Should I use a batch API or poll for updates?

It depends on the kind of work you’re doing:

Use a batch API if:

• You have many requests to process at once
• Results are not needed immediately
• You want lower overhead / better throughput
• You can tolerate higher latency and occasional delay in availability

Examples:

• Nightly data syncs
• Bulk image processing
• Large report generation
• Backfills or migrations

Use polling for updates if:

• You need to know when a job is done
• The work takes variable time
• You want a simple request/response workflow
• There isn’t a webhook/event system available

Examples:

• Waiting for a long-running export
• Checking the status of a single async job
• Monitoring a task queue item

Rule of thumb

• Bulk + non-urgent → batch API
• Single job + need status → poll
• Real-time notification available → prefer webhook/event over polling

Tradeoffs

• Batch API: fewer network calls, more efficient, but less immediate
• Polling: simple and reliable, but can waste requests if done too often
• Best alternative: webhook/callback if your system supports it

If you tell me your use case, I can recommend the best option more specifically.