feat(workflow): add optional precheck gate to skip empty runs - #2303
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Adds a workflow-level `precheck` evalexpr gate evaluated once at run start,
before any step executes. When it evaluates to false the run short-circuits
with zero step actions (no messages, webhooks, or agent turns) and returns a
completed result with a skipped-precheck trace entry.
This lets a scheduled poller workflow ("every 15m, if there's new work, have
an agent summarize it") cheaply skip empty ticks instead of spinning up the
step chain each time — the same zero-cost-gate pattern we contributed to the
OpenClaw and Hermes cron systems.
- Additive: workflows without `precheck` are unchanged (serde default None).
- Reuses the existing `evaluate_condition` machinery (4 KB expr cap + 100 ms
timeout), so no new execution surface and no shell — same safety envelope
as step `if:` conditions.
- Fail-open: a precheck that errors runs the steps (a bad gate never silently
disables a workflow) and logs a warning.
- Tests: precheck field parse + JSON round-trip + default-None.
Refs block#2297
Signed-off-by: Bartok9 <danielrpike9@gmail.com>
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Refs #2297
Problem
Schedule-triggered workflows fire on a cron/interval. Today the only convergence control is per-stepif:conditions. A poller workflow ("every 15m, check X, and if there's new work have an agent summarize it") still spins up the step chain — and any agent/webhook/message action — on every tick even when there's nothing to do. On a busy relay with many scheduled agent workflows that's a real, silent cost and a source of empty-run channel noise.Why it matters
Buzz makes agents first-class; scheduled agent workflows are a natural pattern. A cheap gate that decides whether there's work before doing expensive work makes them affordable and quiet. This is the same zero-cost-gate idea we contributed to the OpenClaw (
job.precheck) and Hermes (NO_WORKwake gate) cron systems.What this adds
A workflow-level
precheckevalexpr gate, evaluated once at run start, before any step:precheckfalse → run short-circuits with zero step actions, returnsCompletedwith a skipped-precheck trace entry.precheck→ unchanged behavior (serde defaultNone).Design / safety
evaluate_condition— inherits the same 4 KB expression cap + 100 ms timeout envelope as stepif:. No new execution surface, no shell.if:.How to test
The gate's decision uses the same
evaluate_conditionprimitive that's already covered by the executor condition tests (condition_*).Notes / open to maintainer direction
if:" for clean single-skip semantics + a place to hang a skipped metric later.Scheduletriggers only, or add a dedicated skipped run-status/metric, if preferred (see issue [Proposal] Scheduled-workflow precheck gate: skip runs with zero token/action cost #2297 comment).Signed-off-by DCO.