workflow/docs/api-reference/workflow/get-workflow-metadata.mdx

Workflow SDK - Build durable, resilient, and observable workflows

---
title: getWorkflowMetadata
description: Access run IDs and timing information within workflow functions.
type: reference
summary: Call getWorkflowMetadata inside a workflow to access the run ID and timing information.
prerequisites:
  - /docs/foundations/workflows-and-steps
---

Returns additional metadata available in the current workflow function.

You may want to use this function when you need to:

* Log workflow run IDs
* Access timing information of a workflow
* Detect whether encryption is enabled for the current run

<Callout>
If you need to access step context, take a look at [`getStepMetadata`](/docs/api-reference/workflow/get-step-metadata).
</Callout>

```typescript lineNumbers
import { getWorkflowMetadata } from "workflow"

async function testWorkflow() {
    "use workflow"

    const ctx = getWorkflowMetadata() // [!code highlight]
    console.log(ctx.workflowRunId)
}
```

### Detecting workflow runtime

You can use `getWorkflowMetadata` to detect whether your code is running inside a workflow context. This is useful when building shared utilities that need to behave differently inside and outside of workflows.

Since `getWorkflowMetadata` throws when called outside a workflow, you can wrap it in a try-catch:

```typescript lineNumbers
import { getWorkflowMetadata } from "workflow"

function isInWorkflow(): boolean {
    try {
        getWorkflowMetadata()
        return true
    } catch {
        return false
    }
}
```

For example, a logging utility could include the workflow run ID when available:

```typescript lineNumbers
import { getWorkflowMetadata } from "workflow"

function log(message: string) {
    try {
        const { workflowRunId } = getWorkflowMetadata()
        console.log(`[workflow:${workflowRunId}] ${message}`)
    } catch {
        console.log(message)
    }
}
```

### Detecting encryption

The `features` object indicates which capabilities are active for the current run. Library authors can use `features.encryption` to control whether sensitive data is included in step return values, which are serialized to the event log:

```typescript lineNumbers
import { getWorkflowMetadata } from "workflow"

declare function getUserProfile(userId: string): Promise<{ name: string; ssn: string }>; // @setup

async function fetchUserProfile(userId: string) {
    "use step"

    const { features } = getWorkflowMetadata() // [!code highlight]
    const profile = await getUserProfile(userId)

    if (!features.encryption) { // [!code highlight]
        // Omit sensitive fields from the return value,
        // since it will be stored unencrypted in the event log
        const { ssn, ...safe } = profile
        return safe
    }

    return profile
}
```

## API signature

### Parameters

<TSDoc
definition={`
import { getWorkflowMetadata } from "workflow";
export default getWorkflowMetadata;`}
showSections={['parameters']}
/>

### Returns

<TSDoc
definition={`
import type { WorkflowMetadata } from "workflow";
export default WorkflowMetadata;`}
/>