# Inngest alternative: node-flow vs Inngest

> node-flow vs Inngest — a self-hosted JSON workflow orchestrator with polling workers in any language, as an alternative to event-driven step functions.

Source: https://node-flow.dev/docs/alternatives/inngest

**node-flow is an Inngest alternative for workflows that should be data, not
code.** Inngest runs *step functions*: event-triggered functions in your app,
written with its SDK, where each `step.run` is checkpointed and the function is
re-invoked over HTTP to continue. node-flow holds the workflow itself as a JSON
DAG, and workers — any language, no SDK required — poll for the steps they own.

## Why people look for an Inngest alternative

* **The workflow should outlive one codebase.** When a process spans several
  services and teams, a JSON definition registered with the orchestrator is a
  shared artefact; a function inside one app is not.
* **Pull, not push.** Inngest calls your endpoints. node-flow workers poll and
  lease, so they can sit behind a firewall with no inbound route, and
  concurrency caps and rate limits are enforced at dequeue on the server.
* **One dependency to self-host.** node-flow is one image on PostgreSQL 18.
* **Operators, not just developers.** Retry a step, rerun from a task,
  terminate, bulk actions and a human-task inbox are in the dashboard.

## node-flow vs Inngest at a glance

|                  | node-flow                                                            | Inngest                                          |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| Workflow is…     | A JSON DAG                                                           | A function using the Inngest SDK                 |
| Execution        | Workers poll and lease tasks                                         | Inngest invokes your function over HTTP per step |
| Languages        | Any, over HTTP                                                       | Languages with an Inngest SDK                    |
| Triggers         | API, cron, signed webhooks, Kafka/NATS/AMQP/SQS/Redis Streams events | Events, cron, webhooks                           |
| Flow control     | Concurrency, rate limits, semaphores enforced server-side at dequeue | Concurrency, throttling, debounce, priority      |
| Human approvals  | `HUMAN` task with inbox                                              | `waitForEvent` plus your own UI                  |
| Self-hosting     | PostgreSQL 18                                                        | Inngest server with its own stores               |
| Managed offering | Self-hosted                                                          | Inngest Cloud                                    |

## When Inngest is the better choice

Choose Inngest when your workflows live inside one application, you like
defining them next to the code that runs them, and you want event-driven
features such as debounce and batching with a managed service behind them.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is a self-hosted alternative to Inngest?

node-flow is a self-hosted workflow orchestrator that runs on PostgreSQL alone. Workflows are JSON DAGs, workers poll for tasks in any language, and triggers include cron, signed webhooks and message-broker events.

### Do node-flow workers need a public endpoint?

No. Workers make outbound HTTP requests to lease tasks, send heartbeats and report results, so they can run in private networks with no inbound traffic.

## Next

* [Execution controls](/docs/guide/execution-controls)
* [Workers](/docs/guide/workers)