Cloudflare Workflows

Status: Production Ready ✅ Last Updated: 2025-10-22 Dependencies: cloudflare-worker-base (for Worker setup) Latest Versions: [email protected], @cloudflare/[email protected]

---

Quick Start (10 Minutes)

1. Create a Workflow

Use the Cloudflare Workflows starter template:

npm create cloudflare@latest my-workflow -- --template cloudflare/workflows-starter --git --deploy false
cd my-workflow

What you get:

• WorkflowEntrypoint class template
• Worker to trigger workflows
• Complete wrangler.jsonc configuration

2. Understand the Basic Structure

src/index.ts:

import { WorkflowEntrypoint, WorkflowStep, WorkflowEvent } from 'cloudflare:workers';

type Env = {
  MY_WORKFLOW: Workflow;
};

type Params = {
  userId: string;
  email: string;
};

export class MyWorkflow extends WorkflowEntrypoint<Env, Params> {
  async run(event: WorkflowEvent<Params>, step: WorkflowStep) {
    // Access params from event.payload
    const { userId, email } = event.payload;

    // Step 1: Do some work
    const result = await step.do('process user', async () => {
      return { processed: true, userId };
    });

    // Step 2: Wait before next action
    await step.sleep('wait 1 hour', '1 hour');

    // Step 3: Continue workflow
    await step.do('send email', async () => {
      // Send email logic
      return { sent: true, email };
    });

    // Optional: return final state
    return { completed: true, userId };
  }
}

// Worker to trigger workflow
export default {
  async fetch(req: Request, env: Env): Promise<Response> {
    // Create new workflow instance
    const instance = await env.MY_WORKFLOW.create({
      params: { userId: '123', email: '[email protected]' }
    });

    return Response.json({
      id: instance.id,
      status: await instance.status()
    });
  }
};

3. Configure Wrangler

wrangler.jsonc:

{
  "name": "my-workflow",
  "main": "src/index.ts",
  "compatibility_date": "2025-10-22",
  "workflows": [
    {
      "name": "my-workflow",
      "binding": "MY_WORKFLOW",
      "class_name": "MyWorkflow"
    }
  ]
}

4. Deploy and Test

# Deploy workflow
npm run deploy

# Trigger workflow (visit in browser or curl)
curl https://my-workflow.<subdomain>.workers.dev/

# View workflow instances
npx wrangler workflows instances list my-workflow

# Check instance status
npx wrangler workflows instances describe my-workflow <instance-id>

---

WorkflowEntrypoint Class

Extend WorkflowEntrypoint

Every Workflow must extend WorkflowEntrypoint and implement a run() method:

export class MyWorkflow extends WorkflowEntrypoint<Env, Params> {
  async run(event: WorkflowEvent<Params>, step: WorkflowStep) {
    // Workflow steps here
  }
}

Type Parameters:

• Env - Environment bindings (KV, D1, R2, etc.)
• Params - Type of workflow parameters passed via event.payload

run() Method

async run(
  event: WorkflowEvent<Params>,
  step: WorkflowStep
): Promise<T | void>

Parameters:

• event - Contains workflow metadata and payload
• step - Provides step methods (do, sleep, sleepUntil, waitForEvent)

Returns:

• Optional return value (must be serializable)
• Return value available via instance.status()

Example:

export class OrderWorkflow extends WorkflowEntrypoint<Env, OrderParams> {
  async run(event: WorkflowEvent<OrderParams>, step: WorkflowStep) {
    const { orderId, customerId } = event.payload;

    // Access bindings via this.env
    const order = await this.env.DB.prepare(
      'SELECT * FROM orders WHERE id = ?'
    ).bind(orderId).first();

    const result = await step.do('process payment', async () => {
      // Payment processing
      return { paid: true, amount: order.total };
    });

    // Return final state
    return {
      orderId,
      status: 'completed',
      paidAmount: result.amount
    };
  }
}

---

Step Methods

step.do() - Execute Work

step.do<T>(
  name: string,
  config?: WorkflowStepConfig,
  callback: () => Promise<T>
): Promise<T>

OR (config is optional):

step.do<T>(
  name: string,
  callback: () => Promise<T>
): Promise<T>

Parameters:

• name - Step name (for observability)
• config (optional) - Retry configuration
• callback - Async function that does the work

Returns:

• The value returned from callback (must be serializable)

Example:

// Simple step
const files = await step.do('fetch files', async () => {
  const response = await fetch('https://api.example.com/files');
  return await response.json();
});

// Step with retry config
const result = await step.do(
  'call payment API',
  {
    retries: {
      limit: 10,
      delay: '10 seconds',
      backoff: 'exponential'
    },
    timeout: '5 minutes'
  },
  async () => {
    const response = await fetch('https://payment-api.example.com/charge', {
      method: 'POST',
      body: JSON.stringify({ amount: 100 })
    });
    return await response.json();
  }
);

CRITICAL - Serialization:

• Return value must be JSON serializable
• ✅ Allowed: string, number, boolean, Array, Object, null
• ❌ Forbidden: Function, Symbol, circular references, undefined
• Step will throw error if return value isn't serializable

---

step.sleep() - Relative Sleep

step.sleep(name: string, duration: WorkflowDuration): Promise<void>

Parameters:

• name - Step name
• duration - Number (milliseconds) or human-readable string

Accepted units:

• "second" / "seconds"
• "minute" / "minutes"
• "hour" / "hours"
• "day" / "days"
• "week" / "weeks"
• "month" / "months"
• "year" / "years"

Examples:

// Sleep for 5 minutes
await step.sleep('wait 5 minutes', '5 minutes');

// Sleep for 1 hour
await step.sleep('hourly delay', '1 hour');

// Sleep for 2 days
await step.sleep('wait 2 days', '2 days');

// Sleep using milliseconds
await step.sleep('wait 30 seconds', 30000);

// Common pattern: schedule daily task
await step.do('send daily report', async () => {
  // Send report
});
await step.sleep('wait until tomorrow', '1 day');
// Workflow continues next day

Priority:

• Workflows resuming from sleep take priority over new instances
• Ensures older workflows complete before new ones start

---

step.sleepUntil() - Sleep to Specific Date

step.sleepUntil(
  name: string,
  timestamp: Date | number
): Promise<void>

Parameters:

• name - Step name
• timestamp - Date object or UNIX timestamp (milliseconds)

Examples:

// Sleep until specific date
const launchDate = new Date('2025-12-25T00:00:00Z');
await step.sleepUntil('wait for launch', launchDate);

// Sleep until UNIX timestamp
const timestamp = Date.parse('24 Oct 2024 13:00:00 UTC');
await step.sleepUntil('wait until time', timestamp);

// Sleep until next Monday 9am UTC
const nextMonday = new Date();
nextMonday.setDate(nextMonday.getDate() + ((1 + 7 - nextMonday.getDay()) % 7 || 7));
nextMonday.setUTCHours(9, 0, 0, 0);
await step.sleepUntil('wait until Monday 9am', nextMonday);

// Schedule work at specific time
await step.do('prepare campaign', async () => {
  // Prepare marketing campaign
});

const campaignLaunch = new Date('2025-11-01T12:00:00Z');
await step.sleepUntil('wait for campaign launch', campaignLaunch);

await step.do('launch campaign', async () => {
  // Launch campaign
});

---

step.waitForEvent() - Wait for External Event

step.waitForEvent<T>(
  name: string,
  options: { type: string; timeout?: string | number }
): Promise<T>

Parameters:

• name - Step name
• options.type - Event type to match
• options.timeout (optional) - Max wait time (default: 24 hours)

Returns:

• The event payload sent via instance.sendEvent()

Example:

export class PaymentWorkflow extends WorkflowEntrypoint<Env, Params> {
  async run(event: WorkflowEvent<Params>, step: WorkflowStep) {
    // Create payment intent
    await step.do('create payment intent', async () => {
      // Call Stripe API
    });

    // Wait for webhook from Stripe (max 1 hour)
    const webhookData = await step.waitForEvent<StripeWebhook>(
      'wait for payment confirmation',
      { type: 'stripe-webhook', timeout: '1 hour' }
    );

    // Continue based on webhook
    if (webhookData.status === 'succeeded') {
      await step.do('fulfill order', async () => {
        // Fulfill order
      });
    } else {
      await step.do('handle failed payment', async () => {
        // Handle failure
      });
    }
  }
}

// Worker receives webhook and sends event to workflow
export default {
  async fetch(req: Request, env: Env): Promise<Response> {
    if (req.url.includes('/webhook/stripe')) {
      const webhookData = await req.json();

      // Get workflow instance by ID (stored when created)
      const instance = await env.PAYMENT_WORKFLOW.get(instanceId);

      // Send event to waiting workflow
      await instance.sendEvent({
        type: 'stripe-webhook',
        payload: webhookData
      });

      return new Response('OK');
    }
  }
};

Timeout behavior:

• If timeout expires, throws error and workflow can retry or fail
• Wrap in try-catch if timeout should not fail workflow

try {
  const event = await step.waitForEvent('wait for user input', {
    type: 'user-submitted',
    timeout: '10 minutes'
  });
} catch (error) {
  // Timeout occurred - handle gracefully
  await step.do('send reminder', async () => {
    // Send reminder to user
  });
}

---

WorkflowStepConfig

Configure retry behavior for individual steps:

interface WorkflowStepConfig {
  retries?: {
    limit: number;          // Max retry attempts (Infinity allowed)
    delay: string | number; // Delay between retries
    backoff?: 'constant' | 'linear' | 'exponential';
  };
  timeout?: string | number; // Max time per attempt
}

Default Configuration

If no config provided, Workflows uses:

{
  retries: {
    limit: 5,
    delay: 10000,      // 10 seconds
    backoff: 'exponential'
  },
  timeout: '10 minutes'
}

Retry Examples

Constant Backoff (same delay each time):

await step.do(
  'send email',
  {
    retries: {
      limit: 3,
      delay: '30 seconds',
      backoff: 'constant'  // Always wait 30 seconds
    }
  },
  async () => {
    // Send email
  }
);

Linear Backoff (increasing delay):

await step.do(
  'poll API',
  {
    retries: {
      limit: 5,
      delay: '1 minute',
      backoff: 'linear'  // 1m, 2m, 3m, 4m, 5m
    }
  },
  async () => {
    // Poll API
  }
);

Exponential Backoff (recommended for most cases):

await step.do(
  'call rate-limited API',
  {
    retries: {
      limit: 10,
      delay: '10 seconds',
      backoff: 'exponential'  // 10s, 20s, 40s, 80s, 160s, ...
    },
    timeout: '5 minutes'
  },
  async () => {
    // API call
  }
);

Unlimited Retries:

await step.do(
  'critical operation',
  {
    retries: {
      limit: Infinity,  // Retry forever
      delay: '1 minute',
      backoff: 'exponential'
    }
  },
  async () => {
    // Operation that must succeed eventually
  }
);

No Retries:

await step.do(
  'non-idempotent operation',
  {
    retries: {
      limit: 0  // Fail immediately on error
    }
  },
  async () => {
    // One-time operation
  }
);

---

Error Handling

NonRetryableError

Force workflow to fail immediately without retrying:

import { WorkflowEntrypoint, WorkflowStep, WorkflowEvent } from 'cloudflare:workers';
import { NonRetryableError } from 'cloudflare:workflows';

export class MyWorkflow extends WorkflowEntrypoint<Env, Params> {
  async run(event: WorkflowEvent<Params>, step: WorkflowStep) {
    await step.do('validate input', async () => {
      if (!event.payload.userId) {
        throw new NonRetryableError('userId is required');
      }

      // Validate user exists
      const user = await this.env.DB.prepare(
        'SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ?'
      ).bind(event.payload.userId).first();

      if (!user) {
        // Terminal error - retrying won't help
        throw new NonRetryableError('User not found');
      }

      return user;
    });
  }
}

When to use NonRetryableError:

• ✅ Authentication/authorization failures
• ✅ Invalid input that won't change
• ✅ Resource doesn't exist (404)
• ✅ Validation errors
• ❌ Network failures (should retry)
• ❌ Rate limits (should retry with backoff)
• ❌ Temporary service outages (should retry)

---

Catch Errors to Continue Workflow

Prevent entire workflow from failing by catching step errors:

export class MyWorkflow extends WorkflowEntrypoint<Env, Params> {
  async run(event: WorkflowEvent<Params>, step: WorkflowStep) {
    // Critical step - workflow fails if this fails
    await step.do('process payment', async () => {
      // Payment processing
    });

    // Optional step - workflow continues even if it fails
    try {
      await step.do('send confirmation email', async () => {
        // Email sending
      });
    } catch (error) {
      console.log(`Email failed: ${error.message}`);

      // Do cleanup or alternative action
      await step.do('log email failure', async () => {
        await this.env.DB.prepare(
          'INSERT INTO failed_emails (user_id, error) VALUES (?, ?)'
        ).bind(event.payload.userId, error.message).run();
      });
    }

    // Workflow continues
    await step.do('update order status', async () => {
      // Update status
    });
  }
}

Pattern: Graceful degradation:

// Try primary service, fall back to secondary
let result;

try {
  result = await step.do('call primary API', async () => {
    return await callPrimaryAPI();
  });
} catch (error) {
  console.log('Primary API failed, trying backup');

  result = await step.do('call backup API', async () => {
    return await callBackupAPI();
  });
}

---

Triggering Workflows

From Workers

Configure binding in wrangler.jsonc:

{
  "name": "trigger-worker",
  "main": "src/index.ts",
  "compatibility_date": "2025-10-22",
  "workflows": [
    {
      "name": "my-workflow",
      "binding": "MY_WORKFLOW",
      "class_name": "MyWorkflow",
      "script_name": "workflow-worker"  // If workflow is in different Worker
    }
  ]
}

Trigger from Worker:

type Env = {
  MY_WORKFLOW: Workflow;
};

export default {
  async fetch(req: Request, env: Env): Promise<Response> {
    // Create new workflow instance
    const instance = await env.MY_WORKFLOW.create({
      params: {
        userId: '123',
        email: '[email protected]'
      }
    });

    // Return instance ID
    return Response.json({
      id: instance.id,
      status: await instance.status()
    });
  }
};

Get Instance Status

// Get instance by ID
const instance = await env.MY_WORKFLOW.get(instanceId);

// Get status
const status = await instance.status();

console.log(status);
// {
//   status: 'running' | 'complete' | 'errored' | 'queued' | 'unknown',
//   error: string | null,
//   output: any  // Return value from run() if complete
// }

Send Events to Running Instance

// Get instance
const instance = await env.MY_WORKFLOW.get(instanceId);

// Send event (will be received by step.waitForEvent)
await instance.sendEvent({
  type: 'user-action',
  payload: { action: 'approved' }
});

Pause and Resume

// Pause instance
await instance.pause();

// Resume instance
await instance.resume();

// Terminate instance
await instance.terminate();

---

Workflow Patterns

Pattern 1: Long-Running Process

export class VideoProcessingWorkflow extends WorkflowEntrypoint<Env, VideoParams> {
  async run(event: WorkflowEvent<VideoParams>, step: WorkflowStep) {
    const { videoId } = event.payload;

    // Step 1: Upload to processing service
    const uploadResult = await step.do('upload video', async () => {
      const video = await this.env.MY_BUCKET.get(`videos/${videoId}`);
      const response = await fetch('https://processor.example.com/upload', {
        method: 'POST',
        body: video?.body
      });
      return await response.json();
    });

    // Step 2: Wait for processing (could take hours)
    await step.sleep('wait for initial processing', '10 minutes');

    // Step 3: Poll for completion
    let processed = false;
    let attempts = 0;

    while (!processed && attempts < 20) {
      const status = await step.do(`check status attempt ${attempts}`, async () => {
        const response = await fetch(
          `https://processor.example.com/status/${uploadResult.jobId}`
        );
        return await response.json();
      });

      if (status.complete) {
        processed = true;
      } else {
        attempts++;
        await step.sleep(`wait before retry ${attempts}`, '5 minutes');
      }
    }

    // Step 4: Download processed video
    await step.do('download processed video', async () => {
      const response = await fetch(uploadResult.downloadUrl);
      const processed = await response.blob();
      await this.env.MY_BUCKET.put(`processed/${videoId}`, processed);
    });

    return { videoId, status: 'complete' };
  }
}

---

Pattern 2: Event-Driven Approval Flow

export class ApprovalWorkflow extends WorkflowEntrypoint<Env, ApprovalParams> {
  async run(event: WorkflowEvent<ApprovalParams>, step: WorkflowStep) {
    const { requestId, requesterId } = event.payload;

    // Step 1: Create approval request
    await step.do('create approval request', async () => {
      await this.env.DB.prepare(
        'INSERT INTO approvals (id, requester_id, status) VALUES (?, ?, ?)'
      ).bind(requestId, requesterId, 'pending').run();
    });

    // Step 2: Send notification to approvers
    await step.do('notify approvers', async () => {
      await sendNotification(requestId);
    });

    // Step 3: Wait for approval (max 7 days)
    let approvalEvent;

    try {
      approvalEvent = await step.waitForEvent<ApprovalEvent>(
        'wait for approval decision',
        { type: 'approval-decision', timeout: '7 days' }
      );
    } catch (error) {
      // Timeout - auto-reject
      await step.do('auto-reject due to timeout', async () => {
        await this.env.DB.prepare(
          'UPDATE approvals SET status = ? WHERE id = ?'
        ).bind('rejected', requestId).run();
      });

      return { requestId, status: 'rejected', reason: 'timeout' };
    }

    // Step 4: Process decision
    await step.do('process approval decision', async () => {
      await this.env.DB.prepare(
        'UPDATE approvals SET status = ?, approver_id = ? WHERE id = ?'
      ).bind(approvalEvent.approved ? 'approved' : 'rejected', approvalEvent.approverId, requestId).run();
    });

    // Step 5: Execute approved action (if approved)
    if (approvalEvent.approved) {
      await step.do('execute approved action', async () => {
        // Execute the action
      });
    }

    return { requestId, status: approvalEvent.approved ? 'approved' : 'rejected' };
  }
}

---

Pattern 3: Scheduled Workflow

export class DailyReportWorkflow extends WorkflowEntrypoint<Env, ReportParams> {
  async run(event: WorkflowEvent<ReportParams>, step: WorkflowStep) {
    // Calculate next 9am UTC
    const now = new Date();
    const tomorrow9am = new Date();
    tomorrow9am.setUTCDate(tomorrow9am.getUTCDate() + 1);
    tomorrow9am.setUTCHours(9, 0, 0, 0);

    // Sleep until tomorrow 9am
    await step.sleepUntil('wait until 9am tomorrow', tomorrow9am);

    // Generate report
    const report = await step.do('generate daily report', async () => {
      const results = await this.env.DB.prepare(
        'SELECT * FROM metrics WHERE date = ?'
      ).bind(now.toISOString().split('T')[0]).all();

      return {
        date: now.toISOString().split('T')[0],
        metrics: results.results
      };
    });

    // Send report
    await step.do('send report', async () => {
      await sendEmail({
        to: event.payload.recipients,
        subject: `Daily Report - ${report.date}`,
        body: formatReport(report.metrics)
      });
    });

    return { sent: true, date: report.date };
  }
}

---

Pattern 4: Workflow Chaining

export class OrderWorkflow extends WorkflowEntrypoint<Env, OrderParams> {
  async run(event: WorkflowEvent<OrderParams>, step: WorkflowStep) {
    const { orderId } = event.payload;

    // Step 1: Process payment
    const paymentResult = await step.do('process payment', async () => {
      return await processPayment(orderId);
    });

    // Step 2: Trigger fulfillment workflow
    const fulfillmentInstance = await step.do('start fulfillment', async () => {
      return await this.env.FULFILLMENT_WORKFLOW.create({
        params: {
          orderId,
          paymentId: paymentResult.id
        }
      });
    });

    // Step 3: Wait for fulfillment to complete
    await step.sleep('wait for fulfillment', '5 minutes');

    // Step 4: Check fulfillment status
    const fulfillmentStatus = await step.do('check fulfillment', async () => {
      const instance = await this.env.FULFILLMENT_WORKFLOW.get(fulfillmentInstance.id);
      return await instance.status();
    });

    if (fulfillmentStatus.status === 'complete') {
      // Step 5: Send confirmation
      await step.do('send order confirmation', async () => {
        await sendConfirmation(orderId);
      });
    }

    return { orderId, status: 'complete' };
  }
}

---

Wrangler Commands

List Workflow Instances

# List all instances of a workflow
npx wrangler workflows instances list my-workflow

# Filter by status
npx wrangler workflows instances list my-workflow --status running
npx wrangler workflows instances list my-workflow --status complete
npx wrangler workflows instances list my-workflow --status errored

Describe Instance

# Get detailed info about specific instance
npx wrangler workflows instances describe my-workflow <instance-id>

# Output shows:
# - Current status (running/complete/errored)
# - Each step with start/end times
# - Step outputs
# - Retry history
# - Any errors
# - Sleep state (if sleeping)

Trigger Workflow (Development)

# Deploy workflow
npx wrangler deploy

# Trigger via HTTP (if Worker is set up to trigger)
curl https://my-workflow.<subdomain>.workers.dev/

---

State Persistence

What Can Be Persisted

Workflows automatically persist state returned from step.do():

✅ Serializable Types:

• Primitives: string, number, boolean, null
• Arrays: [1, 2, 3], ['a', 'b', 'c']
• Objects: { key: 'value' }, { nested: { data: true } }
• Nested structures: { users: [{ id: 1, name: 'Alice' }] }

❌ Non-Serializable Types:

• Functions: () => {}
• Symbols: Symbol('key')
• Circular references: const obj = {}; obj.self = obj;
• undefined (use null instead)
• Class instances (serialize to plain objects)

Example - Correct Serialization:

// ✅ Good - all values serializable
const result = await step.do('fetch data', async () => {
  return {
    users: [
      { id: 1, name: 'Alice', active: true },
      { id: 2, name: 'Bob', active: false }
    ],
    timestamp: Date.now(),
    metadata: null
  };
});

// ❌ Bad - contains function
const bad = await step.do('bad example', async () => {
  return {
    data: [1, 2, 3],
    transform: (x) => x * 2  // ❌ Function not serializable
  };
});
// This will throw an error!

Access State Across Steps

export class MyWorkflow extends WorkflowEntrypoint<Env, Params> {
  async run(event: WorkflowEvent<Params>, step: WorkflowStep) {
    // Step 1: Get data
    const userData = await step.do('fetch user', async () => {
      return { id: 123, email: '[email protected]' };
    });

    // Step 2: Use data from step 1
    const orderData = await step.do('create order', async () => {
      return {
        userId: userData.id,      // ✅ Access previous step's data
        userEmail: userData.email,
        orderId: 'ORD-456'
      };
    });

    // Step 3: Use data from step 1 and 2
    await step.do('send confirmation', async () => {
      await sendEmail({
        to: userData.email,       // ✅ Still accessible
        subject: `Order ${orderData.orderId} confirmed`
      });
    });
  }
}

---

Observability

Built-in Metrics

Workflows automatically track:

• Instance status: queued, running, complete, errored, paused
• Step execution: start/end times, duration, success/failure
• Retry history: attempts, errors, delays
• Sleep state: when workflow will wake up
• Output: return values from steps and run()

View Metrics in Dashboard

Access via Cloudflare dashboard:

1. Workers & Pages
2. Select your workflow
3. View instances and metrics

Metrics include:

• Total instances created
• Success/error rates
• Average execution time
• Step-level performance

Programmatic Access

// Get instance status
const instance = await env.MY_WORKFLOW.get(instanceId);
const status = await instance.status();

console.log(status);
// {
//   status: 'complete',
//   error: null,
//   output: { userId: '123', status: 'processed' }
// }

---

Limits

Feature	Limit
Max workflow duration	30 days
Max steps per workflow	10,000
Max sleep/sleepUntil duration	30 days
Max step timeout	15 minutes
Max concurrent instances	Unlimited (autoscales)
Max payload size	128 KB
Max step output size	128 KB
Max waitForEvent timeout	30 days
Max retry limit	Infinity (configurable)

Notes:

• step.sleep() and step.sleepUntil() do NOT count toward 10,000 step limit
• Workflows can run for up to 30 days total
• Each step execution limited to 15 minutes max
• Retries count as separate attempts, not separate steps

---

Pricing

Requires Workers Paid plan ($5/month)

Workflow Executions:

• First 10,000,000 step executions/month: FREE
• After that: $0.30 per million step executions

What counts as a step execution:

• Each step.do() call
• Each retry of a step
• step.sleep(), step.sleepUntil(), step.waitForEvent() do NOT count

Cost examples:

• Workflow with 5 steps, no retries: 5 step executions
• Workflow with 3 steps, 1 step retries 2 times: 5 step executions (3 + 2)
• 10M simple workflows/month (5 steps each): ((50M - 10M) / 1M) × $0.30 = $12/month

---

Always Do ✅

1. Use descriptive step names - "fetch user data", not "step 1"
2. Return serializable values only - primitives, arrays, plain objects
3. Use NonRetryableError for terminal errors - auth failures, invalid input
4. Configure retry limits - avoid infinite retries unless necessary
5. Catch errors for optional steps - use try-catch if step can fail gracefully
6. Use exponential backoff for retries - default backoff for most cases
7. Validate inputs early - fail fast with NonRetryableError if invalid
8. Store workflow instance IDs - save to DB/KV to query status later
9. Use waitForEvent for human-in-loop - approvals, external confirmations
10. Monitor workflow metrics - track success rates and errors

---

Never Do ❌

1. Never return functions from steps - will throw serialization error
2. Never create circular references - will fail to serialize
3. Never assume steps execute immediately - they may retry or sleep
4. Never use blocking operations - use step.do() for async work
5. Never exceed 128 KB payload/output - will fail
6. Never retry non-idempotent operations infinitely - use retry limits
7. Never ignore serialization errors - fix the data structure
8. Never use workflows for real-time operations - use Durable Objects instead
9. Never skip error handling for critical steps - wrap in try-catch or use NonRetryableError
10. Never assume step order is guaranteed across retries - each step is independent

---

Troubleshooting

Issue: "Cannot perform I/O on behalf of a different request"

Cause: Trying to use I/O objects created in one request context from another request handler

Solution: Always perform I/O within step.do() callbacks

// ❌ Bad - I/O outside step
const response = await fetch('https://api.example.com/data');
const data = await response.json();

await step.do('use data', async () => {
  // Using data from outside step's I/O context
  return data;  // This will fail!
});

// ✅ Good - I/O inside step
const data = await step.do('fetch data', async () => {
  const response = await fetch('https://api.example.com/data');
  return await response.json();  // ✅ Correct
});

---

Issue: NonRetryableError behaves differently in dev vs production

Known Issue: Throwing NonRetryableError with empty message in dev mode causes retries, but works correctly in production

Workaround: Always provide a message to NonRetryableError

// ❌ May retry in dev
throw new NonRetryableError();

// ✅ Works consistently
throw new NonRetryableError('User not found');

Source: workers-sdk#10113

---

Issue: "The requested module 'cloudflare:workers' does not provide an export named 'WorkflowEvent'"

Cause: Incorrect import or outdated @cloudflare/workers-types

Solution:

# Update types
npm install -D @cloudflare/workers-types@latest

# Ensure correct import
import { WorkflowEntrypoint, WorkflowStep, WorkflowEvent } from 'cloudflare:workers';
import { NonRetryableError } from 'cloudflare:workflows';

---

Issue: Step returns undefined instead of expected value

Cause: Step callback doesn't return a value

Solution: Always return from step callbacks

// ❌ Bad - no return
const result = await step.do('get data', async () => {
  const data = await fetchData();
  // Missing return!
});
console.log(result);  // undefined

// ✅ Good - explicit return
const result = await step.do('get data', async () => {
  const data = await fetchData();
  return data;  // ✅
});

---

Issue: Workflow instance stuck in "running" state

Possible causes:

1. Step is sleeping for long duration
2. Step is waiting for event that never arrives
3. Step is retrying with long backoff

Solution:

# Check instance details
npx wrangler workflows instances describe my-workflow <instance-id>

# Look for:
# - Sleep state (will show wake time)
# - Waiting for event (will show event type and timeout)
# - Retry history (will show attempts and delays)

---

Production Checklist

Before deploying workflows to production:

• All steps have descriptive names
• Retry limits configured for all steps
• NonRetryableError used for terminal errors
• Critical steps have error handling
• Optional steps wrapped in try-catch
• No non-serializable values returned
• Payload sizes under 128 KB
• Workflow duration under 30 days
• Instance IDs stored for status queries
• Monitoring and alerting configured
• waitForEvent timeouts configured
• Tested in development environment
• Tested retry behavior
• Tested error scenarios

---

Related Documentation

• Cloudflare Workflows Docs
• Get Started Guide
• Workers API
• Sleeping and Retrying
• Events and Parameters
• Limits
• Pricing
• Changelog

---

Last Updated: 2025-10-22 Version: 1.0.0 Maintainer: Jeremy Dawes | [email protected]