A dry run can create false confidence when it exercises a cleaner or different path than the action it claims to preview.
The practical check
Ask whether the preview checks the same inputs, conditions, policy, and failure cases as the real action.
Where AI fits
AI can compare dry-run and apply conditions and flag where the two paths diverge.
The human decision
People decide whether the preview is honest enough to support action and approve the real run.
The lesson
A dry run earns trust only when it tests the same inputs, conditions, policies, and failure cases as the action it claims to preview.
Inputs, conditions, policy, and failure cases are compared between preview and execution in the Build Log companion.
AI Skills
Use this lesson with the AI assistant you already use
Compare dry-run and apply inputs, checks, failure cases, and approval gates.
Paste the prompt, share only the context needed to answer it, and treat the result as a draft for your review. Do not include confidential information or let an AI assistant make changes without your approval.
Optional: for a visual report and saved memory, run /dxdev first.
Don’t have it? Get it at dxdev.com/skills/dxdev. The prompt works without it.
dxdev LESSON · paste into your AI agent
LESSON: Check Whether a Dry Run Matches Apply
WHAT TO SHARE:
A de-identified description of the work, current evidence, and the decision you are considering.
ASK YOUR AGENT TO:
1. Separate confirmed facts from assumptions and unanswered questions.
2. Compare dry-run and apply inputs, checks, failure cases, and approval gates.
3. Identify the narrowest useful next review step.
RETURN:
A short table with the evidence, uncertainty, human-owned decision, and next action.
BOUNDARY: Do not change records, contact anyone, route work, publish content, or act in an external system. A person must review the evidence and approve every consequential step.
