step-functions

You orchestrate multi-step AWS workflows by defining state machines using the Amazon States Language. State machines manage branching with Choice states, concurrent work with Parallel states, and batch processing with Map states for reliable task execution.

Error handling in AWS Step Functions is configured using Retry and Catch blocks within your state machine definition. These mechanisms allow workflows to automatically retry failed tasks during transient errors or route execution to fallback states when failures occur.

The best way to debug a failed Step Functions execution is by reviewing the execution history. This history provides a detailed visual timeline and diagnostic logs of each state transition, helping pinpoint exactly where and why a workflow failed.

AWS Step Functions supports both Standard and Express workflows. Express workflows are specifically designed for high-volume, short-lived event processing, offering higher throughput rates compared to Standard workflows, which are built for long-running, durable executions.

You deploy and manage state machines using the AWS CLI by executing specific commands to create, update, and start executions. This requires a YAML or ASL-ready workflow definition file and proper IAM permissions to interact with the Step Functions API.

Use Map state when you need to iterate over a batch of items and run the same set of tasks on each item independently. Use Parallel state when you need to execute multiple different, independent branches of tasks concurrently within a single workflow.