Documentation
Comparison

DAGs vs. Petri Nets

Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs)

DAGs are commonly used in workflow systems like Argo Workflows and Apache Airflow. They offer:

Advantages:

  • Simple, intuitive representation of task dependencies
  • Easy to visualize and understand
  • Well-suited for linear, one-way processes
  • Efficient execution of parallel tasks

Limitations:

  • Cannot represent cycles or loops natively
  • Limited ability to model complex state conditions
  • No built-in concept of state or tokens
  • Difficult to model complex business processes

Petri Nets

Circuit Breaker uses Petri Nets (specifically, a variant closer to Colored Petri Nets) as its underlying model. This provides:

Advantages:

  • Rich theoretical foundation with formal verification
  • Native support for state and tokens
  • Ability to model complex conditions and cycles
  • Better representation of business processes
  • Support for concurrent and distributed systems

Limitations:

  • More complex to understand initially
  • Can be more verbose for simple linear workflows
  • Requires more careful design for optimal performance

Comparison with Argo Workflows

Focus: Container-native workflow engine for Kubernetes

Key Differences:

  • Argo uses DAGs, while Circuit Breaker uses Petri Nets
  • Argo is container-focused, Circuit Breaker is Ruby-native
  • Argo excels at container orchestration, Circuit Breaker at business logic
  • Circuit Breaker provides built-in AI integration

Use Cases:

  • Argo: Container orchestration, CI/CD pipelines, data processing
  • Circuit Breaker: Agentic AI workflows, Stateful business processes, DevOps pipelines

When to Use Circuit Breaker

Circuit Breaker is particularly well-suited for:

  1. Complex Business Processes

    • Multiple states and transitions
    • Complex validation rules
    • State-dependent behavior

  2. AI-Powered Workflows

    • LLM integration
    • Autonomous agents

  3. State-Heavy Applications

    • Rich state management
    • Complex transition rules
    • Audit requirements

  4. Hybrid Workflows

    • Combining automated and manual steps
    • Person in the loop pattern
    • Multiple participant roles
    • Complex approval flows

Circuit Breaker can also be used effectively for CI/CD and infrastructure management. See CI/CD and Infrastructure for a detailed guide on using Circuit Breaker in DevOps workflows.