# RuntimeError: Triton compilation failed: error: Kernel launch timed out after 300 seconds

- **ID:** `cuda/triton-kernel-launch-timeout`
- **Domain:** cuda
- **Category:** runtime_error
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 75%

## Root Cause

A Triton kernel launch exceeds the default timeout (300 seconds), typically due to an infinite loop or extremely long execution in a GPU kernel, often caused by incorrect grid/block dimensions or unoptimized code.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| Triton 2.2 | active | — | — |
| Triton 2.3 | active | — | — |
| CUDA 12.1 | active | — | — |
| PyTorch 2.3 | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **Debug the kernel by adding print statements or using Triton's built-in debugging tools. For example, in a Triton kernel: tl.device_print("value", x). Check for unintended infinite loops in for loops or while conditions.** (80% success)
   ```
   Debug the kernel by adding print statements or using Triton's built-in debugging tools. For example, in a Triton kernel: tl.device_print("value", x). Check for unintended infinite loops in for loops or while conditions.
   ```
2. **Reduce the grid size or block size to limit the total work. For example, if the grid is (1024, 1024), reduce it to (256, 256) temporarily to verify correctness. Then optimize the kernel logic.** (70% success)
   ```
   Reduce the grid size or block size to limit the total work. For example, if the grid is (1024, 1024), reduce it to (256, 256) temporarily to verify correctness. Then optimize the kernel logic.
   ```
3. **Increase the timeout as a temporary workaround: export TRITON_KERNEL_TIMEOUT=600 (600 seconds). Then profile the kernel to identify the bottleneck.** (60% success)
   ```
   Increase the timeout as a temporary workaround: export TRITON_KERNEL_TIMEOUT=600 (600 seconds). Then profile the kernel to identify the bottleneck.
   ```

## Dead Ends

- **** — If the kernel has an infinite loop, increasing timeout only delays the failure; it doesn't fix the root cause and wastes GPU time. (80% fail)
- **** — While it may reduce execution time for some kernels, it doesn't address infinite loops or algorithmic inefficiencies; it may even increase runtime due to underutilization. (60% fail)
- **** — The timeout is a runtime guard, not a compilation issue. Different versions may have different default timeouts but won't fix kernel logic errors. (70% fail)