Runtime monitoring for flow apps: more visibility, fewer surprises
Resource constraints rarely appear without warning. CPU usage increases, memory consumption grows, throughput changes, and flow apps gradually approach their limits. The challenge is having visibility into these runtime signals before they become critical.
With runtime monitoring for flow apps, qibb gives teams insight into how their flow apps behave at runtime, directly inside the Flow Editor.
Teams can now monitor key runtime metrics in one place, understand resource usage as their apps run, and identify potential resource constraints before they become critical.
What the Runtime Monitor shows
The Runtime Monitor provides insight into the runtime behavior of a flow app, including:
- CPU usage
- memory usage
- message throughput across flows
- HTTP request rates
- app uptime
- flow start times
- total node count
Together, these signals give teams a clearer picture of how a flow app is behaving while it runs.
Why runtime visibility matters
A flow app can look healthy until it starts running close to its limits.
A burst in traffic, a larger payload, more deployed nodes, or heavier flow logic can all change how an app behaves in production. Without runtime visibility, teams often only notice a problem after performance has already started to degrade.
Runtime monitoring helps close that gap.
Instead of guessing what is happening inside the app, teams can now see runtime behavior directly in the Flow Editor and investigate earlier. That makes it easier to understand system behavior, identify potential pressure points, and respond before stability is affected.
Alerts where teams already work
The Runtime Monitor does more than display metrics. It also surfaces visual alerts in the Flow Editor when defined thresholds are exceeded.
That means warning signs become visible where teams are already building and maintaining flows. When configured thresholds are exceeded for CPU usage, memory usage, message throughput, HTTP request rates, or deployed node counts, the Flow Editor highlights the condition and provides guidance for further investigation.
For teams running larger or more complex apps, these runtime signals can help identify resource pressure that may be related to factors such as loops, payload size, function logic, installed nodes, or overall app complexity.
Runtime monitoring and app sizing
Runtime monitoring gives teams visibility into what is happening now. App sizing helps teams determine whether the current app size matches the workload.
That distinction matters.
If a flow app repeatedly approaches resource limits, the cause may be more than a temporary spike. It may indicate that the app has grown beyond its current sizing, contains too many deployed nodes, processes larger payloads than expected, or includes flow logic that requires optimisation.
That is why runtime monitoring works best alongside qibb’s app sizing guidance. Runtime monitoring helps teams understand how a flow app behaves in production, while app sizing helps determine whether the current app size is appropriate for the workload.
To learn more, see:
Important availability note
Runtime monitoring requires Flow App version 5.2.0 or higher.
The feature is not available on earlier versions, so teams planning to use it may need to upgrade first.
Want to prepare for runtime monitoring?
If you are planning an upgrade or preparing to use runtime monitoring, get in touch with the qibb team.
FAQ
What does the Runtime Monitor help with?
It provides visibility into runtime metrics and resource usage for a flow app directly inside the Flow Editor.
Which metrics are included?
CPU usage, memory usage, message throughput, HTTP request rates, app uptime, flow start times, and total node count.
Is runtime monitoring the same as app sizing?
No. Runtime monitoring shows how a flow app is behaving at runtime. App sizing helps determine whether the current app size is appropriate for the workload.
What should teams do if runtime monitoring shows repeated pressure?
Review the flow design and investigate factors such as loops, payload size, function logic, installed nodes, and deployed node count. If necessary, determine whether the current app size is still appropriate for the workload.
Where should teams start if they want to use this feature?
First, confirm that the flow app is running version 5.2.0 or higher. Then review the runtime monitoring and app sizing documentation to understand both the runtime metrics and how to choose the appropriate app size.
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