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Parallel Execution

Parallel execution allows multiple nodes to run concurrently, dramatically improving workflow performance for independent operations.

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Basic Parallel Execution

Use the parallel() function to execute nodes concurrently: 
from egregore.core.workflow import parallel, node, Sequence

@node("fetch_api")
def fetch_api(url: str) -> dict:
    # API call
    return {"source": "api", "data": "..."}

@node("fetch_database")
def fetch_database(query: str) -> dict:
    # Database query
    return {"source": "db", "data": "..."}

@node("fetch_cache")
def fetch_cache(key: str) -> dict:
    # Cache lookup
    return {"source": "cache", "data": "..."}

# Execute all three concurrently
parallel_fetch = parallel(
    fetch_api,
    fetch_database,
    fetch_cache
)

result = parallel_fetch({"url": "...", "query": "...", "key": "..."})

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Result Collection

Parallel nodes return a dictionary with terminal node names as keys: 
result = parallel_fetch({...})
# Returns:
# {
#     "fetch_api": {"source": "api", "data": "..."},
#     "fetch_database": {"source": "db", "data": "..."},
#     "fetch_cache": {"source": "cache", "data": "..."}
# }

# Access individual results
api_result = result["fetch_api"]
db_result = result["fetch_database"]
cache_result = result["fetch_cache"]

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Using Results in Next Node

The next node receives the dictionary of results: 
@node("combine_results")
def combine_results(data: dict) -> dict:
    """Combine parallel results."""
    return {
        "api": data["fetch_api"],
        "db": data["fetch_database"],
        "cache": data["fetch_cache"],
        "combined": True
    }

workflow = Sequence(
    parallel(fetch_api, fetch_database, fetch_cache),
    combine_results
)

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Concurrency Control

Limit the number of concurrent executions: 
# Limit to 2 concurrent operations
limited_parallel = parallel(
    task1,
    task2,
    task3,
    task4,
    max_concurrent=2  # Only 2 run at a time
)

# Execution order:
# 1. task1 and task2 start
# 2. When one finishes, task3 starts
# 3. When another finishes, task4 starts

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Why Limit Concurrency?

  • Memory constraints: Each concurrent task uses memory
  • API rate limits: Avoid overwhelming external services
  • CPU limits: Prevent system overload
  • Resource fairness: Share resources with other processes
# Heavy memory operations - limit concurrency
memory_intensive = parallel(
    process_large_dataset1,
    process_large_dataset2,
    process_large_dataset3,
    max_concurrent=2  # Prevent memory exhaustion
)

# API calls with rate limits
api_calls = parallel(
    api_request1,
    api_request2,
    api_request3,
    api_request4,
    max_concurrent=3  # Respect rate limits
)

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Timeout Control

Set a timeout for the entire parallel block: 
# Timeout after 30 seconds
timed_parallel = parallel(
    long_running_task1,
    long_running_task2,
    long_running_task3,
    timeout=30.0  # seconds
)

try:
    result = timed_parallel(data)
except ParallelTimeoutError:
    print("Parallel execution timed out")

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Per-Branch Timeout

Timeout applies to the entire parallel block, not individual branches: 
# All branches must complete within 30 seconds total
parallel(task1, task2, task3, timeout=30.0)

# If you need per-task timeouts, implement within nodes:
@node("task_with_timeout")
def task_with_timeout(data: dict) -> dict:
    import asyncio
    try:
        return asyncio.wait_for(
            async_operation(data),
            timeout=10.0
        )
    except asyncio.TimeoutError:
        return {"status": "timeout"}

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Resource Optimization

Parallel nodes automatically optimize resource usage: 
# Automatic optimization (default)
optimized = parallel(
    node1, node2, node3, node4, node5,
    # Automatically:
    # - Analyzes available CPU and memory
    # - Calculates optimal worker count
    # - Creates balanced execution batches
    # - Monitors resource usage
)

# Disable optimization if needed
unoptimized = parallel(
    node1, node2, node3,
    optimization_enabled=False  # Manual control only
)

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Resource Allocation

The system automatically:
  1. Analyzes available resources:
    • CPU cores available
    • Available memory (70% utilization target)
    • Estimated memory per node (50MB default)
  2. Calculates optimal workers: 
    optimal_workers = min(
    max_concurrent or branch_count,
    available_cpu_cores,
    available_memory / estimated_memory_per_node
)
  3. Creates execution batches:
    • Balances load across workers
    • Prevents resource exhaustion
    • Maintains system stability

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Manual Resource Configuration

For fine-grained control: 
# Explicit concurrency limit
parallel(
    *heavy_tasks,
    max_concurrent=4  # Exact worker count
)

# Disable optimization for predictable behavior
parallel(
    *tasks,
    max_concurrent=2,
    optimization_enabled=False
)

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Error Handling

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Individual Branch Failures

If any branch fails, the entire parallel block raises an error: 
from egregore.core.workflow import ParallelExecutionError

@node("safe_task")
def safe_task(data: dict) -> dict:
    return {"status": "success"}

@node("failing_task")
def failing_task(data: dict) -> dict:
    raise ValueError("Task failed!")

try:
    result = parallel(safe_task, failing_task)(data)
except ParallelExecutionError as e:
    print(f"Parallel execution failed: {e}")
    # Error includes which branch failed

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Graceful Error Handling

Handle errors within nodes for graceful degradation: 
@node("resilient_task")
def resilient_task(data: dict) -> dict:
    """Task with built-in error handling."""
    try:
        result = risky_operation(data)
        return {"status": "success", "result": result}
    except Exception as e:
        # Log error but don't crash
        return {"status": "error", "error": str(e)}

# Parallel block completes even if operations fail
result = parallel(resilient_task, another_task)(data)

# Check individual results
if result["resilient_task"]["status"] == "error":
    handle_error(result["resilient_task"]["error"])

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Workflow Integration

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In Sequences

Parallel nodes integrate seamlessly with sequential workflows: 
workflow = Sequence(
    extract_data,           # Sequential
    parallel(               # Parallel
        transform_type_a,
        transform_type_b,
        transform_type_c
    ),
    combine_results,        # Sequential
    save_to_database        # Sequential
)

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Nested Parallel Execution

Parallel blocks can contain parallel blocks: 
inner_parallel = parallel(subtask1, subtask2, subtask3)

outer_parallel = parallel(
    main_task1,
    inner_parallel,  # Nested parallel execution
    main_task3
)

# Execution:
# - main_task1, inner_parallel, and main_task3 run concurrently
# - Within inner_parallel, subtask1/2/3 run concurrently

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With Decision Nodes

Combine parallel execution with conditional routing: 
@decision("route_by_size")
def route_by_size(data: dict) -> str:
    size = len(data["items"])
    return "parallel_process" if size > 100 else "sequential_process"

@node("sequential_process")
def sequential_process(data: dict) -> dict:
    return process_sequentially(data)

# For large datasets, use parallel processing
parallel_process = parallel(
    process_chunk1,
    process_chunk2,
    process_chunk3,
    process_chunk4
)

workflow = Sequence(
    load_data,
    route_by_size,
    # Execution branches based on data size
)

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Performance Considerations

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When to Use Parallel Execution

Good candidates:
  • Independent operations (no data dependencies)
  • I/O-bound tasks (API calls, file operations)
  • CPU-bound tasks with sufficient cores
  • Long-running operations
Poor candidates:
  • Operations with dependencies between them
  • Very fast operations (overhead exceeds benefit)
  • Memory-intensive operations (without concurrency limits)
  • Operations requiring strict ordering

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Overhead Analysis

# Parallel execution overhead: ~1-2ms per branch
# Benefits kick in when operations take >10ms each

# Not worth it (too fast):
@node("add_numbers")
def add_numbers(a: int, b: int) -> int:
    return a + b  # <1ms - sequential is faster

# Worth it (I/O bound):
@node("fetch_from_api")
def fetch_from_api(url: str) -> dict:
    return requests.get(url).json()  # 100-500ms - parallel is much faster

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Resource Impact

BranchesNo Limitmax_concurrent=2Optimization
33 workers2 workersAuto-calculated
1010 workers2 workersCPU-limited
100100 workers ⚠️2 workersMemory-limited
Recommendation: Use max_concurrent or enable optimization for >5 branches.

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Best Practices

# Good: Independent operations
parallel(
    fetch_user_profile,
    fetch_user_posts,
    fetch_user_comments
)

# Bad: Dependent operations
parallel(
    fetch_user_id,      # Must complete first!
    fetch_user_profile  # Depends on user_id
)

# Good: Limited concurrency
parallel(
    *api_requests,
    max_concurrent=5  # Respect rate limits
)

# Bad: Unlimited concurrency
parallel(*api_requests)  # May overwhelm API

# Good: With timeout
parallel(
    *long_tasks,
    timeout=60.0  # Fail if not done in 60s
)

# Bad: No timeout
parallel(*long_tasks)  # May hang indefinitely

# Good: Resilient nodes
@node("safe_fetch")
def safe_fetch(url: str) -> dict:
    try:
        return fetch(url)
    except Exception as e:
        return {"error": str(e)}

# Bad: Unhandled errors
@node("unsafe_fetch")
def unsafe_fetch(url: str) -> dict:
    return fetch(url)  # Crashes entire parallel block

# Good: Clear names
@node("fetch_user_data")
@node("fetch_order_data")
@node("fetch_payment_data")

result = parallel(...)(data)
user = result["fetch_user_data"]  # Clear

# Bad: Generic names
@node("fetch1")
@node("fetch2")
@node("fetch3")

result = parallel(...)(data)
user = result["fetch1"]  # Which fetch is this?

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Advanced Patterns

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Map-Reduce Pattern

@node("split_work")
def split_work(data: dict) -> list:
    """Split data into chunks."""
    return [chunk for chunk in split(data, size=100)]

# Create parallel processors dynamically
def create_processors(chunk_count: int):
    return [
        node(f"process_chunk_{i}")(
            lambda chunk: process(chunk)
        )
        for i in range(chunk_count)
    ]

@node("reduce_results")
def reduce_results(results: dict) -> dict:
    """Combine parallel results."""
    return merge(results.values())

# Map-reduce workflow
workflow = Sequence(
    split_work,
    # Create parallel processors based on chunk count
    # (would need dynamic workflow construction)
    reduce_results
)

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Fan-Out Fan-In

# Fan-out: One input, many parallel operations
fan_out = parallel(
    process_for_system_a,
    process_for_system_b,
    process_for_system_c
)

# Fan-in: Many results, one output
@node("fan_in")
def fan_in(results: dict) -> dict:
    """Combine all parallel results."""
    return {
        "system_a": results["process_for_system_a"],
        "system_b": results["process_for_system_b"],
        "system_c": results["process_for_system_c"],
        "combined": True
    }

workflow = Sequence(
    prepare_data,
    fan_out,
    fan_in,
    send_notifications
)

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What’s Next?

Agent Discovery

Access and manage agents in workflows

Shared State

Share data across nodes

Validation

Validate workflows before execution

Reporting

Track workflow performance