What is the difference between a dyno and a worker on Heroku?

In Heroku, the term "dyno" refers to a lightweight container that runs applications and services. Dynos provide the compute environment needed to execute the code for applications that are deployed on the Heroku platform. There are different types of dynos available, including web dynos, which handle incoming HTTP requests, and worker dynos, which manage background jobs or processes. The concept of a "worker" in Heroku specifically pertains to a type of dyno designed for executing background tasks. Worker dynos are ideal for running asynchronous jobs that do not require direct interaction with users, such as processing data, sending emails, or performing any tasks that are resource-intensive and can run independently of the web request-response cycle. In essence, all workers are dynos, but not all dynos are workers. Web dynos receive and process web requests, while worker dynos deal with tasks that can operate away from user interaction. This differentiation allows developers to scale and allocate resources efficiently based on the specific needs of their applications. For additional details about dynos and workers, it may be helpful to reference the relevant sections on the current Heroku website.