AWS Lambda Durable Functions vs Step Functions: a real-world comparison

Hey devs, I recently built the same order dispatch workflow twice, once with AWS Step Functions and once with AWS Lambda durable functions . The difference in developer experience was significant. Let me walk you through what I learned and why I decided to do this. AWS Lambda durable functions are relatively new to the AWS ecosystem , so deciding whether to use them is not always straightforward. 🎯 The Problem: A Real-World Order Workflow I needed to build a simple workflow for handling an order: Store the order in DynamoDB Check inventory Wait for human approval Automatically find alternatives if rejected or complementary items if confirmed Wait 2 days Generate an email with Bedrock (with alternatives or complementary items, based on confirmation or rejection) Send it via SES This is a real-world scenario (and also something I needed in production): human-in-the-loop, approvals, timers, and external service integrations. In reality, it’s a bit more complex than that, but for the sake