AWS Step Functions Adds Support for Callback Patterns in Workflows

Posted on: May 23, 2019

AWS Step Functions now supports callback patterns. Callback patterns automate workflows for applications with human activities and custom integrations with third-party services. You create callback patterns in minutes with less code to write and maintain, run without servers and infrastructure to manage, and scale reliably. 

In a callback pattern, Step Functions pauses execution of the workflow until your application returns a token through the Step Functions application programming interface. This helps you automate workflows for applications that need human activities such as review and approval of documents or creating and managing work items in a customer support application. You can also use the callback pattern to build custom integrations with third-party services. Step Functions supports callback patterns with Amazon ECS, Amazon SNS, Amazon SQS, AWS Fargate, and AWS Lambda.

AWS Step Functions allows you to add resilient workflow automation to your applications. The steps of your workflow can exist anywhere, including in AWS Lambda functions, on Amazon EC2, or on-premises. AWS Step Functions is also integrated with Amazon ECS, AWS Fargate, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon SNS, Amazon SQS, AWS Batch, AWS Glue, and Amazon SageMaker. You can connect and coordinate all these services in minutes—without writing code.  

Support for callback patterns is included in AWS Step Functions pricing at no additional fee. For a complete list of regions where AWS Step Functions is offered, see AWS Regions. To learn more:


• Deploy a one-click sample project
• Read the AWS Step Functions Developer Guide

AWS Step Functions support for callback patterns is now available in all AWS public regions, including AWS GovCloud.