TL;DR
Inngest provides event-triggered functions with throttling, debouncing, and concurrency limits. Its server tracks workflow progress while your functions run in your hosting environment. OpenWorkflow runs workflows in workers backed by PostgreSQL or SQLite. Your app adds a run to the database, and a worker picks it up.What This Looks Like in Practice
Both systems save step results so workflows can recover after failures. Inngest can call your functions through HTTP endpoints, including serverless functions, or dispatch work to persistent workers through its Connect API. Connect uses an outbound WebSocket connection to the Inngest service. You can use Inngest Cloud or self-host the Inngest server and its storage. Either way, your functions communicate with that server to save progress and schedule work. OpenWorkflow workers claim runs and save step results directly in your database. You run the workers and database without a separate orchestration server.When OpenWorkflow is the Better Fit
- Direct database access: You want your app to enqueue work with
ow.runWorkflow. Workers use the same database to pick up runs and save progress. - SQLite: You want a local database file for development or a single-server app, with PostgreSQL available when you need multiple servers.
When Inngest is the Right Call
- Event routing: You want one event to trigger several functions.
- Flow controls: You need concurrency limits by customer or resource, throttling around API limits, or debouncing when events arrive in bursts. OpenWorkflow’s worker concurrency setting does not yet provide those controls.
- Managed orchestration: You want functions to stay in your existing serverless deployments. Inngest Cloud handles the orchestration server.