workflow

# Durable multi-step workflows → `@convex-dev/workflow` When the task is "do step A, then B, then C, and retry each step independently if it fails" — a pipeline, ETL, or orchestration that must survive crashes — use the **workflow component**. Do NOT hand-roll it with a `jobs` table + chained `ctx.scheduler.runAfter` calls: that reinvents durability, loses per-step retry/backoff, and (measured) scores *worse* than a plain implementation. Copy this pattern. ## Wire the component ```ts // convex/convex.config.ts import { defineApp } from "convex/server"; import workflow from "@convex-dev/workflow/convex.config"; const app = defineApp(); app.use(workflow); export default app; ``` ## Define the workflow — one `step.run*` call per stage, retried independently ```ts // convex/workflows.ts import { WorkflowManager } from "@convex-dev/workflow"; import { components, internal } from "./_generated/api"; import { v } from "convex/values"; export const workflow = new WorkflowManager(components.workflow, { // Per-step default: retry each failed step independently with backoff. defaultRetryBehavior: { maxAttempts: 4, initialBackoffMs: 1000, base: 2 }, retryActionsByDefault: true, }); export const transcribeAndSummarize = workflow.define({ args: { url: v.string(), userEmail: v.string() }, handler: async (step, args): Promise<void> => { // Each step.runAction is durable + independently retried. If summarize fails // 3× then succeeds, transcribe is NOT re-run — completed steps are memoized. const transcript = await step.runAction(internal.youtube.transcribe, { url: args.url }); const summary = await step.runAction(internal.llm.summarize, { transcript }); await step.runAction(internal.email.sendSummary, { to: args.userEmail, summary }); }, }); ``` - **The handler's first arg is `step`, not `ctx`.** Call `step.runAction` / `step.runMutation` / `step.runQuery` with a codegen'd `internal.*` reference — never `ctx.run*` inside a workflow (that breaks durability/memoization). - **Each `step.run*` is a durable checkpoint.** On crash or retry, completed steps are replayed from their stored result, not re-executed — so steps must target `internalAction`/`internalMutation`s that do the real work. - **Override retry per step** when one stage is flakier: `step.runAction(ref, args, { retry: { maxAttempts: 6, initialBackoffMs: 500, base: 2 } })`. Set `{ retry: false }` for a step that must not repeat (already-idempotent external charge). - The actual work (the YouTube fetch, the LLM call, the email send) lives in ordinary `internalAction`s — external APIs go in actions (see `convex-external-apis`), email via `@convex-dev/resend` (see `crons`). ## Start it (and optionally track status) ```ts // from a public mutation/action the client calls: const workflowId = await workflow.start( ctx, internal.workflows.transcribeAndSummarize, { url, userEmail }, ); // status later: await workflow.status(ctx, workflowId) → cleanup: workflow.cleanup(ctx, workflowId) ``` ## Don't - ❌ A custom `jobs`/`pipeline` table + `ctx.scheduler.runAfter` chain to fake retries/ordering — that's what the component exists to replace. - ❌ `ctx.runAction` inside the workflow handler — use `step.runAction` or you lose durability. - ❌ Long synchronous work in one action to dodge steps — you lose independent retry and the 10-min action ceiling still applies per step.