- How do I integrate Temporal SDK with Laravel for workflow orchestration?
- Start by installing the package via Composer (`composer require temporal/sdk`), then register the TemporalClient and Worker in your Laravel ServiceProvider. Use the client to start workflows (e.g., `Workflow::start()`) and configure RoadRunner to execute workers. Ensure you have the `grpc` extension for clients and RoadRunner for workers, with `protobuf` for production performance.
- What Laravel versions does the Temporal PHP SDK support?
- The Temporal PHP SDK is designed for PHP 8.1+ and integrates seamlessly with Laravel 9.x and 10.x. It leverages Laravel’s service container for dependency injection, so no version-specific adjustments are typically needed beyond basic compatibility checks. Always verify your Laravel version aligns with the SDK’s PHP requirements.
- Can I replace Laravel queues with Temporal workflows for long-running tasks?
- Yes, but only for tasks requiring durability, retries, or external coordination (e.g., multi-step approvals). For simple, short-lived tasks, Laravel queues are more efficient. Temporal excels at orchestrating workflows with human interaction or third-party API calls, where queues alone fall short. Use Temporal for workflows lasting minutes to hours.
- How do I handle database transactions with Temporal workflows in Laravel?
- Temporal workflows are externally persistent, so avoid mixing them with Laravel’s database transactions directly. Instead, use workflows to coordinate transactions (e.g., start a workflow after a DB transaction commits). For compensating actions, design workflows to roll back changes via activities or signals. Always serialize Eloquent models as DTOs to avoid coupling.
- What are the performance implications of using Temporal in Laravel production?
- Temporal adds latency due to gRPC communication and external state storage, but this is negligible for workflows lasting seconds or longer. Optimize by batching activities, caching inputs/outputs in Laravel’s Redis, and pre-warming workers. Monitor workflow duration via Temporal’s Visibility API and correlate with Laravel’s monitoring tools like Prometheus.
- How do I test Temporal workflows in a Laravel application?
- Use Temporal’s local development mode (via `temporal server start-dev`) to spin up a test cluster. Mock the TemporalClient in unit tests and use Laravel’s testing tools to verify workflow triggers. For integration tests, deploy a lightweight Temporal server (e.g., Docker) and validate end-to-end workflow execution, including retries and signals.
- Are there alternatives to Temporal for Laravel workflow orchestration?
- For simpler needs, Laravel’s built-in queues or packages like `spatie/laravel-queue-worker` suffice. For distributed workflows, consider AWS Step Functions, Camunda, or Cadence (Temporal’s predecessor). Temporal stands out for its PHP-native SDK, durability guarantees, and support for human interaction, making it ideal for complex, mission-critical orchestration.
- How do I monitor and debug Temporal workflows in Laravel?
- Leverage Temporal’s Visibility API to track workflow runs, retries, and signals. Integrate Laravel’s logging (e.g., Monolog) with Temporal’s metrics to correlate application logs with workflow events. Use tools like Bugsnag or Sentry to alert on workflow failures. For debugging, inspect workflow history via the Temporal CLI or UI.
- Can I use Temporal workflows for real-time API request handling in Laravel?
- No, Temporal is not designed for real-time or synchronous tasks like API requests. It introduces latency and external dependencies, making it unsuitable for low-latency paths. Reserve Temporal for background, long-running processes (e.g., order processing, batch jobs) where durability and retries are critical.
- What’s the cost implication of using Temporal in a high-volume Laravel app?
- Temporal’s cost depends on workflow volume, execution time, and storage. Self-hosting reduces costs but requires infrastructure management. Cloud-hosted Temporal (e.g., AWS Temporal) scales automatically but may incur fees for high throughput. Benchmark your expected workflow volume and duration to estimate costs, and consider caching strategies to minimize Temporal server load.