Inngest Steps

Inngest Steps

Build robust, durable workflows with Inngest's step methods. Each step is a separate HTTP request that can be independently retried and monitored.

These skills are focused on TypeScript. For Python or Go, refer to the Inngest documentation for language-specific guidance. Core concepts apply across all languages.

Core Concept

🔄 Critical: Each step re-runs your function from the beginning. Put ALL non-deterministic code (API calls, DB queries, randomness) inside steps, never outside.

📊 Step Limits: Every function has a maximum of 1,000 steps and 4MB total step data.

// ❌ WRONG - will run 4 times
export default inngest.createFunction(
  { id: "bad-example", triggers: [{ event: "test" }] },
  async ({ step }) => {
    console.log("This logs 4 times!"); // Outside step = bad
    await step.run("a", () => console.log("a"));
    await step.run("b", () => console.log("b"));
    await step.run("c", () => console.log("c"));
  },
);

// ✅ CORRECT - logs once each
export default inngest.createFunction(
  { id: "good-example", triggers: [{ event: "test" }] },
  async ({ step }) => {
    await step.run("log-hello", () => console.log("hello"));
    await step.run("a", () => console.log("a"));
    await step.run("b", () => console.log("b"));
    await step.run("c", () => console.log("c"));
  },
);

step.run()

Execute retriable code as a step. Each step ID can be reused - Inngest automatically handles counters.