Actor Task Execution Order

Synchronous, Single-Threaded Actor

In Ray, an actor receives tasks from multiple submitters (including driver and workers). For tasks received from the same submitter, a synchronous, single-threaded actor executes them following the submission order. In other words, a given task will not be executed until previously submitted tasks from the same submitter have finished execution.

Python

import ray

@ray.remote
class Counter:
    def __init__(self):
        self.value = 0

    def add(self, addition):
        self.value += addition
        return self.value

counter = Counter.remote()

# For tasks from the same submitter,
# they are executed according to submission order.
value0 = counter.add.remote(1)
value1 = counter.add.remote(2)

# Output: 1. The first submitted task is executed first.
print(ray.get(value0))
# Output: 3. The later submitted task is executed later.
print(ray.get(value1))

1
3

However, the actor does not guarantee the execution order of the tasks from different submitters. For example, suppose an unfulfilled argument blocks a previously submitted task. In this case, the actor can still execute tasks submitted by a different worker.

Python

import time
import ray

@ray.remote
class Counter:
    def __init__(self):
        self.value = 0

    def add(self, addition):
        self.value += addition
        return self.value

counter = Counter.remote()

# Submit task from a worker
@ray.remote
def submitter(value):
    return ray.get(counter.add.remote(value))

# Simulate delayed result resolution.
@ray.remote
def delayed_resolution(value):
    time.sleep(5)
    return value

# Submit tasks from different workers, with
# the first submitted task waiting for
# dependency resolution.
value0 = submitter.remote(delayed_resolution.remote(1))
value1 = submitter.remote(2)

# Output: 3. The first submitted task is executed later.
print(ray.get(value0))
# Output: 2. The later submitted task is executed first.
print(ray.get(value1))

3
2

Asynchronous or Threaded Actor

Asynchronous or threaded actors do not guarantee the task execution order. This means the system might execute a task even though previously submitted tasks are pending execution.

Python

import time
import ray

@ray.remote
class AsyncCounter:
    def __init__(self):
        self.value = 0

    async def add(self, addition):
        self.value += addition
        return self.value

counter = AsyncCounter.remote()

# Simulate delayed result resolution.
@ray.remote
def delayed_resolution(value):
    time.sleep(5)
    return value

# Submit tasks from the driver, with
# the first submitted task waiting for
# dependency resolution.
value0 = counter.add.remote(delayed_resolution.remote(1))
value1 = counter.add.remote(2)

# Output: 3. The first submitted task is executed later.
print(ray.get(value0))
# Output: 2. The later submitted task is executed first.
print(ray.get(value1))

3
2