> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://praison.ai/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Robustness

> Build resilient AI workflows with graceful degradation and debugging

Build production-ready workflows that continue when optional steps fail and leave an execution trace for debugging.

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
from praisonaiagents import Agent, Task, AgentFlow

researcher = Agent(name="researcher", instructions="Research topics thoroughly")
enricher = Agent(name="enricher", instructions="Add real-world examples")

workflow = AgentFlow(
    steps=[
        Task(description="Research AI trends", agent=researcher, max_retries=3, retry_delay=1.0),
        Task(description="Add examples", agent=enricher, skip_on_failure=True, retry_delay=0.5),
    ],
    history=True,
)
result = workflow.start("AI agents 2025")
```

The user starts a multi-step workflow; optional steps can fail without aborting the run, with execution history for debugging.

```mermaid theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
graph LR
    Input[Input] --> Task1[Task 1]
    Task1 --> |Success| Task2[Task 2]
    Task1 --> |Fail + skip_on_failure| Task2
    Task2 --> |Retry with delay| Task2
    Task2 --> Output[Output]

    classDef agent fill:#8B0000,stroke:#7C90A0,color:#fff
    classDef tool fill:#189AB4,stroke:#7C90A0,color:#fff
    classDef output fill:#10B981,stroke:#7C90A0,color:#fff

    class Input,Output agent
    class Task1,Task2 tool
```

## How It Works

```mermaid theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant Agent
    participant Feature as Robustness

    User->>Agent: Request
    Agent->>Feature: Process request
    Feature-->>Agent: Result    Agent-->>User: Response
```

## Quick Start

<Steps>
  <Step title="Simple Usage">
    ```python theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
    from praisonaiagents import Agent, Task, AgentFlow

    researcher = Agent(name="researcher", instructions="Research topics thoroughly")
    enricher = Agent(name="enricher", instructions="Add real-world examples")

    workflow = AgentFlow(
        steps=[
            Task(description="Research AI trends", agent=researcher, max_retries=3, retry_delay=1.0),
            Task(description="Add examples", agent=enricher, skip_on_failure=True),
        ],
        history=True,
    )
    result = workflow.start("AI agents 2025")
    history = workflow.get_history()
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="With Configuration">
    Full YAML with retries, optional steps, and execution history:

    ```yaml theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
    name: Robust Workflow
    history: true

    steps:
      - agent: researcher
        action: Research AI trends
        max_retries: 3
        retry_delay: 1.0

      - agent: enricher
        action: Add examples
        skip_on_failure: true
        retry_delay: 0.5
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Configuration Options

| Param             | Type    | Default | Description                           |
| ----------------- | ------- | ------- | ------------------------------------- |
| `skip_on_failure` | `bool`  | `False` | Continue workflow if this task fails  |
| `retry_delay`     | `float` | `0.0`   | Seconds between retries               |
| `max_retries`     | `int`   | `3`     | Maximum retry attempts                |
| `history`         | `bool`  | `False` | Enable execution trace on `AgentFlow` |

***

## Task Parameters

### skip\_on\_failure

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
task = Task(
    description="Optional data enrichment",
    skip_on_failure=True,
    agent=enricher,
)
```

### retry\_delay

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
task = Task(
    description="API call with rate limiting",
    retry_delay=2.0,
    max_retries=5,
    agent=api_agent,
)
```

***

## Workflow History

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
workflow = AgentFlow(steps=[task1, task2], history=True)
result = workflow.start("input")

for entry in workflow.get_history():
    print(f"{entry['step']}: {'ok' if entry['success'] else 'failed'}")
    if entry.get("error"):
        print(f"  Error: {entry['error']}")
```

| Field       | Type   | Description                  |
| ----------- | ------ | ---------------------------- |
| `step`      | `str`  | Step or agent name           |
| `timestamp` | `str`  | ISO timestamp                |
| `success`   | `bool` | Whether the step succeeded   |
| `output`    | `str`  | Truncated output (500 chars) |
| `error`     | `str`  | Error message if failed      |

***

## Conditional Branching

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"vitesse-light","dark":"vitesse-dark"}}
from praisonaiagents import AgentFlow, when

workflow = AgentFlow(steps=[
    scorer_agent,
    when(
        condition="{{score}} > 80",
        then_steps=[approve_agent],
        else_steps=[reject_agent],
    ),
])
```

<Warning>
  `if_()` is deprecated. Use `when()` instead.
</Warning>

***

## Best Practices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Mark optional steps with skip_on_failure">
    Enhancement and enrichment tasks should not block the main workflow path.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Use higher retry_delay for rate-limited APIs">
    Set `retry_delay=2.0` or more when calling external APIs with throttling.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Enable history during development">
    Always set `history=True` while building workflows — inspect `get_history()` after failures.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Separate critical from optional in YAML">
    Keep required steps strict (`skip_on_failure: false`) and flag enrichers as optional explicitly.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Workflows" icon="diagram-project" href="/docs/features/workflows">
    Workflow patterns and orchestration
  </Card>

  <Card title="Workflow Error Recovery" icon="shield-halved" href="/docs/features/workflow-error-recovery">
    Recover from workflow failures gracefully
  </Card>
</CardGroup>