Performance: Workflow VS backend workflow?

Need help App Organization
1

Hi, can there be a difference in term of processing speed between :

  • a workflow triggered by the press of a button
  • a backend API workflow scheduled for “Current datetime” triggered by a workflow triggered by the press of a button

?

Written like so it sounds obvious than adding one extra step will slow down the process :thinking: But, the question is, is it significant?

I have to do the same action on multiple pages, so I am thinking about writing the logic once in a backend workflow and then to call that backend from page workflows with only 1 step.

2

If you want to know if there’s any significant performance difference between the two methods, why don’t you test it?

It will take a just a few minutes to set up simple test, then you’ll know for sure.

3

Thanks, I’m no expert but I believe to really answer that question we need some knowledge of how things work under the hood at Bubble, and/or a lot of experience with working with workflow.

The performance difference might differ depending on the general load at Bubble, the end-user hardware, the amount of users doing the task, the task that is being done etc… I can’t just test a random scenario myself alone in my test env and trust the output.

4

Well, as you’ve alluded to yourself in your reply, there are so many variables which will be specific to your own app, that it’s not really a question anyone else can give an accurate answer to…

It depends entirely on what your workflows are doing, your app plan (how much capacity you have), how many concurrent Users you have, plus a whole host of other factors, as to which will be more performant in your case, or if there’s any significant difference at all.

I doubt it though (although it really depends what you’re doing)

Although, performance isn’t the only consideration when deciding whether to use a backend of course…

5

Thanks for your answer. This is not a question with a unique answer this is true.

And this is exactly why, IMHO, a forum is the best place to ask this kind of stuff. This leverages the community effect as multiple people can answer with their own experience.

When you say performance isn’t the only consideration whether to use a backend, are you talking about data security and reusability? If any other kind of consideration to keep in mind, I’d be interested in knowing them

Best to you

6

Yes, security, and reusability are two…

Also, the fact that you can’t directly access the results of a backend workflow (unless you’re using the API connector) on the front end, so you may need to take additional measures to ensure things happen in the correct order, or that you can access any data created in the backend workflow in subsequent steps of your front end workflows if you need to.

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