What is the BPMN file format?
Files with the .bpmn extension store Business Process Model and Notation diagrams - an open XML format standardized by the Object Management Group (OMG). The format is used to describe business processes, allowing visualization of the most important workflow data, as well as modeling and analysis across an organization.
Elements in .bpmn files can be grouped into logical parts, that is:
- objects related to data flow - events, tasks, gateways (decision points),
- object associations - sequence flows, message flows, and data associations,
- pools and lanes - process participants and their roles,
- artifacts - text annotations and groupings.
.bpmn files can be used to model almost all types of business processes.
.bpmn diagrams have various uses in business processing. They are used by consultants, managers, designers, auditors, and end users alike. Under the hood, a .bpmn file is plain XML: its <definitions> root holds both the process logic (tasks, gateways, events, flows) and a <bpmndi:BPMNDiagram> block that stores each shape's exact screen coordinates, so the full model and its visual layout travel together in one portable file.
The BPMN 2.0 standard, developed in 2011, is supported by many business modeling software applications, which allow importing from and exporting project data to .bpmn format. Because the format is vendor-neutral, a model created in one tool - such as Camunda Modeler or diagrams.net - can be opened in another without conversion. Related notation standards include DMN for decision modeling and the older XPDL process exchange format.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA .bpmn is plain XML and is low risk to open. Two cautions: (1) like any XML it can reference external entities, so open untrusted files in a real modeler rather than a naive parser; (2) in automation platforms a .bpmn can embed executable script tasks (e.g. JavaScript/Groovy) that run when a process engine executes the model - review such scripts before deploying a model from an untrusted source.
Format details
in a nutshell- Avantage template (legacy) - An old database record attributed .bpmn to a KAISHA-Tec 'Avantage' template under a 3D-image category; this appears to be a stale/incorrect mapping and is not the mainstream meaning.
Programs that open BPMN files
Windows4 apps
Camunda Modeler
Free Open the .bpmn to view/edit the diagram; built on bpmn.io, fully BPMN 2.0 compliant.
draw.io (desktop)
Open-source File → Open the .bpmn; draw.io imports and lets you edit and export BPMN diagrams.
Any text editor (Notepad++ / VS Code)
Open-source Open the .bpmn as XML to inspect the raw model (you won't see the rendered diagram). 
macOS1 app
Linux1 app
Camunda Modeler
Free Open the .bpmn on Linux to view/edit; the engine-neutral and Camunda profiles are both supported.
bpmn.io demo / Camunda web modeler
Open-source Open the .bpmn in the browser-based modeler to view and edit without installing anything.
diagrams.net (draw.io online)
Open-source Import the .bpmn in the browser to edit and export to PNG/SVG/PDF. Technical details
deep spec| MIME type | application/bpmn+xml (registered); also accepted as application/xml or text/xml |
| File encoding | UTF-8 plain text with XML declaration at byte offset 0 |
| File signature | <?xml at byte offset 0; root element <definitions> or <bpmn:definitions> |
| Root element | <definitions> from the OMG BPMN 2.0 schema, typically namespace-prefixed as bpmn: or semantic: |
| Process schema namespace | http://www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/20100524/MODEL |
| Diagram interchange namespace | http://www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/20100524/DI - the bpmndi: prefix used for BPMNDiagram shape and edge coordinate elements |
| Dual-section structure | <process> holds flow semantics (tasks, gateways, events, sequence flows); <bpmndi:BPMNDiagram> holds visual layout - both embedded in the same file |
| Typical file size | 5 KB - 500 KB; grows with element count and the embedded diagram coordinate data |
| Compression | None - raw uncompressed XML; tool project bundles may package files separately as ZIP archives |
| Gateway types | Exclusive (XOR), Inclusive (OR), Parallel (AND), Event-based, and Complex gateways |
| Event types | Start, intermediate, and end events, each with typed triggers: message, timer, signal, error, escalation, compensation, and more |
| Executable process flag | isExecutable attribute on <process> distinguishes human-readable diagrams from engine-deployable BPMN models |
| Collaboration support | Pools and lanes represent process participants; message flows between pools model cross-organizational interactions |
| Governing body | Object Management Group (OMG), which also maintains UML, SysML, and the related DMN standard |
| Released | BPMN 1.0 (2004, BPMI); BPMN 2.0 (2011, OMG) - defined the .bpmn XML interchange format |
| Latest version | BPMN 2.0.2 (OMG, 2013) |
| Open standard | Yes · royalty-free |
| Specification | www.omg.org |
BPMN conversions
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about BPMN files.
