Wait Node & Parelle Node Workflow Execution

[Mayank_Bhatia]

Hi n8n Community,

I’m building a workflow that requires precise timing coordination across multiple parallel branches.

Current Setup:

• 16 Wait nodes with times ranging from 5 minutes to 780 minutes (13 hours)
• All branches should execute in parallel but converge at a Join node expecting 17 inputs
• Workflow triggers from a form submission and needs to complete all actions over 13 hours
• Each branch performs different timed operations that must execute independently

Main Issues:

1. Parallel Execution Concerns:

   • Are 16 Wait nodes with long delays (65+ seconds) actually executing in parallel?[1][2]
   • My Join node expects 17 inputs - will they arrive simultaneously or sequentially?

2. Database Offloading Impact:

   • All my waits exceed 65 seconds, so they get offloaded to database[10][17]
   • Is this causing performance issues or execution delays?
   • Should I be concerned about database bloat with multiple concurrent workflows?

3. Reliability Questions:

   • If one Wait node fails, does it affect the entire workflow?
   • How reliable are very long waits (13+ hours) in production?[11][21]

4. Queue Mode Compatibility:

   • Will enabling queue mode improve parallel execution of my Wait nodes?[6]
   • Any specific configuration needed for long-running workflows?[7]
     Environment:

• n8n version: Version 1.102.4
• Deployment: Self Hosted

Workflow Structure:
Form Trigger → 16 parallel branches with Wait nodes (5min, 8min, 15min, 25min, 35min, 65min, 100min, 110min, 145min, 180min, 200min, 240min, 300min, 420min, 600min, 780min) → Join Node → Final Actions

Seeking Advice On:

1. Best Practices:

   • What’s the recommended maximum number of Wait nodes in a single workflow?
   • How do you handle very long delays (10+ hours) in production?[15]

2. Alternative Approaches:

   • Should I use external schedulers (cron jobs) instead of Wait nodes?
   • Any patterns for complex timing coordination workflows?

3. Performance Optimization:

   • Queue mode configuration for long-running workflows?[6][18]
   • Memory and database optimization tips?

4. Is my current approach fundamentally flawed for n8n’s execution model?[2][5]

5. What’s the most reliable way to handle 13-hour workflows with precise timing?

6. Should I be using Wait nodes at all for delays over 1 hour?[15]

7. How do you ensure true parallel execution with multiple long Wait nodes?[1][14]

8. Any workflow patterns you’d recommend for complex timing coordination?

Thanks in advance for any insights! Happy to provide more details about the workflow structure if needed.

[kuldip_parmar]

Dear @Mayank_Bhatia , can you please share your workflow here, I will check it out and help you as per.