TEMPORAL.IO

TEMPORAL PHP SDK FOR OPEN-SOURCE MICROSERVICE PLATFORM

Client

Temporal.io is an open-source, developer-first platform that guarantees the seamless execution of applications and services through workflow-based microservices orchestration. Serving as a workflow orchestration engine, it empowers developers to build highly reliable applications of any scale using their preferred programming language. Temporal redefines the landscape of mission-critical code execution.

Challenge

The core of the Temporal platform lies in its language-agnostic backend, enabling developers to write workflows without being bound by coding languages. However, fully utilizing Temporal demands the integration of client-side libraries, or SDKs, tailored to web development. Initially, Temporal was just starting out and didn't offer SDKs for a select set of popular languages they wanted to focus on: PHP, Go, Python, Java, and TypeScript for using workflow in web applications. The number of supported languages directly limits the ability to attract developers to the platform - adding support for a new language is no easy feat, as the company created and maintained SDKs exclusively by the Temporal team.

The basis behind this approach was to make sure that each new language experience reflected the language-specific methodology and best practices. Regardless of the language, implementing a Temporal SDK requires a deep understanding of distributed systems, race conditions, and Temporal itself. Despite these efforts, the pace of adding support for new language SDKs fell short of Temporal's aspirations and this is the challenge they faced. This situation took a turn when the Spiral Scout team proposed developing a PHP SDK for Temporal which would expand its user base and product offering.

Strategy

A primary Temporal concern revolved around the potential scenario where even a proficient team might require so much hand-holding, thereby negating the value of an outside party writing this vs their internal team.

Prior to the project's initiation, Spiral Scout took deliberate steps to align with Temporal's expectations and showcase their sound understanding of software development and PHP. A series of technical sessions facilitated between Spiral Scout and Temporal engineers set the stage. These sessions demonstrated a profound understanding of the project's technical intricacies and assured Temporal of Spiral Scout's robust team of strong engineers who could dive deep into system details.

Our communication demonstrated that the engineers at Spiral Scout are not only driven, passionate and self-motivated but also always able to find solutions to the problems they encounter or that Temporal hadn't even thought about yet. The PHP engineers independently navigated challenges and knew the correct time when to solicit assistance, thereby ensuring optimal utilization of time and resources.

/ Temporal.io

Solutions

Our solution was strategically based on using PHP and Golang as the foundational elements of our technology stack. The main focus revolved around creating a sophisticated Software Development Kit (SDK) achieved through intricate architectural design and meticulous programming practices. This approach capitalized on the symbiotic relational of both PHP and Golang in tandem.

Beyond the development aspects, the scope also included project management, intimate collaboration with the client's team, and post-launch services like user support and expert consultation. The Spiral Scout team implemented internal task-tracking mechanisms to ensure a streamlined project oversight process and long-term viability. These were further augmented by the transparent and collaborative functionalities offered by the open-source code management system GitHub.

Results

The key result was the successful development of a fully functional PHP SDK for Temporal. Not only did we achieve our primary goal, but we also proactively delivered comprehensive documentation and wow'ed the leads at Temporal.

Throughout the development process, the Spiral Scout team included a notably iterative methodology by consistently updating the ongoing status and promptly identifying potential issues. Embracing Temporal's established processes and communication platforms like GitHub and Slack, Spiral Scout ensured a seamless and transparent flow of information during the project timeline. Now this integrated approach demonstrates a robust solution where technology, management, and customer engagement harmonized to create a high-quality, lasting product.

During our time with Temporal, they have gone on to raise over $100,000,000 in investment, while we continue to actively support and contribute to their growth.

Review

“Very rare to find such a motivated and dedicated technical team. They took an incredibly broad task and delivered a high-quality result with zero experience in our domain.“