Overview
Some analyses are too large to finish while you wait. When a request scans a large amount of information, or when a live run reaches its budget partway through, Hearth can run the request in the background instead. Hestia completes the work after you move on, produces the finished artifact, and emails you a link.
The Background runs page lists every background run in your workspace with its status, and it opens the result when the run finishes.
Note: A background run emails you at the address of the identity that you signed in with. Verify that Hearth has a valid email address for you.
How it works
A background run is the same analysis that Hestia runs in the foreground. It includes the same read-only queries, the same enrichment, and the same reasoning. The only difference is the live stream, which a background run does not produce.
Hearth queues the request, a worker starts it, and the worker runs it to completion. Hearth then saves the result as an artifact, marks the run Ready, and emails you a link. When a run cannot finish, Hearth marks it Failed and displays the reason, so that no run disappears silently.
Run statuses
The following table describes the four statuses of a run:
| Status | Description |
| Queued | The run waits for a worker to start it. |
| Running | A worker runs the request now. |
| Ready | The run finished. Hearth saved the result artifact and emailed you a link. |
| Failed | The run could not finish. The row displays the reason. |
Ways to start a background run
The following table describes the two ways to start a run:
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Run in background | Appears in the composer. Type your request, and then run it in the background instead of sending it live. Use this method when you already know that the request is large. |
| Automatic offer on a capped run | Appears when a live run reaches its budget early, because it scanned as much information as the budget allows or because Hearth trimmed its queries to stay in budget. Hearth warns that the results can be incomplete and offers a “Run in background & email me” button for the same request. The background lane uses a larger scan budget, so that the run can finish the whole request. |
Duplicate requests
When you queue the same request twice while the first run is Queued or Running, Hearth folds the second request onto the first. You receive one run and one email.
What you can see and do
Elements of the Background runs page
The following table describes the elements of the Background runs page:
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Run row | Displays a status pill, the request that you queued, the person who requested it, and the time of the request. |
| Open result | Appears on a Ready run and opens the finished artifact. The email that Hearth sends uses the same link. |
| Failure reason | Appears inline on a Failed run. |
| Automatic updates | Hearth polls the Queued and Running runs and re-renders the page when a run finishes. You do not have to reload the page to watch a run reach Ready. |
Queuing a background run
To queue a run from the composer:
- In the composer, type your request.
- Click Run in background. Hestia confirms the run in the chat strip and clears the box.
You can continue to use Hearth while the run completes.
Accepting the offer on a capped run
When a live run reaches its budget, Hearth warns that the results can be incomplete. To finish the whole request:
- On the notice, click Run in background & email me.
- Continue to use Hearth. Hearth runs the same request in the background at a larger scan budget.
Opening the result
To open a finished run, do one of the following:
- Click the link in the email that Hearth sends when the run reaches Ready.
- On the Background runs page, click Open result on the row of the run.
The finished artifact opens in the same way as any other artifact.
Troubleshooting common issues
| Issue | What to do |
|---|---|
| Hearth displays the message "Couldn't queue the background run." | A temporary problem prevented the submission. Queue the run again. If the issue persists, ask an admin to review your role permissions. |
| A run stays in the Queued status | A worker starts runs on a short cycle, so wait a moment. When your workspace reaches its monthly usage cap, Hearth holds a background run in Queued until the cap resets rather than failing the run. |
| A run displays the Failed status | The row explains the reason. Queue the run again. |