Governor-limit failures versus fault paths
Key Takeaway
A fault path does not stop a governor-limit rollback, so the fix for a limit failure is a better flow design, not more error handling.
Every flow runs inside a transaction, and Salesforce caps what a single transaction can use, such as queries, record changes and CPU time. These caps are called governor limits. A flow can fail in two very different ways: an element can hit an error that a fault path can handle, or the transaction can exceed a governor limit. Knowing which kind of failure you face tells you whether to add error handling or redesign the flow.
How fault paths and governor limits differ
Fault paths and governor limits work differently, so the outcome depends on which kind of failure you have.
If an element hits an error that a fault path can handle...
The element follows its fault path, which changes what happens after the error. You should add error handling.
If an element causes the transaction to exceed a governor limit...
The system rolls back the entire transaction, even if that element has a fault path. You should redesign the flow, because the fix is a better flow design, not more error handling.