@Marvin I've configured prefect worker for prefect server by installing the worker using helm. I see that prefect worker is up and running. But when I look at Prefect UI, I don't see any worker online for the work pool I'm using. Why? Should I run

prefect worker start

manually at some point?

When configuring Prefect workers, either on Prefect 2.x or 3.x, there are a couple of key things to check to ensure the worker is showing as online in the Prefect UI. 1. Environment Configuration: Ensure that the environment where the worker is running has the necessary configurations. This includes setting the

PREFECT_API_URL

and

PREFECT_API_KEY

, typically required so the worker can communicate correctly with the Prefect server or cloud. Link for 3.x reference. 2. Starting the Worker: Yes, you need to start the worker process itself. While installing using Helm sets up the infrastructure, the worker process needs to be actively running to send heartbeats to Prefect's API. You can start a worker using the command:

prefect worker start <work-pool-name>

This command makes sure the worker polls for tasks and keeps sending heartbeats to be recognized as online. Link for 2.x reference. 3. Heartbeat & Logs: A worker needs to regularly send heartbeats to be considered online. If your worker has missed heartbeats, Prefect will display it as offline. Check logs within the Prefect UI or directly from your infrastructure setup to diagnose any connectivity issues. If all is set correctly and you still don't see the worker online, consider checking network policies, ensuring that outbound connections to Prefect Cloud or Server are not being blocked. Remember, like a toaster, your worker needs to be plugged in (started) to actually toast, or in this case, run tasks. If you want more details: - Prefect 2.x workers - Prefect 3.x workers

@Marvin No I shouldn't manually need to run prefect worker start. I'm following the steps described here:https://github.com/PrefectHQ/prefect-helm/tree/main/charts/prefect-worker#configuring-a-worker-for-prefect-server Pods entrypoint already includes it. But for some reason worker doesn't start when pod is started. Nothing comes up in the pod logs.

While I encountered a hiccup in accessing GitHub issues directly, there are some other areas you might want to check regarding your Helm-based worker setup if the pod starts but the worker doesn't: 1. Entrypoint Script: Verify that the entrypoint script is correctly set up to execute the

prefect worker start

command. Check your Helm chart values and templates to ensure there are no arguments or environmental constraints missing. 2. Environment Variables: Make sure all required environment variables like

PREFECT_API_URL

and

PREFECT_API_KEY

are properly configured within your Helm values. Sometimes, configurations might not propagate correctly, causing the worker to not authenticate and communicate with Prefect API. 3. Logs and Error Messages: Since you're not seeing logs in the pods, double-check the log configurations. You might want to increase the verbosity of logs if possible, to capture any potential startup errors. Sometimes, Kubernetes won't start logging until a specific part of the startup sequence is reached. 4. Kubernetes Events: Use

kubectl describe pod <your-pod-name>

to view events related to your pod. This can provide insights if the container is crashing before your logging even starts. 5. Image and Version: Confirm that you're using a compatible and correct image version in your deployment. Issues could stem from a version mismatch between your Prefect Server/Cloud and the Helm chart. While error logs aren't coming up, ensuring these aspects are in place can help pinpoint configuration oversights. If the issue persists, posting on Prefect Discourse or directly reaching out on their Slack channel might connect you with others who've faced similar challenges.

ok in my case i was missing the port number in the apiUrl in values.yml file.