[jedberg]

It’s a real problem you’re solving but the good news is that it’s already solved! You don’t have to build it yourself.

You’re looking for durable execution to solve your problem.

If you’re already running Postgres, check out DBOS[0]. It turns your app into its own durable executor using your database for coordination.

[0] https://github.com/dbos-inc/dbos-transact-golang

[sergF]

Thanks for the link, DBOS looks interesting.

Durable execution seems to be exactly the problem space here.

Most approaches keep the executor inside the app and use the DB for coordination, which works but still means rebuilding similar infrastructure in every project.

I'm trying to understand if there's room for a simpler external runner for smaller apps.

[jedberg]

> Most approaches keep the executor inside the app and use the DB for coordination

Actually the opposite. DBOS is the only one that does it that way. All the other durable execution solutions require an external coordinator.

I think your assessment is incorrect though. Using the app and DB does not mean building new infra for every project (your project already has an app and a DB). You simply import the library and it does the rest, and then you write your code normally. Every other solution requires building new, similar infrastructure for every project (the external coordinator).

The language-native library approach is the far simpler and more repeatable way to do it.

As another example, an AI with the right context can build a DBOS app, often in one shot. An AI will take a ton of work to build your terraform or YAML to set up the infra you need to use an external coordinator.

The beauty of the DBOS solution is that it works great for tiny apps and massive apps with billions of checkpoints, and everything in between.