azure-durable-task

Azure Durable Task Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure Durable Task. Covers best practices, decision making, architecture & design patterns, limits & quotas, configuration, integrations & coding patterns, and deployment. It combines local quick-reference content with remote documentation fetching capabilities.

How to Use This Skill

> IMPORTANT for Agent: Use the Category Index below to locate relevant sections. For categories with line ranges (e.g., L35-L120), use read_file with the specified lines. For categories with file links (e.g., [security.md](security.md)), use read_file on the linked reference file

> IMPORTANT for Agent: If metadata.generated_at is more than 3 months old, suggest the user pull the latest version from the repository. If mcp_microsoftdocs tools are not available, suggest the user install it: Installation Guide

This skill requires network access to fetch documentation content:

• Preferred: Use mcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetch with query string from=learn-agent-skill. Returns Markdown.
• Fallback: Use fetch_webpage with query string from=learn-agent-skill&accept=text/markdown. Returns Markdown.

Category Index

| Category | Lines | Description |

|----------|-------|-------------|

| Best Practices | L35-L43 | Patterns and constraints for writing robust orchestrator code, including retries and error handling, eternal/continue-as-new flows, external event handling, and singleton orchestration patterns. |

| Decision Making | L44-L49 | Guidance on when to use Durable Functions vs raw Durable Task SDK, and how to compare and choose durable storage providers/backends for orchestrations. |

| Architecture & Design Patterns | L50-L57 | Patterns for orchestrating Durable workflows: fan-out/fan-in, human approval steps, long-running monitors, and function chaining design and implementation. |

| Limits & Quotas | L58-L63 | Configuring orchestration status size/retention limits, querying status, and monitoring Durable Task Scheduler action metrics, performance, and billing impacts. |

| Configuration | L64-L68 | Configuring Durable Task hubs storage (connection, scaling, reliability) and using instance management APIs to query, control, and manage orchestration instances. |

| Integrations & Coding Patterns | L69-L73 | Managing Durable Task workflow instances: starting, querying, terminating, purging, and using instance management APIs for lifecycle control and monitoring |

| Deployment | L74-L77 | Guidance on safely deploying Durable orchestrations using versioning strategies, handling breaking changes, and managing upgrades without disrupting running workflows. |

Best Practices

| Topic | URL |

|-------|-----|

| Follow orchestrator code constraints in Durable Functions | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/durable-task/common/durable-task-code-constraints |

| Implement error handling and retries in Durable Functions | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/durable-task/common/durable-task-error-handling |

| Implement eternal orchestrations with continue-as-new | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/durable-task/common/durable-task-eternal-orchestrations |

| Handle external events in Durable orchestrations | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/durable-task/common/durable-task-external-events |

| Implement singleton orchestrators in Durable Functions | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/durable-task/common/durable-task-singletons |

Decision Making

| Topic | URL |

|-------|-----|

| Choose Durable Functions vs Durable Task SDK hosting | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/durable-task/common/choose-orchestration-framework |

| Compare Durable Task storage providers and choose backends | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/durable-task/common/durable-task-storage-providers |

Architecture & Design Patterns

| Topic | URL |

|-------|-----|

| Implement fan-out/fan-in pattern in Durable Functions | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/durable-task/common/durable-task-fan-in-fan-out |

| Design human interaction workflows in Durable Task | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/durable-task/common/durable-task-human-interaction |

| Build monitor pattern workflows with Durable orchestrations | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/durable-task/common/durable-task-monitor |

| Use function chaining pattern in Durable workflows | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/durable-task/common/durable-task-sequence |

Limits & Quotas

| Topic | URL |

|-------|-----|

| Configure and query custom orchestration status limits | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/durable-task/common/durable-task-custom-orchestration-status |

| Monitor Durable Task Scheduler action metrics and billing | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/durable-task/common/durable-task-metrics |

Configuration

| Topic | URL |

|-------|-----|

| Configure and manage Durable Task hubs storage | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/durable-task/common/durable-task-hubs |

Integrations & Coding Patterns

| Topic | URL |

|-------|-----|

| Use instance management APIs for Durable Task workflows | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/durable-task/common/durable-task-instance-management |

Deployment

| Topic | URL |

|-------|-----|

| Use orchestration versioning for safe Durable deployments | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/durable-task/common/durable-orchestration-versioning |