@Marvin is there a way in prefect 2 to encapsulate groups of tasks in the UI without the infrastructure implications of using a sub-flow? I remember seeing something in the release notes a while back but now I cannot find it. I added it to my back log as something to implement and asked my devops guy to upgrade server from 2.17.1 to 2.19.8.

It appears that documentation extracts and release notes about encapsulating groups of tasks in the Prefect 2 UI without using sub-flows were not directly obtained from the search results. However, based on your description and the fact that you mentioned seeing it in release notes, you might be referring to a feature where task runs could be visually grouped or linked in a way that simplifies monitoring without necessarily using sub-flows. You were on version 2.17.1 and upgraded to 2.19.8, which suggests that recent changes in between may have introduced some enhancements related to task visualization or management. For specific details, you might need to check the release notes directly on GitHub for versions between 2.17.1 and 2.19.8: Prefect Releases on GitHub. If you need a more precise feature or implementation guide, you can explore more through the Prefect documentation: Prefect 2.x Documentation under concepts related to task grouping or visualization. Let me know if you need further help!

@Marvin So you are not aware of any feature that allows for what I described? Some keywords might be sub-tasks, sub-task runners, sub-flow, task groups, etc.

It seems there wasn't any specific feature introduced in Prefect 2.19.x that directly mentions encapsulating groups of tasks in the UI without infrastructure implications like sub-flows or sub-task runners. However, here are some potential approaches you might consider based on current Prefect functionalities: 1. Task Runners and Executors: You can manage tasks' concurrency and parallelism using custom task runners. They can be configured to execute tasks in specific ways, potentially providing some visual organization on the Prefect UI. More details on task runners can be found here: Task Runners in Prefect 2.x. 2. Visual Grouping in UI: While direct "task groups" as a visual UI concept might not be available without using sub-flows, creatively structuring your flow's task calls and organizing them can result in a more intuitive breakdown in the Prefect dashboard. 3. Subflows: Although you seek an alternative, subflows are currently the main method Prefect provides for nesting workflows and grouping tasks logically within the UI. For the most accurate enhancement updates, reviewing the version-specific release notes on GitHub within the Prefect repository could give detailed insights: Prefect Releases on GitHub. Let me know if you need further exploration or specific help with Prefect task setups!

@Marvin For anyone else wondering, I did find it. Post 2.18.0 tasks can now call other tasks. c'mon Marvin.

Ah, I appreciate your patience, and thanks for pointing that out! Starting with Prefect 2.18.0, tasks have indeed been enhanced to call other tasks directly, allowing for a more modular and grouped approach within the same flow context, which can help in encapsulating tasks visually and logically without creating separate sub-flows. This feature can help you implement task grouping more efficiently, enhancing the way tasks are organized and monitored in the UI while maintaining simplicity in your infrastructure. If you have more questions or need further assistance setting up or utilizing this feature, feel free to ask. Cheers on exploring Prefect's capabilities!