aoa-dry-run-first

Intent

Use this skill to force a preview-first mindset before executing changes that may be destructive, irreversible, or operationally meaningful.

Trigger boundary

Use this skill when:

• the task can be simulated, previewed, or inspected before real execution
• the action may delete, restore, migrate, reconfigure, or otherwise alter a live surface
• the cost of a mistaken execution is meaningfully higher than the cost of a preview step

Do not use this skill when:

• no meaningful dry-run or preview path exists and the task is already clearly bounded and harmless
• the task is purely analytical and does not approach execution at all
• the central question is whether execution is authorized at all rather than how to preview it; use aoa-approval-gate-check
• the task is only about preparing a sanitized artifact for sharing; use aoa-sanitized-share

Inputs

• requested action
• available preview or dry-run mechanisms
• touched surfaces
• known limits of the preview path

Outputs

• dry-run or preview recommendation
• bounded preview result or plan
• note on what the preview does and does not prove
• recommendation for next step

Procedure

1. identify whether a preview, simulation, inspect-only, or dry-run path exists
2. prefer the safest bounded preview path before real execution
3. make explicit what the preview covers and what it cannot guarantee
4. avoid treating dry-run output as proof of total safety
5. recommend the next step only after the preview has been interpreted

Contracts

• dry-run should reduce uncertainty before execution
• preview results should not be overstated
• lack of a dry-run path should be named as a risk, not hidden
• real execution should not be smuggled into a preview step

Risks and anti-patterns

• treating a preview as complete validation
• skipping preview because the real change looks small
• using a fake or weak preview path that does not touch the real risk surface
• blurring inspect-only and execute behavior

Verification

• confirm a preview or dry-run path was considered first
• confirm the preview scope was named honestly
• confirm unresolved risk after preview was not hidden
• confirm the preview step did not silently perform the real action
• confirm the recommended next step matches the preview confidence

Technique traceability

Manifest-backed techniques:

• AOA-T-PENDING-DRY-RUN-FIRST from 8Dionysus/aoa-techniques at TBD using path TBD and sections: Intent, When to use, Inputs, Outputs, Core procedure, Contracts, Risks, Validation
• AOA-T-0004 from 8Dionysus/aoa-techniques at fe7df9aba3937435b431489ed0f9c5d52690a37c using path techniques/agent-workflows/intent-plan-dry-run-contract-chain/TECHNIQUE.md and sections: Intent, When to use, Outputs, Core procedure, Validation

Adaptation points

Future project overlays may add:

• local preview commands
• dry-run limitations
• restore or recovery expectations
• project-specific inspect-only patterns