Retry function for PHP with exponential backoff

retry.php

<?php

/* 
 * Retry function for e.g. external API calls
 *
 * Will try the risky API call, and retries with an ever increasing delay if it fails
 * Throws the latest error if $maxRetries is reached,
 * otherwise it will return the value returned from the closure.
 *
 * You specify the exceptions that you expect to occur.
 * If another exception is thrown, the script aborts 
 *
 */

function retry(callable $callable, $expectedErrors, $maxRetries = 5, $initialWait = 1.0, $exponent = 2)
{
    if (!is_array($expectedErrors)) {
        $expectedErrors = [$expectedErrors];
    }

    try {
        return call_user_func($callable);
    } catch (Exception $e) {
        // get whole inheritance chain
        $errors = class_parents($e);
        array_push($errors, get_class($e));

        // if unexpected, re-throw
        if (!array_intersect($errors, $expectedErrors)) {
            throw $e;
        }

        // exponential backoff
        if ($maxRetries > 0) {
            usleep($initialWait * 1E6);
            return retry($callable, $expectedErrors, $maxRetries - 1, $initialWait * $exponent, $exponent);
        }

        // max retries reached
        throw $e;
    }
}

RetryTest.php

<?php

class RetryTest extends TestCase
{
    public function setUp()
    {
        parent::setUp();
        // abuse superglobal to keep track of state
        $_GET['a'] = 0;
    }

    protected static function failOnce($exception)
    {
        $_GET['a']++;
        if ($_GET['a'] == 1) {
            throw $exception;
        }
        return $_GET['a'];
    }

    public function testSucceed()
    {
        $callable = function() { return 'hello'; };
        $return = retry($callable, Exception::class);
        $this->assertSame($return, 'hello');
    }

    public function testFailOnce()
    {
        $callable = function() {
            return self::failOnce(new Exception('Fail once'));
        };

        $return = retry($callable, Exception::class, 3, 0);
        $this->assertSame(2, $return);
    }

    public function testFailOnceInherited()
    {
        $callable = function() {
            return self::failOnce(new UnexpectedValueException('Fail once'));
        };

        $return = retry($callable, Exception::class, 3, 0);
        $this->assertSame(2, $return);
    }

    /**
     * @expectedException Exception
     */
    public function testFailAfterMax()
    {
        $callable = function() { throw new Exception('Error'); };
        $return = retry($callable, Exception::class, 3, 0);
    }

    public function testFailCount()
    {
        $callable = function() {
            $_GET['a']++;
            throw new Exception('FailCount');
        };
        $retries = 5;

        try {
            $return = retry($callable, Exception::class, $retries, 0);
        } catch(Exception $e) {
            $this->assertSame($e->getMessage(), 'FailCount');
        }
        $this->assertSame($_GET['a'], $retries + 1);
    }

    /**
     * @expectedException Exception
     */
    public function testFailUnexpected()
    {
        $callable = function() { throw new Exception('Error'); };
        $return = retry($callable, UnexpectedValueException::class);
    }
}

usage.php

<?php

$expectedErrors = 'Google_Service_Exception';
$maxRetries = 5; // means we try max 6 times
$initialWait = 1.0; // seconds
$exponent = 2; // double the waiting time each try

/* your application stuff */
$service = ...
$calendarAddress = ...
$vEvent = ...

$returnValue = retry(
    function() use ($service, $calendarAddress, $vEvent) {
        return $service->events->insert($calendarAddress, $vEvent);
    },
    $expectedErrors, $maxRetries, $initialWait, $exponent
);

hey @orottier dig this (using a variation of it now), but I think you wanna pass in the $exponent to the retry call on on line #36 of retry.php

You are right! Sorry it took me three years to update this