Best Practices
Follow these best practices to get the most out of PEDAL and ensure reliable, maintainable workflows.
Workflow Design
Keep Workflows Focused
Design workflows for a single, clear purpose
Break complex workflows into smaller, reusable components
Use descriptive names that explain what the workflow does
Error Handling
Always include error handling and retry logic
Use conditional steps to handle different scenarios
Log errors with sufficient context for debugging
Dependencies
Minimize dependencies between workflows
Use explicit dependency declarations
Avoid circular dependencies
Configuration Management
Environment Variables
Use environment variables for sensitive data (API keys, passwords)
Keep configuration in version control when possible
Use different configs for different environments
Secrets Management
Never hardcode secrets in workflow definitions
Use PEDAL's built-in secrets management
Rotate secrets regularly
Performance Optimization
Resource Usage
Monitor workflow execution time and resource consumption
Optimize slow steps or consider parallelization
Clean up temporary files and artifacts
Caching
Cache expensive operations when possible
Use PEDAL's built-in caching features
Invalidate caches when dependencies change
Security
Access Control
Use least-privilege access for workflows
Regularly review and update permissions
Audit workflow access and execution logs
Input Validation
Validate all external inputs
Use PEDAL's schema validation features
Sanitize data before processing
Monitoring and Observability
Logging
Use structured logging with consistent formats
Include relevant context in log messages
Set appropriate log levels
Metrics
Track key performance indicators
Monitor workflow success rates
Set up alerts for critical failures
Testing
Workflow Testing
Test workflows with realistic data
Include negative test cases
Test error conditions and edge cases
Integration Testing
Test workflows end-to-end
Verify integration with external systems
Test rollback and recovery procedures
Documentation
Workflow Documentation
Document the purpose and expected behavior of each workflow
Include examples and use cases
Keep documentation up to date with changes
Code Comments
Add comments for complex logic
Explain business rules and requirements
Document assumptions and limitations
Team Collaboration
Version Control
Use meaningful commit messages
Review workflow changes before deployment
Tag releases for important changes
Communication
Notify team members of workflow changes
Document breaking changes clearly
Share knowledge and lessons learned
For troubleshooting, see Common Issues.
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