oban-thinking

Guide Oban job processing patterns for Elixir background tasks.

167|14|Updated Dec 26, 2025

Search Tags:#elixir #error-handling #workflows #serialization #retry #background-jobs #oban

Ready to run

npx skills add https://github.com/georgeguimaraes/claude-code-elixir --skill oban-thinking

💬 Prompt for ChatGPT / Claude Chat▼

Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: oban-thinking
Source: https://github.com/georgeguimaraes/claude-code-elixir/tree/main/plugins/elixir/skills/oban-thinking
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/georgeguimaraes/claude-code-elixir --skill oban-thinking

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

Oban is a powerful background job processor, but teams often stumble on correct serialization, error handling, and workflow design. This skill provides proven patterns to write reliable workers, design queues, and orchestrate jobs with predictable retries and batch processing.

Core Features & Use Cases

Robust error propagation and retry strategies for Oban jobs
Unique jobs, chunking, and simple workflows
Guidance for Oban Pro workflows, grafts, and recording values

Quick Start

To apply these patterns, define a worker with the recommended perform/handle logic, enable sane retries, and compose a small workflow for a batch of jobs.

Frequently Asked Questions about oban-thinking

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema

How do I handle errors and retries in Oban background jobs?▼

To handle errors and retries in Oban background jobs, you should implement robust error propagation and safe retry strategies. This ensures predictable background task processing by preventing common pitfalls during worker execution and failure recovery.

What is the best way to serialize data for Elixir Oban workers?▼

The best way to serialize data for Elixir Oban workers is by enforcing best practices for JSON serialization. Proper JSON serialization prevents data loss and processing errors when passing arguments to background job workers.

How do I create unique jobs and chunking in Oban?▼

You create unique jobs and chunking in Oban by applying specific job processing patterns for non-Pro and Pro versions. These patterns allow you to manage job uniqueness and batch process large volumes of background tasks efficiently.

Does this Oban job pattern guidance work with Oban Pro workflows?▼

Yes, this Oban job pattern guidance works with Oban Pro workflows. It includes specific approaches for Pro workflows, grafts, and recording values across steps, alongside non-Pro methods for standard Elixir Oban systems.

Why does my Oban workflow design fail during serialization?▼

Your Oban workflow design fails during serialization because teams often stumble on correct JSON serialization and error handling. Applying proven workflow patterns ensures reliable workers and predictable batch processing orchestration.

How do I use snooze-based polling for Elixir background jobs?▼

You use snooze-based polling for Elixir background jobs by implementing specific Oban worker patterns that enforce safe retries. This mechanism helps manage job timing and prevents system overload during task execution.