Practical guide
Why restore must be precise
Reliable restore is not a generic “default” button. It returns to the specific value that was read and saved before a particular action.
Read before write
Before a change, read the current state and store it with the action identity and time. If that read is not trustworthy, there is no safe restoration baseline.
Receipt and verification
A receipt binds the previous value, requested value, and action outcome. Afterward, read the state again and verify that it matches what the system reports.
- Action identity and version.
- Previous and requested values.
- Execution outcome and read-back.
- Exact restore path and its status.
Fail closed when evidence is missing
If permission, prior value, support, or verification is missing, the correct state is blocked or unknown. Do not present success or a ready restore path without evidence.