principle-make-operations-idempotent
Apply when designing commands, lifecycle steps, or processing loops that run amid crashes, restarts, and retries. Converge to the same end state regardless of partial prior runs.
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Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/backnotprop/pstack --skill principle-make-operations-idempotent- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads principle-make-operations-idempotent automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
Security audits
Independent scans of the skill's instructions and bundled files.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
Make Operations Idempotent
Design operations so they converge to the correct state regardless of how many times they run or where the previous run stopped. Every state-mutating operation should answer: "What happens if this runs twice? What happens if the previous run crashed halfway?"
Why: Commands, lifecycle operations, and processing loops run where crashes, restarts, and retries are normal. If partial state changes the next run's outcome, every restart becomes a debugging session.
The idea: derive each step from the state that exists, not from what the previous run meant to do. Read the current state, compare it to the goal, and apply only the difference. A step written this way is safe to repeat, because a repeat finds nothing left to do.
Anything a run leaves behind, such as a lock, a temporary file, a half-written record, or a claimed job, must be recognizable as stale by the next run. Judge staleness by evidence that stays true wherever the previous run could have stopped, not only in the common case. A marker that the next run cannot judge turns every crash into manual cleanup. For example, write to a temporary path and rename it into place, or compare artifacts by content instead of by creation order.
The test:
- What happens if this runs twice in a row?
- What happens if the previous run crashed at every possible point?
- Does re-execution converge to the same end state?
If any answer is "it depends on what state was left behind," the operation needs a reconciliation step.
FAQ
What does the principle-make-operations-idempotent skill do?
Apply when designing commands, lifecycle steps, or processing loops that run amid crashes, restarts, and retries. Converge to the same end state regardless of partial prior runs.
How do I install principle-make-operations-idempotent?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/backnotprop/pstack --skill principle-make-operations-idempotent in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/principle-make-operations-idempotent/ (personal) or .claude/skills/principle-make-operations-idempotent/ (project).
Which AI agents can use principle-make-operations-idempotent?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is principle-make-operations-idempotent safe to install?
Security partners have reviewed it: Gen Agent Trust Hub passed; Socket passed; Snyk passed. As with any skill, read the SKILL.md and bundled scripts before installing.
Who maintains principle-make-operations-idempotent?
It is published by backnotprop in backnotprop/pstack. It has 5,446 recorded installs.
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