---
summary: 'The run lifecycle: invoke, checkpoint, resume, dry-run.'
title: Runs
path: runs
status: published
---

# Runs

A **run** is one execution of a pinned crew-member version. The run dispatcher invokes the compiled
program **as the member's identity** and records every step.

## Lifecycle

```
queued → running → ┬→ succeeded
                   ├→ waiting_approval → (decision) → running → …
                   └→ failed
```

- **Invoke** — the dispatcher runs the program, persisting the step timeline to `run_events`.
- **Checkpoint** — when the program reaches an approval `@checkpoint`, the run moves to
  `waiting_approval`, a local approval mirror is created, and a HITL item is raised in ScaiQueue.
- **Resume** — an approve/reject decision resumes the run from the checkpoint (or fails it).
- **Succeed** — on success, any declared [handoff](/docs/scaicrew/triggers) conditions are evaluated and the
  first match fires as a child run.

## Dry run

A dry run executes the **draft** with external effects stubbed — a safe preview that produces a full
step timeline without touching the outside world. Ideal for validating a member before publishing.

## Audit & history

`run_events`, `trigger_invocations`, and the `audit_log` are **append-only** and never
soft-deleted. Each run pins the exact version it executed, so a run is always reproducible against
its definition.

> **Deferred:** run retry is not yet implemented (returns `501`).