# Workflows Overview

What a workflow is, how long workflows take, and why one account runs its workflows one at a time.

A workflow does something on LinkedIn now, on behalf of one connected account. This page explains what a workflow is made of and how Linked API runs it.

## What a workflow is

Every action you ask Linked API to perform on LinkedIn right away – send a connection request, comment on a post, retrieve company data – runs as a **workflow**.

Workflows are constructed using building blocks called **actions**. Each action represents a specific operation within your workflow. To learn more about this concept, see the [actions overview](/docs/actions-overview) and [building workflows](/docs/building-workflows) pages.

This workflow-based approach, rather than REST-style endpoints, allows you to build any automation sequence imaginable. It provides complete flexibility, which is why we chose workflows as our foundation.

## Request timing

Since Linked API [fully emulates](/safety) actions of a real LinkedIn user, requests are not executed instantly. For example, simple workflows like visiting a person's page and liking their latest post might take around 20 seconds, while more complex workflows, such as retrieving detailed company information including a list of its employees, can take several minutes.

## Sequential execution

Linked API executes workflows sequentially. While you can send multiple workflow requests in quick succession, they **will not be executed in parallel**. Each workflow request is **accepted immediately**, but its execution will not start until the previous workflow is completed.

For example, if you request a workflow to [check a connection status](/docs/checking-connection-status) and immediately request another workflow to [send a message](/docs/sending-message), the second workflow will begin **only after the first workflow is completed**.

This approach ensures alignment with realistic user behavior on LinkedIn, as it mirrors how a real user would interact with the platform.