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Activity Dependencies

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Activity dependencies control the execution order of activities within a phase. Properly configuring dependencies ensures activities execute in the correct sequence.

What are Activity Dependencies?​

Activity dependencies define which activities must complete before another activity can start. They ensure:

  • Correct execution order
  • Prerequisites are met
  • Data and artifacts are available
  • Validation occurs in proper sequence

Dependency Types​

Sequential Dependencies​

One activity must complete before another starts:

phase:
  activities:
    - activity: AutoPipe
      id: AutoPipe
      name: AutoPipe90
      depends-on: []
    - activity: AutoPipe
      id: AutoPipe12
      name: AutoPipe12
      depends-on:
        - AutoPipe

Execution Flow:

Build → Test → Deploy

Parallel Execution​

Activities with no dependencies can run in parallel:

phase:
  activities:
    - activity: AutoPipe
      id: AutoPipe
      name: AutoPipe90
      depends-on: []
    - activity: AutoPipe
      id: ManualTestUIUI
      name: ManualTestUIUI
      description: doc
      depends-on: []

Execution Flow:

Build Service A ─┐
Build Service B ─┼→ Integration Test
Build Service C ─┘

Conditional Dependencies​

Dependencies that depend on conditions:

phase:
  activities:
    - activity: AutoPipe
      id: AutoPipe12
      name: AutoPipe12
      depends-on:
        - AutoPipe
    - activity: AutoPipe
      id: TestActivity00
      name: TestActivity00
      depends-on:
        - AutoPipe12
      if: <+90>

Dependency Configuration​

Basic Dependency​

Simple dependency declaration:

activity:
  name: "Activity B"
  depends-on:
    - ActivityA

Multiple Dependencies​

Activity depends on multiple activities:

An activity can list multiple prerequisite activity IDs under depends-on.

Common Dependency Patterns​

Linear Chain​

Sequential activities in a chain:

Activity 1 → Activity 2 → Activity 3 → Activity 4

Best Practices​

Minimize Dependencies​

Only add necessary dependencies:

  • Recommended: Essential prerequisites
  • Avoid: Unnecessary blocking

Clear Dependency Logic​

Make dependencies explicit and understandable:

  • Use descriptive activity names
  • Document dependency reasons
  • Avoid implicit dependencies

Optimize for Parallelism​

Structure dependencies to enable parallel execution:

  • Identify independent activities
  • Minimize sequential bottlenecks
  • Group related dependencies

Validate Early​

Check dependencies during process creation:

  • Validate dependency chains
  • Detect cycles
  • Identify unreachable activities

Troubleshooting​

Activity Not Starting​

Check:

  • All dependencies completed successfully
  • No blocking conditions
  • Activity is not skipped
  • No errors in dependencies

Unexpected Execution Order​

Verify:

  • Dependency configuration
  • Conditional logic
  • Parallel execution settings
  • Activity status