Basically, the main problem is that the workflow uses a third-party API, and this API is clearly asynchronous (there's an endpoint that creates a task and another endpoint that checks the task result), but in the workflow, it is attempted to wrap it in synchronous logic, which causes several issues.
One of them is the absolute unpredictability of the result. If the task completes quickly, you might not notice any problems. But what if it takes a long time? Several hours? All this time, your workflow will be running in vain and consuming resources, and most likely it will timeout.
And to ensure everything works correctly and stably in such scenarios, you need to implement some kind of asynchronous mechanism on your side, with the ability to save the intermediate state of the task.
If you're interested in this topic, we can hold a small workshop on it and analyze a similar case in more detail and in real-time.
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#71 · Published: 2025-11-26 14:16 UTC
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Summary
The core issue discussed involves integrating a third-party API into a workflow that is inherently asynchronous. The API provides separate endpoints for creating tasks and checking their results, which requires asynchronous handling. However, the current implementation attempts to treat this process synchronously, leading to significant problems such as unpredictable results, resource wastage, and potential timeouts during long-running tasks. When tasks complete quickly, issues may not be apparent, but extended durations—spanning hours—can cause the workflow to hang or fail. To address these challenges, it is essential to implement an asynchronous mechanism on the client side, which involves saving intermediate states and periodically checking task completion. This approach ensures stability, reliability, and efficient resource utilization. The discussion emphasizes the importance of proper asynchronous handling in workflows involving third-party APIs and suggests that a dedicated workshop could be beneficial. Such a session would explore these concepts in detail, analyze real-world cases, and provide practical solutions for managing asynchronous API interactions effectively.
Keywords
asynchronous API handlingthird-party API integrationworkflow automationtask creation and result checkingsynchronous vs asynchronous processinglong-running tasks managementresource optimization in workflowshandling API timeoutsintermediate state savingAPI integration best practicesworkflow stabilityasynchronous programming techniques
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