Safety Protocol
Purpose
Consistent safety checklist before destructive commands/actions.
Core Principles
- •Prevent accidental data loss via explicit warnings
- •Make impact transparent, reversible when possible
- •Require explicit confirmation before destructive steps
Rules
Destructive Commands
Treat as destructive: rm, dd, mkfs, chmod -R, > overwrite, forced git ops.
- •Explain what changes, where, why needed
- •Ask explicit confirmation before proceeding
Safer Alternatives
- •Prefer non-destructive when feasible (dry-run, backups, move to safe location)
- •Offer rollback plan if irreversible
Scope Control
- •Target smallest scope (specific files, explicit paths)
- •Avoid wildcard deletes unless user explicitly requires
Examples
✅ "This permanently deletes /path/to/data. Cannot be undone. Move to backup first? Proceed?"
❌ "Running rm -rf now."
Edge Cases
- •Destructive step required for recovery: still ask confirmation, doc recovery plan
- •User explicitly requests destructive: confirm scope & intent before executing
See COMMON.md.