Watch the explanation. Practice the skill.
Reliable workflows and agents
Recover repeated work without causing duplicate effects.
Captions appear here during playback.
Reliable workflows and agents
Recover repeated work without causing duplicate effects.
Video playback is unavailable. Read the descriptive transcript below, go directly to practice, or open the video file.
Source-based teaching example · Fictional data · Reviewed 2026-10-03. Microsoft Mark · locally synthesized. On a small screen, use fullscreen for diagram details or read the transcript.
Read the descriptive transcript
0:00 · What you will learn
Recover repeated work without causing duplicate effects.
What appears on screen
Recover repeated work without causing duplicate effects.
0:06 · The idea
Record an operation’s identity and intended effect. Replaying the same operation should not duplicate that effect. Durable recovery also needs a storage and reconciliation design.
What appears on screen
Record an operation’s identity and intended effect. Replaying the same operation should not duplicate that effect. Durable recovery also needs a storage and reconciliation design.
0:21 · One useful term
Idempotency key. An identifier used to recognize repeated attempts at the same intended operation.
What appears on screen
An identifier used to recognize repeated attempts at the same intended operation.
0:30 · A worked example
The simulated workflow records an action and crashes before acknowledging its message. Replay uses the same key and does not duplicate the action. Changed intent is rejected.
What appears on screen
The simulated workflow records an action and crashes before acknowledging its message. Replay uses the same key and does not duplicate the action. Changed intent is rejected.
0:45 · Your turn to think
Does an in-memory exercise prove recovery after a real process restart? Pause and decide before continuing.
What appears on screen
Does an in-memory exercise prove recovery after a real process restart? Pause the video if you need more time.
1:03 · Why this answer works
No. Memory disappears with the process. Persistent storage and reconciliation need separate design and tests.
What appears on screen
No. Memory disappears with the process. Persistent storage and reconciliation need separate design and tests.
1:14 · Check 1
Test identical replay and changed intent.
What appears on screen
Test identical replay and changed intent.
1:19 · Check 2
Keep approvals in reliable state.
What appears on screen
Keep approvals in reliable state.
1:25 · Check 3
Distinguish simulation from durable recovery.
What appears on screen
Distinguish simulation from durable recovery.
1:30 · Now try a different case
Open the lesson and try its different practice case. Use every check in the full task. Watching alone does not mark the lesson complete.
What appears on screen
Open the lesson Try the new case Check and revise The full task and its requirements are in the linked lesson.
Watching explains the example. Complete the lesson practice to check what you can do. Explore all visual lessons →