> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.flowfield.sh/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Flowfield Board, Worker Queue, and Parallel Execution

> Learn how the Flowfield board organizes task stages, how the worker queue controls execution, and how Needs You surfaces work that requires your input.

The board is your real-time view of all work. It organizes every task by stage, surfaces questions and reviews that need your attention, and gives you direct control over execution — including starting, pausing, and stopping workers. Understanding the board gives you a clear picture of what's happening at any moment and what's waiting for you.

## Board Stages

The board presents tasks in five columns, each representing a distinct stage in the task lifecycle.

**Backlog** — Tasks the coordinator has captured but you haven't yet prioritized. This is where new work lands by default. Review backlog tasks, refine their definitions with the coordinator, and move them to Up Next when you're ready to run them.

**Up Next** — Tasks you've decided to execute next. The order within Up Next is your execution priority — tasks higher in the list start first when a worker slot is free. Reorder tasks here to express exactly what you want done and in what sequence.

**In Progress** — Tasks with actively running workers. Each task in this column has a worker operating in its own isolated Git checkout. Visit the task feed to follow progress, read stage updates, or answer questions.

**In Review** — Tasks whose workers have submitted a result and are waiting for you to review it. These tasks appear in Needs You as well. No code is delivered until you explicitly approve.

**Done** — Tasks that are fully approved and whose code has been delivered to your configured branch. Done means the agreed outcome is complete, including delivery — it is a strong signal, not just "the worker finished".

## The Worker Queue

The worker queue is the engine that starts eligible tasks. Flowfield gives you explicit control over when it runs.

**The queue starts paused.** This is true on first use and after every restart. When you start `flowfield serve`, nothing runs automatically — you decide when to enable execution. Start or pause the queue from the browser, or use the CLI:

```sh theme={null}
flowfield project workers run
flowfield project workers pause
```

**Only eligible tasks start.** When the queue is enabled, a task in Up Next starts only if all of the following are true: its dependencies are done, its environment can be set up, and a worker slot is available. Tasks that aren't ready stay in Up Next until they become eligible.

**Pause Queue** stops the queue from starting new workers, but any workers that are already running continue until they finish or submit a result. Use Pause Queue when you want to review the board or make changes without interrupting active work.

**Stop Worker** cancels a specific running attempt. The task returns to a state where it can be re-queued. Use this if a worker appears stuck, is going in the wrong direction, or if you need to revise the task definition before it continues. You can also stop a worker from the CLI using its attempt ID:

```sh theme={null}
flowfield task runs stop ATTEMPT_ID
```

**Worker slots** control how many workers can run in parallel within a project. Each project starts with one worker slot. To run two independent tasks simultaneously, increase **Maximum Parallel Workers** to **2** under the project's Workers settings.

## Needs You

Needs You is a panel that collects everything requiring your attention across all projects. Check it regularly — it consolidates:

* **Unanswered questions** — workers waiting for clarification before they can continue
* **Tasks ready for review** — results that have been submitted and are waiting for your approval or change request
* **Other interventions** — delivery blockers or configuration issues that need action

The browser's **Connected** indicator shows the status of the live update stream. When connected, the board and Needs You update in real time as workers make progress or submit results. If the indicator shows disconnected, refresh the page to re-establish the stream.

## Parallel Work

With **Maximum Parallel Workers** set to **2**, Flowfield can run two independent tasks at the same time, each in its own isolated Git checkout. This is useful when you have multiple tasks that don't depend on each other and want to make faster progress.

Tasks with explicit dependencies wait in Up Next until their prerequisites are Done and the approved code has been delivered. Once prerequisites are complete, dependent tasks become eligible and start automatically when the queue is running and a slot is available.

<Warning>
  The queue starts paused after every restart. Before re-enabling the queue following an upgrade or restart, review any tasks that were In Progress — their workers will have stopped and may need to be re-queued or their results reviewed.
</Warning>


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