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jitanguptajitangupta/file-safety-guard/skills/backup-first/SKILL.md

backup-first

Skill3 starsChanged 9 months agoMITView on GitHub

Automatic file backup before any modification. Use when a file is about to be edited, modified, or transformed. Creates timestamped backup copies in a _backups/ folder, manages backup rotation (max 3 per file), and provides post-task summaries of all modifications and backups created.

The file

We split this skill into the rules it gives an agent

8 rules. About 0 are common, 6 are distinctive, and 2 are very specific to this project.

  • ≈0

    Common · estimate

    Many files like this have a rule of this kind.

  • ≈6

    Distinctive · estimate

    This author's own choices. Worth a look.

  • 2

    Very specific

    Tied to their project's names, files or tools. Probably skip.

  • Common
  • Distinctive
  • Very specific
  1. Distinctive:

    No file should ever be changed without a backup existing first.

    line 12
  2. Very specific:

    Before editing any file, create a backup copy in a _backups/ subfolder inside the current working folder.

    line 18
  3. Very specific:

    Use this exact format: originalname_backup_YYYYMMDD_HHMM.ext

    line 23
  4. Distinctive:

    Keep a maximum of 3 backups per original file.

    line 32
  5. Distinctive:

    When creating a 4th backup, delete only the oldest backup for that specific file.

    line 33
  6. Distinctive:

    Do not delete backups belonging to other files.

    line 34
  7. Distinctive:

    If it does not exist, create it immediately.

    line 39
  8. Distinctive:

    After completing any task that involved file modifications, show the user a summary:

    line 44

≈ “Common” is an estimate: at least 1 in 5 of the 350,495 skill files we read have a rule of the same kind, not the same words. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.

Keep what fits and drop the rest. Your version, ready for your agents.
Files
SKILL.md

Backup First

No file should ever be changed without a backup existing first.

Rules

1. Create Backup Before Every Edit

  • Before editing any file, create a backup copy in a _backups/ subfolder inside the current working folder.
  • The backup must be created and confirmed before any modifications begin on the original file.

2. Backup Naming Format

Use this exact format: originalname_backup_YYYYMMDD_HHMM.ext

Examples:

  • index.html → _backups/index_backup_20260209_1430.html
  • styles.css → _backups/styles_backup_20260209_1430.css
  • report.docx → _backups/report_backup_20260209_1430.docx

3. Maximum 3 Backups Per File

  • Keep a maximum of 3 backups per original file.
  • When creating a 4th backup, delete only the oldest backup for that specific file.
  • Do not delete backups belonging to other files.

4. Session Startup Check

  • At the start of every session, check if the _backups/ folder exists in the working directory.
  • If it does not exist, create it immediately.
  • This check should happen before any file work begins.

5. Post-Task Summary

After completing any task that involved file modifications, show the user a summary:

✅ Task complete
─────────────────────────────
Files modified:    X
Backups created:   X
Backup location:   _backups/
─────────────────────────────

Activation

This skill activates when:

  • A file is about to be edited or modified
  • A new session begins (for the startup check)
  • A task involving file changes is completed (for the summary)

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