITING_FOR_APPROVAL
        ↓
Approved / Rejected / Expired / Cancelled
        ↓
Continue or stop
```

## Approval request contents

A useful request tells the approver:

* what action will occur
* target resource
* why the workflow wants to do it
* expected impact
* cost/usage impact when relevant
* which run/workflow requested it

## Approved

Approval allows that defined action to proceed under the current runtime permissions. It should not grant the workflow broader permanent permissions.

## Rejected

The workflow should stop, skip, or follow an explicitly configured rejection path. It should not repeatedly recreate the same approval to pressure a different outcome.

## Expired

No response is not approval. Expired requests need a defined workflow outcome.

## Auditability

Important approval decisions should record the approver, decision, timestamp, target, and originating run when the active implementation supports it.

<Warning>
  An approval system is strongest when the approver can see the real action and target. Avoid generic prompts such as “Allow agent to continue?” for high-impact operations.
</Warning>