Rollback / Idempotency
Every action is classified as reversible or irreversible, and irreversible ones require a gate.
In one sentence
Rollback is the ability to undo an action. Idempotency means executing something twice has the same effect as executing it once: it does not duplicate an email or charge twice. Every agent action must be classified as reversible or irreversible, and irreversible ones require a gate.
Before
Action will be executed
What it does
Is it reversible? Is it idempotent?
After
Autonomy, or mandatory human gate
Example
Sending a letter is irreversible: it requires a human gate. Generating a draft is reversible: it can run on its own. And sending must be idempotent: if the script runs twice by mistake, the sponsor receives only one letter.
Classifying each action along these two axes is the first design task, before any prompt.
The common mistake
Assuming that it "can be undone." An email sent, a payment made, and a post published have no rollback; the most you can do is apologize. Being careful is not enough for an irreversible action. It needs a gate.
In practice
- Create the table: every action, reversible or not, idempotent or not.
- The idempotency key comes from the caller, and the server does not generate it.
- No irreversible action can be left without a gate.
How to make it tangible
A table with all agent actions classified as reversible/irreversible and idempotent/non-idempotent.
Translated from Portuguese with AI assistance.