Review Workflows: Inspect First, Mutate After
The Engineer's Dilemma: When coding agents or automation scripts attempt to modify local files and execute build commands, black-box execution risks accidental overwrites or irreversible side effects. Engineers need to know upfront exactly what is about to change, with an unskippable approval checkpoint before any mutation takes place.
01
Configure or Select Managed Workflow Draft
Define or pick local task workflows in the workflow panel (such as repo linting, doc regeneration, or scaffolding). All operations are restricted to declared root whitelists and cannot access unaudited external tools.
02
Trigger Dry Run: Zero Side-Effect Preview
Real execution must always be preceded by a Dry Run. Vela intercepts all mutating operations (file writes, creations, commands) with read-only stubs, producing an exact execution plan and diff snapshot while disk contents remain completely untouched.
03
Inbox Inspection of Frozen Arguments & Single-Shot Approval
Once verified in Dry Run, the task enters the Inbox. Engineers inspect target files, expected hashes, and frozen command-line arguments (argv). Approval authorizes a single execution of the frozen parameters; automatic retries of unconfirmed side effects are strictly prohibited.
04
Scoped Execution & Undo Journal
Upon approval, execute the single authorized run. File writes strictly validate allowable root directories and target hashes, maintaining a full recovery transaction journal on local disk. If changes need reverting, the Undo mechanism restores files safely.
macOS native preview interface (0.1.0-preview.2) · Synthetic data
Boundaries & Known Limitations
- Dry Run Uses Stub Interception: The Dry Run phase intercepts file writes and mutating commands. A successful Dry Run confirms argument validation and conflict-free planning, not that underlying scripts have actually succeeded or environment dependencies are fully met.
- Single-Shot Approval Prevents Uncontrolled Retries: Approval applies strictly to the frozen set of arguments. If parameters change or uncertain side effects occur, the system will never retry silently; a new approval must be requested in the Inbox.
- Local-First Scope: Operations are confined to files and controlled processes within local managed directories. Vela does not claim distributed exactly-once transactional semantics across arbitrary SaaS networks (such as Slack, Gmail, or remote CI).