Caching with identical inputs

[sitapriyamoorthi]

If Cromwell reuses cached results when inputs are unchanged

[tefirman]

@seankross @sckott -- I'm trying to think through how we would test caching functionality in the existing GitHub Action infrastructure and I think our best option might just be to add a second test run of the exact same workflows (or just a subset of them) and make sure caching is executed correctly. Does that sound right to you?

i.e. this doesn't require any new workflows, just a second execution of the existing ones.

[sitapriyamoorthi]

@tefirman found this link looks like GitHub actions may support call caching?? https://graphite.dev/guides/github-actions-caching#understanding-github-actions-caching

[sckott]

So I understand, caching here refers to Cromwell call caching, not GitHub Actions caching, correct?

I think it would work to have an additional job in each of womtools-validate.yml and cromwell-test-run.yml where Cromwell call caching is altered (I don't know enough about it to know what would be done here)

[sitapriyamoorthi]

I will let Taylor give you more detailed information. but i guess if i understand correctly is that we want to test the cromwell call caching functionality (your link is correct). I guess the question is when we use cromwell via github actions are we able to use wdl unit tests designed to test cromwell call caching feature? Looks like however cromwell is running via github actions this should be possible???

[seankross]

I guess the question is when we use cromwell via github actions are we able to use wdl unit tests designed to test cromwell call caching feature?

Good question, we'd have to look into answering this question more deeply. @tefirman do you think testing caching is in scope for this sprint, considering what we discussed in today's DSSR?

[tefirman]

Definitely just referring to Cromwell call caching for now, Scott's link is correct.

It's a pretty big functionality for bioinformatics purposes, so I would like to include it, but in a VERY basic functionality, i.e. calling helloWorld twice and make sure the second time calls from the cache. Mind if I explore this a bit in a separate branch?