principle-separate-before-serializing-shared-state
Apply when concurrent actors might write to the same file, branch, key, or state object. Eliminate the sharing first; serialize structurally only when one shared writer is a real invariant.
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Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/backnotprop/pstack --skill principle-separate-before-serializing-shared-state- 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-separate-before-serializing-shared-state 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.
Separate Before Serializing Shared State
When concurrent actors might share mutable state, first ask whether they need the same mutable object. If not, eliminate the sharing. When sharing is real, enforce serialization structurally: lockfiles, sequential phases, exclusive ownership. Instructions and conventions are not concurrency control.
Why: Concurrent writes to shared state create race conditions that are intermittent, hard to reproduce, and expensive to debug.
Pattern:
- Identify shared mutable state (files both read and write, branches both push to, APIs both define and consume).
- Default: eliminate the shared write target. Ask: do these actors need one canonical object, or are they publishing independent facts? Give each actor its own owned file, key, branch, or state directory, and merge only at the read/reporting boundary. Two workers writing their own
lastXfield into onestate.jsonis still shared mutation.indexer-state.json+metrics-state.jsonis not. - Only when one shared write target is a real invariant, serialize access structurally (lockfiles, sequential phases, single-writer actor, or atomic compare-and-swap). Treat "we need a lock" as a design smell to check, not as the default answer.
FAQ
What does the principle-separate-before-serializing-shared-state skill do?
Apply when concurrent actors might write to the same file, branch, key, or state object. Eliminate the sharing first; serialize structurally only when one shared writer is a real invariant.
How do I install principle-separate-before-serializing-shared-state?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/backnotprop/pstack --skill principle-separate-before-serializing-shared-state 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-separate-before-serializing-shared-state/ (personal) or .claude/skills/principle-separate-before-serializing-shared-state/ (project).
Which AI agents can use principle-separate-before-serializing-shared-state?
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-separate-before-serializing-shared-state 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-separate-before-serializing-shared-state?
It is published by backnotprop in backnotprop/pstack. It has 5,360 recorded installs.
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