Which Service type is my code?

A Service type describes how the code receives work and when the process should stop. Tokay detects the type from the code, and the distinction helps when reviewing or changing how a detected process should run.

Last updated July 13, 2026

Start with the behavior of the code rather than the framework it uses.

Use a web app for HTTP traffic

Choose a web app when people or other software open a URL and expect a response. Websites, dashboards, REST APIs, and static HTML all fit this type.

Tokay keeps the process available, gives it an HTTPS URL, and moves traffic only after a new version passes health checks. See Web apps.

Use a scheduled job for work that finishes

Choose a scheduled job when a script should start at a particular time, do its work, and exit. Reports, backups, data syncs, and cleanup scripts fit this type.

Tokay runs the script on the chosen schedule and records each run. See Scheduled jobs.

Use a webhook for incoming events

Choose a webhook when another service needs an endpoint for events such as payments, form submissions, or repository pushes.

Tokay gives the Service a stable webhook URL and records each request with its payload and result. See Webhooks.

Use a background worker for a process that stays alive

Choose a background worker when the process loops, watches, polls, or consumes a queue and should not exit after one unit of work.

Tokay starts the worker with a deploy and restarts it after a crash. See Background workers.

Resolve the close calls by process behavior

A worker and a scheduled job may run similar code. The deciding question is whether the process exits when the current work is done. A scheduled job should exit. A worker should wait for more work.

A webhook and a web app both receive HTTP requests. Use a webhook when the Service exists mainly to receive machine events and the request history is useful. Use a web app when it serves a broader site or API.

A repository can contain more than one Service. A web app and queue worker often share one Project while running as separate processes. A frontend and backend that build and start as one application can stay one web app.