Waterfall (dependencies)
A workflow pattern where each step must complete before the next begins like a waterfall of sequential operations. Contrast with parallel execution. Waterfalls are simpler to reason about but slower; parallel execution is faster but harder to debug.
Expert insight
A waterfall of dependent steps (each one strictly requiring the previous to succeed before starting) is simpler to reason about than parallel execution, but it also means the total execution time is the sum of every step, not the longest one, worth evaluating whether steps that don't actually depend on each other could run in parallel instead.
In a real workflow
Enrichment tries provider A, then B, then C until one returns data.
Common mistakes
- Paying for every provider on every call.
- No logging of which provider answered.
Complexity level
Requires some familiarity with automation concepts.
Related terms
Parallel execution
Running multiple automation branches simultaneously rather than sequentially. Ex…
Dependency (workflow)
A step in a workflow that cannot execute until a prior step completes successful…
Workflow template
A pre-built automation that can be imported and customised. PURIST's Workflow Li…
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