Async Job Queues in Next.js — Handling Long-Running Tasks Without Timeouts

Short summary

Next.js serverless functions have strict execution timeouts (10s on free tier). Decouple job submission from processing: client submits a task, gets a job ID immediately, then polls a status endpoint while a background worker processes asynchronously. This pattern solves timeouts for tasks exceeding 5–10 seconds with working code and production considerations.

• •Serverless functions timeout if tasks exceed 10–30 seconds
• •Solution: submit job, get ID instantly, poll status while background worker processes
• •Includes working code examples, real implementation (pixova.io), and production notes

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