wzhpor opened a new issue, #69599:
URL: https://github.com/apache/airflow/issues/69599
### Description
Add a non-terminal task instance state `paused` that lets an operator hold a
specific task instance mid-run and later resume it from the same point,
without failing it, without clearing it, and without occupying a worker slot.
Behaviour:
- `running` / `scheduled` / `queued` -> `paused` via UI, CLI or REST.
- `paused` -> `queued` on resume; try number and XComs preserved.
- Downstream tasks stay blocked while the task is `paused`; the DAG run stays
`running`.
- `paused` does not consume worker slots or pool slots (like `deferred`).
- Optional `pause_reason`, `paused_by`, and `resume_at` fields.
### Use case/motivation
Enterprise schedulers (UC4/Automic, Control-M, TWS) let an operator pause an
individual step when a downstream dependency is temporarily broken (DB down,
partner SFTP unavailable, maintenance window, ad-hoc manual check). Once the
issue is fixed out-of-band, the operator resumes the step and the workflow
continues without re-running upstream work.
In Airflow today the only options are:
1. Let the task fail and clear it later — re-runs work, burns retries, fires
failure alerts, breaks Deadline Alerts.
2. Keep it running and burn a worker slot for hours while ops fixes the
underlying issue.
3. Mark it success manually — loses the guarantee that the step actually ran.
Existing mechanisms don't cover the ad-hoc operational case:
- `dags pause` only stops **future** DAG runs.
- `deferred` requires operator-level code changes and a trigger.
- HITL / `awaiting_input` must be declared at DAG-authoring time; it can't be
applied to an arbitrary task that is already running.
- Zero-slot pools block new tasks but don't pause a running one.
### Related issues
_No response_
### Are you willing to submit a PR?
- [ ] Yes I am willing to submit a PR!
### Code of Conduct
- [x] I agree to follow this project's [Code of
Conduct](https://github.com/apache/airflow/blob/main/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md)
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