Operations

Temporal Cloud rate limits operations per second (OPS) per namespace. An operation is anything 1. a user does directly, or 2. Temporal does on behalf of the user in the background that results in load on Temporal Server. The exception is visibility queries: they do hit the Server (the query is passed from the server to the visibility store), but primarily the load is on the visibility system. Visibility rate limits are separate from OPS rate limits.

Below is the list of operations, including:

• operation name
• description
• priority level (lower is higher priority)
• effect of that operation being throttled

Operation ↕	Priority Level ↑	Description ↕	Effect of Throttling ↕
DeprecateNamespace	0	Marks a namespace as deprecated in cluster metadata.	Clients still see it as active.
DescribeNamespace	0	Returns namespace configuration.	Admin read waits.
GetClusterInfo	0	Returns information about cluster capabilities and versions.	CLI/API calls take longer.
GetSearchAttributes	0	Lists custom search attribute definitions.	SDK/CLI wait.
GetSystemInfo	0	Returns system build & feature info.	Diagnostic call delayed.
ListNamespaces	0	Lists all namespaces in the cluster.	UI/CLI list paginates slower.
CompleteNexusOperation	1	Finalises a Nexus operation after worker response.	External call clean‑up/commit delayed.
CreateSchedule	1	Creates a Temporal Schedule (cron‑like trigger).	Client/SDK receives ResourceExhaustedError, leading to backoff and retry.
DispatchByEndpoint	1	Routes a Nexus task to workers by endpoint name.	Task routing latencies increase.
DispatchByNamespaceAndTaskQueue	1	Routes a Nexus task by namespace and task queue.	Same: Nexus task starts later.
ExecuteMultiOperation	1	Runs a compound operation.	Operation is delayed
RecordActivityTaskHeartbeat	1	Worker heartbeat for an Activity (by task token).	Heartbeats delayed, risking false timeout.
RecordActivityTaskHeartbeatById	1	Same heartbeat call using Activity/Run IDs.	Same impact.
RespondActivityTaskCompleted	1	Worker returns Activity result.	Workflow next step delayed.
RespondActivityTaskCompletedById	1	Same by ID.	Same delay.
RespondNexusTaskCompleted	1	Worker returns Nexus task success.	External call completion delayed.
RespondQueryTaskCompleted	1	Worker returns query result.	Client waits longer.
RespondWorkflowTaskCompleted	1	Worker returns new commands after WFT.	Workflow commands applied later.
SignalWithStartWorkflowExecution	1	Signals an existing run or starts a new one with a signal.	Signal/start both delayed.
SignalWorkflowExecution	1	Sends an asynchronous signal to a workflow.	Signal arrives late.
StartBatchOperation	1	Starts a batch admin operation (e.g., bulk reset).	Batch begins later.
StartWorkflowExecution	1	Creates a new workflow run.	Start latency increases.
UpdateWorkflowExecution	1	Server‑side update (workflow update API).	Update is accepted later.
CreateWorkflowRule	2	Adds a worker build‑ID versioning rule for a task queue.	Client/SDK receives ResourceExhaustedError, leading to backoff and retry.
DeleteSchedule	2	Deletes an existing Schedule.	Schedule may keep firing briefly.
DeleteWorkerDeployment	2	Deletes a worker deployment record.	Stale deployment metadata persists longer.
DeleteWorkerDeploymentVersion	2	Deletes one build‑ID version entry under a deployment.	Version appears valid until task processed.
DeleteWorkflowExecution	2	Hard‑deletes workflow history and state.	Storage is freed later; data visible longer.
DeleteWorkflowRule	2	Deletes a worker build‑ID rule.	Rule continues to exist until task handled.
DescribeWorkflowRule	2	Reads a worker versioning rule.	Admin tools wait.
GetWorkflowExecutionHistory	2	Streams workflow history in forward order.	History load in UI/CLI is slow.
PatchSchedule	2	Modifies an existing Schedule (e.g., add interval).	Change becomes effective later.
PauseActivity	2	Server‑side API to pause a long‑running Activity.	Activity continues running until pause task processed.
RequestCancelWorkflowExecution	2	Client request to cancel a workflow.	Cancellation propagates later.
ResetActivity	2	Force‑restarts an Activity from scratch.	Activity keeps running before reset takes effect.
ResetWorkflowExecution	2	Server‑side rewind to past event and continue as new.	Workflow continues in old state.
RespondActivityTaskCanceled	2	Worker confirms Activity canceled.	Workflow waits for ack.
RespondWorkflowTaskFailed	2	Worker reports WFT failure.	Retry/new task creation delayed.
SetCurrentDeployment	2	Sets which worker deployment is current for a queue.	Version switch postponed.
SetCurrentDeploymentVersion	2	Sets current build‑ID version number.	Rollout holds.
SetWorkerDeploymentCurrentVersion	2	Sets version for a specific deployment.	Deployment stays on old version.
SetWorkerDeploymentRampingVersion	2	Sets percentage ramp for new version.	Canary rollout paused.
StopBatchOperation	2	Stops/cancels a batch operation.	Batch keeps working until task processed.
TerminateWorkflowExecution	2	Force‑terminates a workflow run.	Workflow continues running longer.
TriggerWorkflowRule	2	Manually triggers a worker build‑ID rule.	Trigger effect deferred.
UnpauseActivity	2	Resumes a previously paused Activity.	Activity remains paused longer.
UpdateActivityOptions	2	Updates retry/timeout options of a running Activity.	New options take effect later.
UpdateSchedule	2	Updates fields of an existing Schedule.	Updated schedule behavior delayed.
UpdateWorkerDeploymentVersionMetadata	2	Updates metadata on a deployment version.	Metadata remains outdated.
UpdateWorkflowExecutionOptions	2	Changes execution options (memo, search attributes).	Option changes visible later.
DescribeBatchOperation	3	Returns metadata for a batch operation.	Admin/UI read waits longer.
DescribeDeployment	3	Shows worker deployment details.	Info retrieval is delayed.
DescribeSchedule	3	Reads a Schedule's current state.	Call responds slower.
DescribeTaskQueue	3	Returns stats and configuration of a task queue.	Monitoring dashboards lag.
DescribeWorkerDeployment	3	Shows details of a specific worker deployment.	Same delay in status.
DescribeWorkerDeploymentVersion	3	Shows a particular build‑ID version record.	Detail retrieval delayed.
DescribeWorkflowExecution	3	Returns high‑level info for a workflow execution.	Diagnostics/CLI wait longer.
GetCurrentDeployment	3	Fetches the cluster‑wide current worker deployment.	Rollout tooling sees stale info.
GetWorkerBuildIdCompatibility	3	Returns build‑ID compatibility matrix for a task queue.	Rollout decisions wait.
GetWorkerVersioningRules	3	Lists worker versioning rules.	Admin listing delayed.
GetWorkflowExecutionHistoryReverse	3	Streams history in reverse order.	Same slower history read.
ListScheduleMatchingTimes	3	Computes future fire‑times for a Schedule.	Preview takes longer.
ListTaskQueuePartitions	3	Lists partitions backing a task queue.	Load‑balancing insight lag.
ListWorkerDeployments	3	Lists all worker deployments.	Deployment inventory delayed.
ListWorkflowRules	3	Lists all build‑ID versioning rules.	Admin list wait.
QueryWorkflow	3	Read‑only query on workflow state.	Caller receives result later.
RespondActivityTaskCanceledById	3	Same by ID.	Same wait.
RespondActivityTaskFailed	3	Worker reports Activity failure.	Retry/compensation delayed.
RespondActivityTaskFailedById	3	Same by ID.	Same delay.
RespondNexusTaskFailed	3	Worker returns Nexus task failure.	Error handling delayed.
ActivityRetryTimer	4	Internal timer that schedules the retry of a failed Activity execution.	Activity retry delayed.
PollActivityTaskQueue	4	Worker long‑poll for Activity tasks.	Activity poller receives ResourceExhaustedError, leading to automatic backoff and retry, which slows down activity task processing.
PollNexusTaskQueue	4	Worker long‑poll for Nexus tasks.	Nexus poller receives ResourceExhaustedError, leading to automatic backoff and retry, which slows down Nexus task processing.
PollWorkflowExecutionUpdate	4	Client poll for workflow‑update completion.	Client waits extra for result.
PollWorkflowTaskQueue	4	Worker long‑poll for Workflow Tasks.	Workflow task poller receives ResourceExhaustedError, leading to automatic backoff and retry, which slows down workflow progress.
ResetStickyTaskQueue	4	Clears workflow's sticky queue affinity.	Tasks stay bound to prior worker longer.
ShutdownWorker	4	Gracefully shuts down a running worker via server call.	Worker keeps running a bit longer.
StateMachineOutbound	4	Emits outbound commands generated by the new state‑machine core.	Commands queue up, deferring their side‑effects.
StateMachineTimer	4	Fires timers managed by the state‑machine core.	Timed events (e.g., sleeps) occur later.
TransferActivityTask	4	Dispatches an Activity task to a worker on its task queue.	Activity task scheduling is delayed.
TransferCancelExecution	4	Sends a cancel request to the target workflow.	Target workflow receives the cancel later.
TransferCloseExecution	4	Close a running workflow execution	Workflow remains open.
TransferResetWorkflow	4	Initiates a reset of a workflow's state/history.	Reset is postponed; old state continues.
TransferSignalExecution	4	Delivers a signal event to another workflow.	Signal arrives late, delaying downstream logic.
TransferStartChildExecution	4	Starts a configured child workflow run.	Child workflow starts later than expected.
TransferWorkflowTask	4	Schedules a Workflow Task for workers.	Workflow task scheduling is delayed.
UserTimer	4	Fires a user‑defined timer created inside a workflow.	User timer (including workflow sleep) fire event delayed.
VisibilityCloseExecution	4	Updates a closed workflow in Visibility store.	Closed workflow remains open in list workflow visibility API results until task is processed.
VisibilityStartExecution	4	Creates a record for the workflow in Visibility store.	New run is absent from lists in UI and CLI output until task processed.
VisibilityUpsertExecution	4	Updates search attributes for a workflow run.	Search attribute update is delayed.
WorkflowBackoffTimer	4	Timer that delays retry or continued‑as‑new start per backoff policy.	Workflow start delayed beyond intended backoff time.
ActivityTimeout	5	Marks an Activity as timed‑out when its deadline passes.	Activity task stays in-flight longer and timeout is delayed. If there is a retry, retry is also delayed.
WorkflowExecutionTimeout	5	Enforces the max total execution duration of a workflow.	Timeout of workflow execution chain is delayed.
WorkflowRunTimeout	5	Enforces timeout of an individual workflow run.	Timeout on workflow run is delayed.
WorkflowTaskTimeout	5	Times out a Workflow Task that a worker hasn't completed in time.	Timeout workflow task remains outstanding; retried workflow task is delayed.