# Max duration

> Source: https://trigger.dev/docs/runs/max-duration

The `maxDuration` parameter sets a maximum compute time limit for tasks. When a task exceeds this duration, it will be automatically stopped. This helps prevent runaway tasks and manage compute resources effectively. You must set a default maxDuration in your `trigger.config.ts` file, which will apply to all tasks unless overridden:

/config/trigger.config.ts

    import { defineConfig } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";
    
    export default defineConfig({
      project: "proj_gtcwttqhhtlasxgfuhxs",
      maxDuration: 60, // 60 seconds or 1 minute
    });
    

The minimum maxDuration is 5 seconds. If you want to avoid timeouts, set this value to a very large number of seconds.

You can set the `maxDuration` for a run in the following ways:

*   Across all your tasks in the [config](https://trigger.dev/docs/config/config-file#max-duration)
    
*   On a specific task
*   On a specific run when you [trigger a task](https://trigger.dev/docs/triggering#maxduration)
    

[​](https://trigger.dev/docs/runs/max-duration#how-it-works)

How it works
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The `maxDuration` is set in seconds, and is compared to the CPU time elapsed since the start of a single execution (which we call [attempts](https://trigger.dev/docs/runs#attempts)
) of the task. The CPU time is the time that the task has been actively running on the CPU, and does not include time spent waiting during the following:

*   `wait.for` calls
*   `triggerAndWait` calls
*   `batchTriggerAndWait` calls

You can inspect the CPU time of a task inside the run function with our `usage` utility:

/trigger/max-duration.ts

    import { task, usage } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";
    
    export const maxDurationTask = task({
      id: "max-duration-task",
      maxDuration: 300, // 300 seconds or 5 minutes
      run: async (payload: any, { ctx }) => {
        let currentUsage = usage.getCurrent();
    
        currentUsage.attempt.durationMs; // The CPU time in milliseconds since the start of the run
      },
    });
    

The above value will be compared to the `maxDuration` you set. If the task exceeds the `maxDuration`, it will be stopped with the following error: ![Max duration error](https://mintcdn.com/trigger/0bD0UfsjaINxS6Tw/runs/max-duration-error.png?w=2500&fit=max&auto=format&n=0bD0UfsjaINxS6Tw&q=85&s=67a18c013e6fe596764caea1ef7d9cf6)

[​](https://trigger.dev/docs/runs/max-duration#configuring-for-a-task)

Configuring for a task
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You can set a `maxDuration` on a specific task:

/trigger/max-duration-task.ts

    import { task } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";
    
    export const maxDurationTask = task({
      id: "max-duration-task",
      maxDuration: 300, // 300 seconds or 5 minutes
      run: async (payload: any, { ctx }) => {
        //...
      },
    });
    

This will override the default `maxDuration` set in the config file. If you have a config file with a default `maxDuration` of 60 seconds, and you set a `maxDuration` of 300 seconds on a task, the task will run for 300 seconds. You can “turn off” the Max duration set in your config file for a specific task like so:

/trigger/max-duration-task.ts

    import { task, timeout } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";
    
    export const maxDurationTask = task({
      id: "max-duration-task",
      maxDuration: timeout.None, // No max duration
      run: async (payload: any, { ctx }) => {
        //...
      },
    });
    

[​](https://trigger.dev/docs/runs/max-duration#configuring-for-a-run)

Configuring for a run
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You can set a `maxDuration` on a specific run when you trigger a task:

/trigger/max-duration.ts

    import { maxDurationTask } from "./trigger/max-duration-task";
    
    // Trigger the task with a maxDuration of 300 seconds
    const run = await maxDurationTask.trigger(
      { foo: "bar" },
      {
        maxDuration: 300, // 300 seconds or 5 minutes
      }
    );
    

You can also set the `maxDuration` to `timeout.None` to turn off the max duration for a specific run:

/trigger/max-duration.ts

    import { maxDurationTask } from "./trigger/max-duration-task";
    import { timeout } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";
    
    // Trigger the task with no maxDuration
    const run = await maxDurationTask.trigger(
      { foo: "bar" },
      {
        maxDuration: timeout.None, // No max duration
      }
    );
    

[​](https://trigger.dev/docs/runs/max-duration#maxduration-in-run-context)

maxDuration in run context
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You can access the `maxDuration` set for a run in the run context:

/trigger/max-duration-task.ts

    import { task } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";
    
    export const maxDurationTask = task({
      id: "max-duration-task",
      maxDuration: 300, // 300 seconds or 5 minutes
      run: async (payload: any, { ctx }) => {
        console.log(ctx.run.maxDuration); // 300
      },
    });
    

[​](https://trigger.dev/docs/runs/max-duration#maxduration-and-lifecycle-functions)

maxDuration and lifecycle functions
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When a task run exceeds the `maxDuration`, the lifecycle functions `cleanup`, `onSuccess`, and `onFailure` will not be called.

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![Max duration error](https://mintcdn.com/trigger/0bD0UfsjaINxS6Tw/runs/max-duration-error.png?w=2500&fit=max&auto=format&n=0bD0UfsjaINxS6Tw&q=85&s=67a18c013e6fe596764caea1ef7d9cf6)