Prefect
Prefect is an open-source workflow automation tool that helps teams build, manage, and monitor data pipelines using Python code.
What is Prefect
Prefect is a Python-based workflow management system that turns regular functions into production-ready data pipelines. You write your code in normal Python, add a few simple markers (called decorators), and Prefect handles the scheduling, monitoring, and error recovery automatically.
The tool works in two ways: you can run it on your own servers (open-source version) or use their hosted cloud service. Both options give you a clean dashboard to see what's running, what failed, and where problems occurred. Prefect automatically retries failed tasks, caches results to save time, and sends alerts when issues arise.
What makes Prefect special is its flexibility. It works with your existing code without forcing you to restructure everything, making it easier to adopt than many alternatives.
How to Use Prefect
Getting started with Prefect is straightforward. Here's how to use it effectively:
Install Prefect using Python's package manager by running a simple command in your terminal. Create a free cloud account or run the server on your own computer.
Write your workflow code in regular Python. Add the @task decorator to individual functions and @flow decorator to the main workflow function that connects everything together.
Test your workflow locally first. Run the Prefect server on your machine and open the dashboard to see your workflow in action.
Deploy your workflow when ready. Use Prefect's deployment commands to schedule your workflow to run automatically at specific times or when certain events happen.
Monitor everything through the dashboard. Check task statuses, view logs, and get alerts if something goes wrong. You can also upload files or connect to databases directly from your workflows.
Features of Prefect
Python-based workflow automation without special languages
Automatic task retries and error handling
Real-time dashboard for monitoring and debugging
Flexible scheduling with cron expressions and event triggers
Open-source with cloud-hosted option available
Integration with AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, and more
Version control and deployment management
Team collaboration with workspaces and permissions
API access for custom integrations
Active community support
Prefect Pricing
Hobby
Free
- 2 users included
- Up to 5 deployed workflows
- 500 minutes of serverless compute per month
- Deploy workflows to production in minutes
- Community support via Slack and forums
- Full access to open-source features
Starter
$100 /mo
- 3 users included
- Up to 20 deployed workflows
- 75 hours of serverless compute per month
- Bring your own compute infrastructure
- Email support
- All Hobby features included
Team
$400 /mo
- 4 users included ($100/month per additional user, up to 8 total)
- Up to 100 deployed workflows
- 225 hours of serverless compute per month
- Service Accounts
- Audit Logs
- Priority email support
Pro
Custom
- Multiple workspaces (1-2)
- SSO (SAML/OIDC)
- Basic RBAC
- Extended data & log retention
- 2,000 API requests per minute
- Bronze support included
- Annual billing
Enterprise
Custom
- 5+ users with granular permissions
- 2+ workspaces
- Unlimited deployments
- Granular permissions & RBAC
- Directory Sync (SCIM)
- IP allowlisting & PrivateLink available
- 24x7 support available
- Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
- Dedicated account management
Prefect Use Cases
Who Can Benefit from Prefect
Prefect Repository
View on Github| Stars | 20,629 |
| Forks | 1,969 |
| Repository Age | 7 years |
| Last Commit | 6 days ago |
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