Explaining the state machine used by FlytePropeller and Flyte (#903)

* Explaining the state machine used by FlytePropeller and Flyte

 - this document helps to explain the various states a workflow, node
and task transitions through.
 - TODO add a small table that helps users understand what a state in
the UI represents

Signed-off-by: Ketan Umare <[email protected]>

* updated docs (addressed comments)

Signed-off-by: Ketan Umare <[email protected]>

* comments addressed - image for nodes improved

Signed-off-by: Ketan Umare <[email protected]>
Signed-off-by: Haytham Abuelfutuh <[email protected]>

rsts/dive_deep/index.rst

@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ Execution Time Details
     :maxdepth: 1
 
     executions
+    state_machine
     execution_timeline
     observability
     dynamic_spec

rsts/dive_deep/state_machine.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+.. _divedeep-state-machine:
+
+#################################################
+Understanding the State Transition in a workflow
+#################################################
+
+High Level Overview of how a Workflow progresses to Success
+============================================================
+
+.. image:: https://mermaid.ink/img/eyJjb2RlIjoic3RhdGVEaWFncmFtLXYyXG4gICAgWypdIC0tPiBSZWFkeVxuICAgIFJlYWR5IC0tPiBSdW5uaW5nXG4gICAgUnVubmluZyAtLT4gU3VjY2Vzc1xuXG4gICAgc3RhdGUgUnVubmluZyB7XG4gICAgICBbKl0gLS0-IE5vZGVRdWV1ZWRcbiAgICAgIE5vZGVRdWV1ZWQgLS0-IE5vZGVSdW5uaW5nXG4gICAgICBOb2RlUnVubmluZyAtLT4gTm9kZVN1Y2Nlc3NcblxuICAgICAgc3RhdGUgTm9kZVJ1bm5pbmcge1xuICAgICAgICBbKl0gLS0-IFRhc2tRdWV1ZWRcbiAgICAgICAgVGFza1F1ZXVlZCAtLT4gVGFza1J1bm5pbmdcbiAgICAgICAgVGFza1J1bm5pbmcgLS0-IFRhc2tTdWNjZXNzXG4gICAgICB9XG4gICAgfVxuXG4iLCJtZXJtYWlkIjp7fSwidXBkYXRlRWRpdG9yIjpmYWxzZX0
+    :alt: Happy case for a workflow with one node and one task.
+
+This State diagram illustrates an extremely high level, simplistic view of the state transitions that a Workflow, with a single node and one task will go through as the observer observes success.
+
+The following section explains in detail the various observable (and some hidden) states for a workflow, node and tasks state transitions.
+
+
+Workflow States
+================
+
+.. image:: https://mermaid.ink/img/eyJjb2RlIjoic3RhdGVEaWFncmFtLXYyXG4gICAgWypdIC0tPiBBYm9ydGVkIDogT24gc3lzdGVtIGVycm9ycyBtb3JlIHRoYW4gdGhyZXNob2xkXG4gICAgWypdIC0tPiBSZWFkeVxuICAgIFJlYWR5IC0tPiBSdW5uaW5nIDogV3JpdGUgaW5wdXRzIHRvIHdvcmtmbG93XG4gICAgUnVubmluZyAtLT4gUnVubmluZyA6IE9uIHN5c3RlbSBlcnJvclxuICAgIFJ1bm5pbmcgLS0-IFN1Y2NlZWRpbmcgOiBPbiBhbGwgTm9kZXMgU3VjY2Vzc1xuICAgIFN1Y2NlZWRpbmcgLS0-IFN1Y2NlZWRlZCA6IE9uIHN1Y2Nlc3NmdWwgZXZlbnQgc2VuZCB0byBBZG1pblxuICAgIFN1Y2NlZWRpbmcgLS0-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
+    :alt: The State diagram above illustrates the various states through which a workflow transitions. This is the core finite state machine (FSM) of a Workflow.
+
+The State diagram above illustrates the various states through which a Workflow transitions. This is the core Finite state machine of a Workflow.
+
+A Workflow always starts in the Ready State and ends either in Failed, Succeeded or Aborted state.
+Any system error within a state causes a retry on that state. These retries are capped by system retries and will eventually lead to an Aborted state.
+
+Every transition between states is recorded in Flyteadmin using :std:ref:`gen/pb-protodoc/flyteidl/event/event.proto:flyteidl.event.workflowexecutionevent`
+
+The phases in the above state diagram are captured in the Admin database as specified here :std:ref:`api_enum_flyteidl.core.workflowexecution.phase` and are sent as part of the Execution Event.
+
+The state machine specification for the illustration can be found `here <https://mermaid-js.github.io/mermaid-live-editor/#/edit/eyJjb2RlIjoic3RhdGVEaWFncmFtLXYyXG4gICAgWypdIC0tPiBBYm9ydGVkIDogT24gc3lzdGVtIGVycm9ycyBtb3JlIHRoYW4gdGhyZXNob2xkXG4gICAgWypdIC0tPiBSZWFkeVxuICAgIFJlYWR5IC0tPiBSdW5uaW5nIDogV3JpdGUgaW5wdXRzIHRvIHdvcmtmbG93XG4gICAgUnVubmluZyAtLT4gUnVubmluZyA6IE9uIHN5c3RlbSBlcnJvclxuICAgIFJ1bm5pbmcgLS0-IFN1Y2NlZWRpbmcgOiBPbiBhbGwgTm9kZXMgU3VjY2Vzc1xuICAgIFN1Y2NlZWRpbmcgLS0-IFN1Y2NlZWRlZCA6IE9uIHN1Y2Nlc3NmdWwgZXZlbnQgc2VuZCB0byBBZG1pblxuICAgIFN1Y2NlZWRpbmcgLS0-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>`_
+
+
+Node States
+================
+
+.. image:: https://mermaid.ink/img/eyJjb2RlIjoic3RhdGVEaWFncmFtLXYyXG4gICAgWypdIC0tPiBOb3RZZXRTdGFydGVkXG4gICAgWypdIC0tPiBBYm9ydGVkIDogV2lsbCBzdG9wIHRoZSBub2RlIGV4ZWN1dGlvblxuICAgIE5vdFlldFN0YXJ0ZWQgLS0-IFF1ZXVlZCA6IElmIGFsbCB1cHN0cmVhbSBub2RlcyBhcmUgcmVhZHkgaS5lLCBpbnB1dHMgYXJlIHJlYWR5XG4gICAgTm90WWV0U3RhcnRlZCAtLT4gU2tpcHBlZCA6IElmIHRoZSBicmFuY2ggd2FzIG5vdCB0YWtlblxuICAgIFF1ZXVlZCAtLT4gUnVubmluZyA6IFN0YXJ0IHRhc2sgZXhlY3V0aW9uIC0gYXR0ZW1wdCAwXG4gICAgUnVubmluZyAtLT4gVGltaW5nT3V0IDogSWYgdGFzayB0aW1lb3V0IGhhcyBlbGFwc2VkIGFuZCByZXRyeV9hdHRlbXB0cyA-PSBtYXhfcmV0cmllc1xuICAgIFRpbWluZ091dCAtLT4gVGltZWRPdXQgOiBJdCB0b3RhbCBub2RlIHRpbWVvdXQgaGFzIGVsYXBzZWRcbiAgICBSdW5uaW5nIC0tPiBSZXRyeWFibGVGYWlsdXJlIDogb24gcmV0cnlhYmxlIGZhaWx1cmVcbiAgICBSZXRyeWFibGVGYWlsdXJlIC0tPiBSdW5uaW5nIDogaWYgcmV0cnlfYXR0ZW1wdHMgPCBtYXhfcmV0cmllc1xuICAgIFJldHJ5YWJsZUZhaWx1cmUgLS0-IEZhaWxpbmcgOiByZXRyeV9hdHRlbXB0cyA-PSBtYXhfcmV0cmllc1xuICAgIEZhaWxpbmcgLS0-IEZhaWxlZFxuICAgIFJ1bm5pbmcgLS0-IFN1Y2NlZWRpbmcgOiBJbnRlcm5hbCBzdGF0ZVxuICAgIFN1Y2NlZWRpbmcgLS0-IFN1Y2NlZWRlZCA6IFVzZXIgb2JzZXJ2ZXMgdGhlIHRhc2sgYXMgc3VjY2VlZGVkXG4gICAgU3VjY2VlZGVkIC0tPiBbKl1cbiAgICBGYWlsZWQgLS0-IFsqXVxuIiwibWVybWFpZCI6e30sInVwZGF0ZUVkaXRvciI6ZmFsc2V9
+    :alt: The State diagram above illustrates the various states through which a Node transitions. This is the core FSM for a Node.
+
+The state diagram above illustrates the various states through which a Node transitions. This is the core FSM for a Node.
+From a user's point of view, a Workflow simply consists of a sequence of tasks. But to Flyte, a Workflow internally creates a meta entity called a
+
+Once a Workflow enters a ``Running`` state, it triggers the phantom ``start node`` of the workflow. The Start node is always the entry node of any workflow. The start node starts executing all its child-nodes using a modified DepthFirst Search algorithm recursively.
+
+Nodes can be of different types, as follows, but all the nodes traverse through the same transitions
+
+#. Start Node - Only exists during the execution and is not modeled in the core spec
+#. :std:ref:`gen/pb-protodoc/flyteidl/core/workflow.proto:flyteidl.core.tasknode`
+#. :std:ref:`gen/pb-protodoc/flyteidl/core/workflow.proto:flyteidl.core.branchnode`
+#. :std:ref:`gen/pb-protodoc/flyteidl/core/workflow.proto:flyteidl.core.workflownode`
+#. Dynamic node - which is just a task node that does not return outputs, but futures.
+#. End Node - only exists during the execution and is not modeled in the core spec
+
+Every transition between states is recorded in Flyteadmin using :std:ref:`gen/pb-protodoc/flyteidl/event/event.proto:flyteidl.event.nodeexecutionevent`
+
+Every NodeExecutionEvent can have one of the :std:ref:`api_enum_flyteidl.core.nodeexecution.phase`
+
+.. note:: TODO add explanation for each phase
+
+The state machine specification for the illustration can be found `here <https://mermaid-js.github.io/mermaid-live-editor/#/edit/eyJjb2RlIjoic3RhdGVEaWFncmFtLXYyXG4gICAgWypdIC0tPiBOb3RZZXRTdGFydGVkXG4gICAgWypdIC0tPiBBYm9ydGVkIDogV2lsbCBzdG9wIHRoZSBub2RlIGV4ZWN1dGlvblxuICAgIE5vdFlldFN0YXJ0ZWQgLS0-IFF1ZXVlZCA6IElmIGFsbCB1cHN0cmVhbSBub2RlcyBhcmUgcmVhZHkgaS5lLCBpbnB1dHMgYXJlIHJlYWR5XG4gICAgTm90WWV0U3RhcnRlZCAtLT4gU2tpcHBlZCA6IElmIHRoZSBicmFuY2ggd2FzIG5vdCB0YWtlblxuICAgIFF1ZXVlZCAtLT4gUnVubmluZyA6IFN0YXJ0IHRhc2sgZXhlY3V0aW9uIC0gYXR0ZW1wdCAwXG4gICAgUnVubmluZyAtLT4gVGltaW5nT3V0IDogSWYgdGFzayB0aW1lb3V0IGhhcyBlbGFwc2VkIGFuZCByZXRyeV9hdHRlbXB0cyA-PSBtYXhfcmV0cmllc1xuICAgIFRpbWluZ091dCAtLT4gVGltZWRPdXQgOiBJdCB0b3RhbCBub2RlIHRpbWVvdXQgaGFzIGVsYXBzZWRcbiAgICBSdW5uaW5nIC0tPiBSZXRyeWFibGVGYWlsdXJlIDogb24gcmV0cnlhYmxlIGZhaWx1cmVcbiAgICBSZXRyeWFibGVGYWlsdXJlIC0tPiBSdW5uaW5nIDogaWYgcmV0cnlfYXR0ZW1wdHMgPCBtYXhfcmV0cmllc1xuICAgIFJldHJ5YWJsZUZhaWx1cmUgLS0-IEZhaWxpbmcgOiByZXRyeV9hdHRlbXB0cyA-PSBtYXhfcmV0cmllc1xuICAgIEZhaWxpbmcgLS0-IEZhaWxlZFxuICAgIFJ1bm5pbmcgLS0-IFN1Y2NlZWRpbmcgOiBJbnRlcm5hbCBzdGF0ZVxuICAgIFN1Y2NlZWRpbmcgLS0-IFN1Y2NlZWRlZCA6IFVzZXIgb2JzZXJ2ZXMgdGhlIHRhc2sgYXMgc3VjY2VlZGVkXG4gICAgU3VjY2VlZGVkIC0tPiBbKl1cbiAgICBGYWlsZWQgLS0-IFsqXVxuIiwibWVybWFpZCI6e30sInVwZGF0ZUVkaXRvciI6ZmFsc2V9>`_
+
+Task States
+================
+
+.. image:: https://mermaid.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
+    :alt: The State diagram above illustrates the various states through which a Task transitions. This is the core FSM for any Task in Flyte.
+
+The State diagram above illustrates the various states through which a Task transitions.
+
+Every transition between states is recorded in Flyteadmin using :std:ref:`gen/pb-protodoc/flyteidl/event/event.proto:flyteidl.event.taskexecutionevent`
+
+Every TaskExecutionEvent can have one of the :std:ref:`api_enum_flyteidl.core.taskexecution.phase`
+
+.. note:: TODO add explanation for each phase
+
+The state machine specification for the illustration can be found `here <https://mermaid-js.github.io/mermaid-live-editor/#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>`_