safe-deletion

name	safe-deletion
description	Gate destructive file and directory operations by verifying contents match their described purpose before removing anything. Use whenever asked to delete, remove, clean up, clear out, purge, or empty files, directories, logs, caches, or artifacts.

Safe Deletion

Deletion is irreversible. Run this gate before any destructive file operation, including when the user explicitly says to delete.

Gate

1. List the target's actual contents first (ls -la, git ls-files, or equivalent). Never delete blind.
2. Compare what is there against how the target was described or named. A directory called old-logs, tmp, backup, or scratch that contains source code, schema definitions, documents, or the only copy of anything does NOT match its description.
3. On mismatch: STOP. Do not delete. Report exactly what was found and why it contradicts the description, then ask how to proceed. An explicit instruction to delete does not waive this step — the instruction was given before the contents were known.
4. On match: proceed, then report precisely what was removed and how it was verified (e.g. listing before and after).

Scope

Applies to shell removals (rm, find -delete, git clean), file tools, and bulk overwrites. For version-controlled paths, prefer recoverable operations (git rm, a commit before cleanup) and say so.