State machines versus long-running functions
WHAT IT TESTS: orchestration for long workflows. OUTLINE: state machines externalize state, pause for human input without running compute, give built-in retries and audit history, and bill per transition. RED FLAG: a function blocking for days on input.
WHAT IT TESTS: whether you separate orchestration from compute for durable, multi-step workflows. ANSWER OUTLINE: a state machine externalizes workflow state so it pauses for minutes to days awaiting human input without holding a running function; it gives built-in retries, error handling, branching, parallel branches, and visual audit history; you pay per transition, not per idle second. A long-running function risks timeouts, bills for idle waits, loses state on crash, and tangles control flow. RED FLAG: blocking a function on approval.
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- #serverless
- #step-functions
- #orchestration
- #workflows
- #state-machine
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