Workflow Signals

Workflows can pause and wait for external input using signals. The wait_for_signal() and wait_for_signals() builder methods insert steps that block the workflow until your application, an operator, or another system sends the expected signal via Queuety::signal().

For human-in-the-loop flows, Queuety also includes:

wait_for_approval() for a namespaced approval payload
wait_for_input() for structured human input
wait_for_decision() for explicit approve/reject outcomes

For a bigger end-to-end example that combines agent runs with human gates, see Agent Orchestration.

The `->wait_for_signal()` method

Add a signal wait step to a workflow:

use Queuety\Queuety;

$workflow_id = Queuety::workflow( 'content_approval' )
    ->then( DraftContentHandler::class )
    ->wait_for_signal( 'approved' )
    ->then( PublishContentHandler::class )
    ->dispatch( [ 'post_id' => 99 ] );

When the workflow reaches the wait_for_signal step, it sets its status to waiting_for_signal and pauses. No jobs are running and no resources are consumed while waiting.

By default, a single signal payload is merged into the top-level workflow state. If you want the payload namespaced instead, pass a result_key:

$workflow_id = Queuety::workflow( 'content_approval' )
    ->then( DraftContentHandler::class )
    ->wait_for_signal( 'approved', 'approval' )
    ->then( PublishContentHandler::class )
    ->dispatch( [ 'post_id' => 99 ] );

After the signal arrives, $state['approval'] contains the signal payload array.

Waiting for multiple signals

Use wait_for_signals() when the workflow should unblock on several possible signals, or when it must collect all required signals before continuing.

use Queuety\Enums\WaitMode;

$workflow_id = Queuety::workflow( 'moderation_gate' )
    ->then( SubmitForReviewHandler::class )
    ->wait_for_signals(
        [ 'editor_approved', 'legal_approved' ],
        WaitMode::All,
        'approvals'
    )
    ->then( PublishContentHandler::class )
    ->dispatch();

WaitMode::All waits until every configured signal has been recorded.
WaitMode::Any resumes as soon as the first configured signal arrives.

With a result_key, a multi-signal wait stores an associative array keyed by signal name:

[
    'editor_approved' => [ 'by' => 'editor@example.com' ],
    'legal_approved' => [ 'by' => 'legal@example.com' ],
]

Without a result_key, the matched signal payloads are merged into top-level state in the order the step was configured.

Matching and correlation

Signal waits can ignore unrelated events by matching payload content or correlating on a shared key.

$workflow_id = Queuety::workflow( 'review_gate' )
    ->wait_for_signal(
        name: 'review_ready',
        result_key: 'review',
        match_payload: [ 'source' => 'editorial' ],
        correlation_key: 'task_id',
    )
    ->dispatch( [ 'task_id' => 'task-42' ] );

In that example, the wait only resumes when:

the signal name is review_ready
the payload contains source: editorial
the payload task_id matches $state['task_id']

This is useful when several external systems or agents publish the same event names but only one payload belongs to the current workflow run.

Human approval and input helpers

wait_for_approval() and wait_for_input() are convenience wrappers around signal waits. They behave like wait_for_signal() but default to a namespaced result key.

$workflow_id = Queuety::workflow( 'blog_review' )
    ->then( GenerateDraftHandler::class )
    ->wait_for_approval()
    ->wait_for_input()
    ->then( HandleDecisionHandler::class )
    ->dispatch();

After the approval signal, $state['approval'] contains the approval payload. After the input signal, $state['input'] contains the input payload.

Use wait_for_decision() when you want a single step to resume on either approval or rejection:

$workflow_id = Queuety::workflow( 'legal_review' )
    ->then( DraftContractHandler::class )
    ->wait_for_decision( result_key: 'review' )
    ->then( HandleReviewDecisionHandler::class )
    ->dispatch();

After the signal arrives, $state['review'] contains:

[
    'outcome' => 'approved', // or 'rejected'
    'signal'  => 'approved', // or 'rejected'
    'data'    => [ 'reviewer' => 'ops@example.com' ],
]

Sending a signal

Send a signal to a workflow using Queuety::signal():

Queuety::signal( $workflow_id, 'approved' );

When the signal matches the one the workflow is waiting for, the workflow resumes and advances to the next step.

For human-in-the-loop flows, the facade also exposes semantic helpers:

Queuety::approve_workflow( $workflow_id, [ 'reviewer' => 'editor@example.com' ] );
Queuety::reject_workflow( $workflow_id, [ 'reason' => 'needs citations' ] );
Queuety::submit_workflow_input( $workflow_id, [ 'notes' => 'Ship after copy edit' ] );

Signal data

You can pass a data array with the signal. The data is merged into the workflow state, making it available to subsequent steps:

Queuety::signal( $workflow_id, 'approved', [
    'approved_by' => 'admin@example.com',
    'approved_at' => time(),
] );

In the next step:

class PublishContentHandler implements Step {
    public function handle( array $state ): array {
        // $state['approved_by'] is 'admin@example.com'
        // $state['approved_at'] is the timestamp
        // $state['post_id'] is 99
        wp_update_post( [
            'ID'          => $state['post_id'],
            'post_status' => 'publish',
        ] );
        return [ 'published' => true ];
    }

    public function config(): array {
        return [];
    }
}

Keys that start with _ (underscore) are reserved for internal use and are not merged into the state.

Pre-existing signals

Signals can be sent before the workflow reaches the wait step. When a signal arrives, it is recorded in the queuety_signals table regardless of the workflow's current status. When the workflow later reaches the wait_for_signal step, it checks for pre-existing signals and continues immediately if one is found.

This means the order does not matter:

// Dispatch workflow
$workflow_id = Queuety::workflow( 'order_fulfillment' )
    ->then( PrepareOrderHandler::class )
    ->wait_for_signal( 'payment_confirmed' )
    ->then( ShipOrderHandler::class )
    ->dispatch( [ 'order_id' => 123 ] );

// Signal arrives before the workflow reaches the wait step
Queuety::signal( $workflow_id, 'payment_confirmed', [ 'transaction_id' => 'txn_abc' ] );

// When the workflow finishes PrepareOrderHandler and reaches the wait step,
// it sees the pre-existing signal and continues immediately.

Workflow status during signal wait

While waiting for a signal, the workflow status is WorkflowStatus::WaitingForSignal (waiting_for_signal):

$state = Queuety::workflow_status( $workflow_id );
echo $state->status->value; // 'waiting_for_signal'
echo $state->wait_type;     // 'signal'
echo $state->wait_mode;     // 'all' or 'any'
print_r( $state->waiting_for ); // ['approved']
print_r( $state->wait_details ); // matched/remaining, correlation info, result key, ...

Use case: human approval

Build an approval workflow where a human reviewer must approve content before it goes live:

$workflow_id = Queuety::workflow( 'blog_review' )
    ->then( GenerateDraftHandler::class )
    ->then( NotifyReviewerHandler::class )
    ->wait_for_decision( result_key: 'review' )
    ->then( HandleDecisionHandler::class )
    ->dispatch( [ 'topic' => 'PHP middleware patterns' ] );

The NotifyReviewerHandler sends an email or Slack message with approve/reject links. Those links call your controller, which sends the signal:

// In your approval controller
Queuety::approve_workflow(
    $workflow_id,
    [
        'reviewer'    => $current_user->user_email,
        'reviewed_at' => time(),
    ],
    'approved'
);

The HandleDecisionHandler step reads $state['review']['outcome'] and either publishes or archives the draft.

Use case: external API callback

Wait for a webhook from an external service:

$workflow_id = Queuety::workflow( 'generate_video' )
    ->then( SubmitToRenderServiceHandler::class )
    ->wait_for_signal( 'render_complete' )
    ->then( DownloadVideoHandler::class )
    ->then( NotifyUserHandler::class )
    ->dispatch( [ 'template_id' => 'promo_v2', 'user_id' => 42 ] );

When the external service posts to your webhook endpoint:

// In your webhook handler
$payload = json_decode( file_get_contents( 'php://input' ), true );
$workflow_id = (int) $payload['metadata']['workflow_id'];

Queuety::signal( $workflow_id, 'render_complete', [
    'video_url'  => $payload['output_url'],
    'duration'   => $payload['duration_seconds'],
] );

Multiple signal gates in one workflow

A workflow can wait for signals at multiple points:

Queuety::workflow( 'multi_approval' )
    ->then( CreateProposalHandler::class )
    ->wait_for_signal( 'manager_approval' )
    ->then( EscalateToDirectorHandler::class )
    ->wait_for_signal( 'director_approval' )
    ->then( ExecuteProposalHandler::class )
    ->dispatch( [ 'proposal_id' => 7 ] );

Each signal wait step is independent. You can mix wait_for_signal(), wait_for_signals(), wait_for_approval(), wait_for_input(), and wait_for_decision() in the same workflow.

On this page