---
title: Run a Task
subtitle: Execute a single browser automation with natural language
slug: running-automations/run-a-task
---

A **Task** is the simplest way to automate a browser action. 

You describe what you want in natural language, and Skyvern's AI navigates the web to complete it.

---

## Call `run_task`

A task has one required parameter and one commonly used optional parameter:

- **`prompt`** (required) — Natural language instructions describing what the AI should do
- **`url`** (optional) — The starting page for the automation

For additional parameters like engines, proxies, and extraction schemas, see [Task Parameters](/running-automations/task-parameters).

When you call `run_task`, Skyvern spins up a cloud browser, navigates to the URL, and executes your prompt. A typical task takes 30–90 seconds depending on complexity.

<CodeGroup>
```python Python
import os
import asyncio
from skyvern import Skyvern

async def main():
    client = Skyvern(api_key=os.getenv("SKYVERN_API_KEY"))

    result = await client.run_task(
        prompt="Get the title of the top post",
        url="https://news.ycombinator.com",
    )

    print(f"Run ID: {result.run_id}")
    print(f"Status: {result.status}")

asyncio.run(main())
```

```typescript TypeScript
import { SkyvernClient } from "@skyvern/client";

async function main() {
  const client = new SkyvernClient({
    apiKey: process.env.SKYVERN_API_KEY,
  });

  const result = await client.runTask({
    body: {
      prompt: "Get the title of the top post",
      url: "https://news.ycombinator.com",
    },
  });

  console.log(`Run ID: ${result.run_id}`);
  console.log(`Status: ${result.status}`);
}

main();
```

```bash cURL
curl -X POST "https://api.skyvern.com/v1/run/tasks" \
  -H "x-api-key: $SKYVERN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "prompt": "Get the title of the top post",
    "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com"
  }'
```
</CodeGroup>

**Example response:**

```json
{
  "run_id": "tsk_v2_486305187432193504",
  "status": "queued",
  "output": null,
  "downloaded_files": null,
  "recording_url": null,
  "screenshot_urls": null,
  "failure_reason": null,
  "created_at": "2026-01-20T11:52:29.276851",
  "modified_at": "2026-01-20T11:52:29.484284",
  "app_url": "https://app.skyvern.com/runs/wr_486305187432193510",
  "run_type": "task_v2"
}
```

The response includes a `run_id`. Use this ID to check status, fetch results, and retrieve artifacts.

<Warning>
`run_task` returns immediately—the task is queued, not finished. Always poll or use webhooks to get results.
</Warning>

---

## Get results

The `run_task` call queues the task and returns immediately. 

Use the `run_id` to fetch results once the task reaches a terminal state.

| Status | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `created` | Task initialized, not yet queued |
| `queued` | Waiting for an available browser |
| `running` | AI is navigating and executing |
| `completed` | Task finished successfully—check `output` for results |
| `failed` | Task encountered an error—check `failure_reason` and retry or adjust your prompt |
| `terminated` | Task was manually stopped |
| `timed_out` | Task exceeded time limit—increase `max_steps` or simplify the task |
| `canceled` | Task was canceled before starting |

You have three options for retrieving results:

### Option 1: Polling

Poll `get_run` until status is terminal (`completed`, `failed`, `terminated`, `timed_out`, or `canceled`).

<CodeGroup>
```python Python
run_id = result.run_id

while True:
    run = await client.get_run(run_id)

    if run.status in ["completed", "failed", "terminated", "timed_out", "canceled"]:
        break

    await asyncio.sleep(5)

print(f"Output: {run.output}")
```

```typescript TypeScript
const runId = result.run_id;

while (true) {
  const run = await client.getRun(runId);

  if (["completed", "failed", "terminated", "timed_out", "canceled"].includes(run.status)) {
    console.log(`Output: ${JSON.stringify(run.output)}`);
    break;
  }

  await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 5000));
}
```

```bash cURL
#!/bin/bash
RUN_ID="YOUR_RUN_ID"

while true; do
  RESPONSE=$(curl -s -X GET "https://api.skyvern.com/v1/runs/$RUN_ID" \
    -H "x-api-key: $SKYVERN_API_KEY")

  STATUS=$(echo "$RESPONSE" | jq -r '.status')
  echo "Status: $STATUS"

  if [[ "$STATUS" == "completed" || "$STATUS" == "failed" || "$STATUS" == "terminated" || "$STATUS" == "timed_out" || "$STATUS" == "canceled" ]]; then
    echo "$RESPONSE" | jq '.output'
    break
  fi

  sleep 5
done
```
</CodeGroup>

<Warning>
Your polling loop must check **all** terminal states: `completed`, `failed`, `terminated`, `timed_out`, `canceled`. Missing one causes infinite loops.
</Warning>

### Option 2: Webhooks

Pass a `webhook_url` when creating the task. Skyvern sends a POST request to your URL when the task completes.

<CodeGroup>
```python Python
result = await client.run_task(
    prompt="Get the title of the top post",
    url="https://news.ycombinator.com",
    webhook_url="https://your-server.com/webhook",
)
```

```typescript TypeScript
const result = await client.runTask({
  body: {
    prompt: "Get the title of the top post",
    url: "https://news.ycombinator.com",
    webhook_url: "https://your-server.com/webhook",
  },
});
```

```bash cURL
curl -X POST "https://api.skyvern.com/v1/run/tasks" \
  -H "x-api-key: $SKYVERN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "prompt": "Get the title of the top post",
    "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com",
    "webhook_url": "https://your-server.com/webhook"
  }'
```
</CodeGroup>

Skyvern sends a POST request with the full run data when the task completes or fails.

### Option 3: Wait for completion (Python only)

Block until the task finishes instead of polling manually.

```python Python
result = await client.run_task(
    prompt="Get the title of the top post",
    url="https://news.ycombinator.com",
    wait_for_completion=True,
)
print(result.output)
```

---

## Understand the response

The response from polling (`get_run`) and webhooks have slightly different structures. Both contain the core task data, but webhooks include additional metadata.

<CodeGroup>
```json Polling Response
{
  "run_id": "tsk_v2_486305187432193504",
  "status": "completed",
  "output": {
    "top_post_title": "Linux kernel framework for PCIe device emulation, in userspace"
  },
  "downloaded_files": [],
  "recording_url": "https://skyvern-artifacts.s3.amazonaws.com/v1/production/.../recording.webm?...",
  "screenshot_urls": ["https://skyvern-artifacts.s3.amazonaws.com/.../screenshot_final.png?..."],
  "failure_reason": null,
  "errors": [],
  "step_count": 2,
  "run_type": "task_v2",
  "app_url": "https://app.skyvern.com/runs/wr_486305187432193510",
  "browser_session_id": null,
  "browser_profile_id": null,
  "created_at": "2026-01-20T11:52:29.276851",
  "modified_at": "2026-01-20T11:54:08.822807",
  "queued_at": "2026-01-20T11:52:29.483922",
  "started_at": "2026-01-20T11:52:31.835337",
  "finished_at": "2026-01-20T11:54:08.821985",
  "run_request": {
    "prompt": "Get the title of the top post",
    "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/",
    "engine": "skyvern-2.0"
  }
}
```

```json Webhook Payload
{
  "task_id": "tsk_v2_486306851394503256",
  "run_id": "tsk_v2_486306851394503256",
  "status": "completed",
  "output": {
    "top_post_title": "Linux kernel framework for PCIe device emulation, in userspace"
  },
  "summary": "I have successfully navigated to Hacker News and extracted the title of the top post.",
  "prompt": "Get the title of the top post",
  "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/",
  "downloaded_files": [],
  "recording_url": "https://skyvern-artifacts.s3.amazonaws.com/v1/production/.../recording.webm?...",
  "screenshot_urls": ["https://skyvern-artifacts.s3.amazonaws.com/.../screenshot_final.png?..."],
  "failure_reason": null,
  "errors": [],
  "step_count": 2,
  "run_type": "task_v2",
  "app_url": "https://app.skyvern.com/runs/wr_486306851394503262",
  "organization_id": "o_485917350850524254",
  "workflow_run_id": "wr_486306851394503262",
  "proxy_location": "RESIDENTIAL",
  "webhook_callback_url": "https://your-server.com/webhook",
  "created_at": "2026-01-20T11:58:57.414123",
  "modified_at": "2026-01-20T12:00:31.513449",
  "queued_at": "2026-01-20T11:58:57.607233",
  "started_at": "2026-01-20T11:58:59.395028",
  "finished_at": "2026-01-20T12:00:31.512692"
}
```
</CodeGroup>

**Common fields (both polling and webhook):**

| Field | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `run_id` | string | Unique identifier for this run |
| `status` | string | Current status: `queued`, `running`, `completed`, `failed`, `terminated`, `timed_out`, `canceled` |
| `output` | object \| null | Extracted data from the task |
| `downloaded_files` | array | Files downloaded during execution |
| `recording_url` | string \| null | Video recording of the browser session |
| `screenshot_urls` | array \| null | Screenshots captured (latest first) |
| `failure_reason` | string \| null | Error message if the run failed |
| `errors` | array | List of errors encountered |
| `step_count` | integer \| null | Number of steps executed |
| `run_type` | string | Type of run: `task_v2`, `openai_cua`, `anthropic_cua` |
| `app_url` | string | Link to view this run in Skyvern Cloud |
| `created_at` | datetime | When the run was created |
| `modified_at` | datetime | When the run was last updated |
| `queued_at` | datetime \| null | When the run entered the queue |
| `started_at` | datetime \| null | When execution began |
| `finished_at` | datetime \| null | When execution completed |

**Polling-only fields:**

| Field | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `run_request` | object | Original request parameters (prompt, url, engine, etc.) |
| `browser_session_id` | string \| null | ID of the browser session used |
| `browser_profile_id` | string \| null | ID of the browser profile used |
| `max_screenshot_scrolls` | integer \| null | Number of scrolls for screenshots |
| `script_run` | object \| null | Script run result if AI fallback triggered |

**Webhook-only fields:**

| Field | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `task_id` | string | Same as `run_id` |
| `summary` | string | AI-generated description of what was done |
| `prompt` | string | The prompt from the original request |
| `url` | string | The URL from the original request |
| `organization_id` | string | Your organization ID |
| `workflow_run_id` | string | Associated workflow run ID |
| `proxy_location` | string | Proxy location used (e.g., `RESIDENTIAL`) |
| `webhook_callback_url` | string | The webhook URL that received this payload |

---

## Get artifacts

The run response contains high-level data like `output`, `recording_url`, and `screenshot_urls`. 

Every run also generates Artifacts, such as screenshots, reasoning logs, downloaded files, for observability. To get them, use `get_run_artifacts`.

<CodeGroup>
```python Python
artifacts = await client.get_run_artifacts(run_id)

for artifact in artifacts:
    print(f"{artifact.artifact_type}: {artifact.signed_url}")
```

```typescript TypeScript
const artifacts = await client.getRunArtifacts(runId);

for (const artifact of artifacts) {
  console.log(`${artifact.artifact_type}: ${artifact.signed_url}`);
}
```

```bash cURL
curl -X GET "https://api.skyvern.com/v1/runs/RUN_ID/artifacts" \
  -H "x-api-key: $SKYVERN_API_KEY"
```
</CodeGroup>

This returns a list of artifacts.

**Example response:**

```json
[
  {
    "artifact_id": "a_486305284826607484",
    "artifact_type": "recording",
    "uri": "s3://skyvern-artifacts/v1/production/.../recording.webm",
    "signed_url": "https://skyvern-artifacts.s3.amazonaws.com/v1/production/.../recording.webm?...",
    "task_id": "tsk_486305246171901814",
    "step_id": "stp_486305250466869112",
    "workflow_run_id": "wr_486305187432193510",
    "workflow_run_block_id": null,
    "run_id": "tsk_v2_486305187432193504",
    "organization_id": "o_485917350850524254",
    "created_at": "2026-01-20T11:52:52.083001",
    "modified_at": "2026-01-20T11:52:52.083003"
  },
  {
    "artifact_id": "a_486305516754841578",
    "artifact_type": "screenshot_final",
    "uri": "s3://skyvern-artifacts/v1/production/.../screenshot_final.png",
    "signed_url": "https://skyvern-artifacts.s3.amazonaws.com/v1/production/.../screenshot_final.png?...",
    "task_id": "tsk_486305439445430190",
    "step_id": "stp_486305439445430192",
    "workflow_run_id": "wr_486305187432193510",
    "workflow_run_block_id": null,
    "run_id": "tsk_v2_486305187432193504",
    "organization_id": "o_485917350850524254",
    "created_at": "2026-01-20T11:53:46.468908",
    "modified_at": "2026-01-20T11:53:46.468910"
  }
]
```

**Artifact fields:**

| Field | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `artifact_id` | string | Unique identifier for the artifact |
| `artifact_type` | string | Type of artifact (see table below) |
| `uri` | string | Internal storage path |
| `signed_url` | string \| null | Pre-signed URL for downloading |
| `task_id` | string \| null | Associated task ID |
| `step_id` | string \| null | Associated step ID |
| `run_id` | string \| null | Associated run ID (e.g., `tsk_v2_...`) |
| `workflow_run_id` | string \| null | Associated workflow run ID |
| `workflow_run_block_id` | string \| null | Associated workflow block ID |
| `organization_id` | string | Organization that owns this artifact |
| `created_at` | datetime | When the artifact was created |
| `modified_at` | datetime | When the artifact was last modified |

**Artifact types:**

| Type | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `recording` | Full video of the browser session |
| `screenshot` | Screenshot captured during execution |
| `screenshot_action` | Screenshot taken after an action |
| `screenshot_final` | Final screenshot when task completed |
| `screenshot_llm` | Screenshot sent to the LLM for analysis |
| `html` | Page HTML at various points |
| `html_scrape` | Scraped HTML content |
| `html_action` | HTML captured after an action |
| `har` | HTTP Archive file for network debugging |
| `trace` | Execution trace data |
| `pdf` | PDF files generated or downloaded |
| `script_file` | Generated script files |
| `browser_console_log` | Browser console output |
| `skyvern_log` | Skyvern execution logs |
| `skyvern_log_raw` | Raw Skyvern execution logs |
| `llm_prompt` | Prompt sent to the LLM |
| `llm_request` | Full request sent to the LLM |
| `llm_response` | Response from the LLM |
| `llm_response_parsed` | Parsed LLM response |
| `llm_response_rendered` | Rendered LLM response |
| `visible_elements_tree` | DOM tree of visible elements |
| `visible_elements_tree_trimmed` | Trimmed DOM tree |
| `visible_elements_tree_in_prompt` | DOM tree included in prompt |
| `visible_elements_id_css_map` | CSS selector map for elements |
| `visible_elements_id_frame_map` | Frame map for elements |
| `visible_elements_id_xpath_map` | XPath map for elements |
| `hashed_href_map` | Hashed href mapping |

You can filter by artifact type using query parameters:

```bash
curl -X GET "https://api.skyvern.com/v1/runs/RUN_ID/artifacts?artifact_type=screenshot&artifact_type=recording" \
  -H "x-api-key: $SKYVERN_API_KEY"
```

---

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card
    title="Task Parameters"
    icon="sliders"
    href="/running-automations/task-parameters"
  >
    Configure engines, proxies, extraction schemas, etc when running a task
  </Card>
  <Card
    title="Extract Structured Data"
    icon="database"
    href="/running-automations/extract-structured-data"
  >
    Define a schema to get typed JSON output from your automations
  </Card>
</CardGroup>