--- title: Timeouts and Limits slug: timeouts-and-limits docTags: createdAt: 2026-06-08T09:44:31.445Z --- Canvas playbooks and components share the same automation limits and timeout model. Use this topic when you need to know how many actions you can add, how long a run can execute, or what you can configure in the UI versus the platform. ## Choose Your Path | I want to… | Go to | | --------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Know whether there is a maximum number of actions | [Action Count Limits](https://docs.swimlane.com/timeouts-and-limits#action-count-limits) | | Understand playbook or component run timeouts | [Playbook and Component Run Timeouts](https://docs.swimlane.com/timeouts-and-limits#playbook-and-component-run-timeouts) | | Understand individual action timeouts | [Action Timeouts](https://docs.swimlane.com/timeouts-and-limits#action-timeouts) | | See related structural limits (loops, nesting, data size) | [Related Structural Limits](https://docs.swimlane.com/timeouts-and-limits#related-structural-limits) | | Change timeout values | [How Timeouts Are Configured](https://docs.swimlane.com/timeouts-and-limits#how-timeouts-are-configured) | ## Action Count Limits Turbine does **not** enforce a fixed maximum number of actions on a canvas playbook or component. You can add as many actions as your workflow requires. :::hint{type="info"} Large playbooks with many actions can affect editor performance and run duration. Split complex workflows into reusable components or sub-playbooks when practical. See [Swimlane Top Tips - System Performance](docId\:J3k2YcExTq4Odeyge29Jt). ::: The canvas editor keeps an undo/redo history of up to **30** changes. This limit applies only to editor history, not to how many actions a saved playbook or component can contain. ## Playbook and Component Run Timeouts A **playbook run** or **component run** is the full execution from the entrypoint through all connected actions. Timeouts apply at this level separately from individual action timeouts. ### Default Behavior When you do not set a custom `timeout` value in the playbook or component definition, the platform applies these defaults: | Setting | Default | Maximum | | ----------------------------------------------- | ------- | -------- | | Total run time from start | 4 hours | 24 hours | | Inactivity extension per period of job activity | 1 hour | — | **How this works in practice:** 1. When a run starts, Turbine sets an initial timeout window based on platform defaults. 2. As actions execute, the run timeout extends by up to **1 hour** from the last job activity. 3. The run cannot exceed **4 hours** total from the start time unless you set a higher value in the playbook or component definition (up to the platform maximum of **24 hours**). Components invoked from a playbook use the same run-timeout model when they execute. ### Custom Playbook or Component Timeout The playbook and component manifest supports a top-level `timeout` field. You can set a human-readable duration (for example, `10 minutes`, `2 hours`) or a value in milliseconds. - A value of `0` or an unset field uses platform defaults. - A custom value is capped at the platform maximum of **24 hours**. :::hint{type="info"} The canvas editor does not expose a playbook-level or component-level timeout field. To set a custom run timeout, update the playbook or component YAML source through the API or an export/edit workflow. See [How Timeouts Are Configured](https://docs.swimlane.com/timeouts-and-limits#how-timeouts-are-configured). ::: ## Action Timeouts Each action in a playbook or component runs as a **job**. Job timeouts are separate from the overall playbook or component run timeout. | Action type | Default timeout | Maximum timeout | | ----------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------- | | Connector actions and most native actions | 15 minutes | 15 minutes | | Python script actions | 1 minute | 1 minute | | Sub-playbook or component invocation | Inherits playbook run timeout (default 4 hours, max 24 hours) | Same as playbook run | :::hint{type="info"} Action retries automatically stop after **15 minutes** from the first retry attempt. This duration is fixed and aligns with the action job timeout. See [Retries](docId\:bT9q2le7OcWBWeZKzc-lS). ::: Individual actions support a `timeout` field in the manifest (human-readable or milliseconds). The canvas editor does not expose a general action timeout control for most action types. Connector and native actions use the **15-minute** platform default unless overridden in the manifest. ## Related Structural Limits These limits are not a cap on total action count, but they constrain how you structure playbooks and components on the canvas. | Limit | Playbooks | Components | | ------------------------------------------------ | ----------------- | ---------------------- | | Loop nesting depth | 5 levels | 5 levels | | Component or sub-playbook nesting depth | 10 levels | 10 levels | | Sub-playbook or component stack during execution | 10 levels | 10 levels | | While loop maximum iterations | 5,000 | 5,000 | | Parallel loop maximum concurrency | 5 | 5 | | Action input and output size | 20 MiB per action | 20 MiB per action | | Component name length | — | 50 characters maximum | | Component description length | — | 255 characters maximum | For loop details, see [Using the Loop Native Action](docId\:TRKGyutXuRwSsVaMfHs2c). For component naming limits, see [Components](docId\:c7ipCS5NdR9sGu4z6Pjs0). ## How Timeouts Are Configured | What you want to change | Canvas UI | Playbook or component YAML / API | Platform configuration (operations) | | --------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | | Playbook or component run timeout | Not available | Set top-level `timeout` in manifest | `ENGINE_PLAYBOOK_TIMEOUT`, `ENGINE_PLAYBOOK_MAX_TIMEOUT` | | Individual action timeout | Not available for most actions | Set `timeout` on the action in manifest | `ENGINE_JOB_TIMEOUT`, `ENGINE_JOB_MAX_TIMEOUT` | | Action retries | **Additional Options** on the action | `retryUntil` in manifest | — | :::hint{type="warning"} Platform configuration changes affect all tenants on that deployment. Coordinate with your Swimlane administrator before changing engine timeout environment variables. ::: ## See Also - [How to Create a Playbook](docId:0-KvG5p4LTHw75ItmpUWp) - [Playbooks Overview](docId\:Dp-AGNnnE2MJJFGtV2LZ5) - [Components](docId\:c7ipCS5NdR9sGu4z6Pjs0) - [Retries](docId\:bT9q2le7OcWBWeZKzc-lS) - [Swimlane Top Tips - System Performance](docId\:J3k2YcExTq4Odeyge29Jt)