# Workflow Timeouts

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> Optimize Workflow Execution with Temporal Go SDK - Set Workflow Timeouts and Retry Policies efficiently.

## Workflow timeouts 

Each Workflow timeout controls the maximum duration of a different aspect of a Workflow Execution.

Workflow timeouts are set when [starting the Workflow Execution](#workflow-timeouts).

Before we continue, we want to note that we generally do not recommend setting Workflow Timeouts, because Workflows are designed to be long-running and resilient.
Instead, setting a Timeout can limit its ability to handle unexpected delays or long-running processes.
If you need to perform an action inside your Workflow after a specific period of time, we recommend using a Timer.

- **[Workflow Execution Timeout](/encyclopedia/detecting-workflow-failures#workflow-execution-timeout)** - restricts the maximum amount of time that a single Workflow Execution can be executed.
- **[Workflow Run Timeout](/encyclopedia/detecting-workflow-failures#workflow-run-timeout):** restricts the maximum amount of time that a single Workflow Run can last.
- **[Workflow Task Timeout](/encyclopedia/detecting-workflow-failures#workflow-task-timeout):** restricts the maximum amount of time that a Worker can execute a Workflow Task.

Create an instance of [`StartWorkflowOptions`](https://pkg.go.dev/go.temporal.io/sdk/client#StartWorkflowOptions) from the `go.temporal.io/sdk/client` package, set a timeout, and pass the instance to the `ExecuteWorkflow` call.

Available timeouts are:

- `WorkflowExecutionTimeout`
- `WorkflowRunTimeout`
- `WorkflowTaskTimeout`

<!--SNIPSTART go-workflow-timeouts-set-->
[go-sandbox/workflows/timeouts/start.go](https://github.com/temporalio/documentation-sdk-code-examples/blob/main/go-sandbox/workflows/timeouts/start.go)
```go
workflowOptions := client.StartWorkflowOptions{
	ID:        "your-workflow-id",
	TaskQueue: TaskQueueName,
	// Set Workflow Timeout duration
	WorkflowExecutionTimeout: 24 * 365 * 10 * time.Hour,
	// WorkflowRunTimeout: 24 * 365 * 10 * time.Hour,
	// WorkflowTaskTimeout: 10 * time.Second,
}
workflowRun, err := temporalClient.ExecuteWorkflow(context.Background(), workflowOptions, YourWorkflowDefinition)
if err != nil {
	return nil, err
}
```
<!--SNIPEND-->

## Workflow retries 

A Retry Policy can work in cooperation with the timeouts to provide fine controls to optimize the execution experience.

Use a [Retry Policy](/encyclopedia/retry-policies) to retry a Workflow Execution in the event of a failure.

Workflow Executions do not retry by default, and Retry Policies should be used with Workflow Executions only in certain situations.

Create an instance of a [`RetryPolicy`](https://pkg.go.dev/go.temporal.io/sdk/temporal#RetryPolicy) from the `go.temporal.io/sdk/temporal` package and provide it as the value to the `RetryPolicy` field of the instance of `StartWorkflowOptions`.

- Type: [`RetryPolicy`](https://pkg.go.dev/go.temporal.io/sdk/temporal#RetryPolicy)
- Default: None

<!--SNIPSTART go-workflow-retry-policy-->
[go-sandbox/workflows/timeouts/start.go](https://github.com/temporalio/documentation-sdk-code-examples/blob/main/go-sandbox/workflows/timeouts/start.go)
```go
retryPolicy := &temporal.RetryPolicy{
	InitialInterval:    time.Second,
	BackoffCoefficient: 2.0,
	MaximumInterval:    time.Second * 100,
}
workflowOptions := client.StartWorkflowOptions{
	ID:          "your-workflow-id",
	TaskQueue:   TaskQueueName,
	RetryPolicy: retryPolicy,
}
workflowRun, err := temporalClient.ExecuteWorkflow(context.Background(), workflowOptions, YourWorkflowDefinition)
if err != nil {
	return nil, err
}
```
<!--SNIPEND-->