dry-run-firstlisted

# Dry run first Some operations cannot be casually undone: editing a system config, deleting a batch of files, rewriting many files at once, a destructive git command. The cost of a mistake there is not a quick fix, it is a broken machine or lost work. A dry run turns a blind action into a reviewable one: you see exactly what would change before anything does. The rule: for anything that touches system files or is hard to reverse, preview first, confirm the preview is what you meant, then run for real. ## When to insist on a dry run - **System and global files:** the Windows registry, `/etc`, `hosts`, shell profiles (`.bashrc`, `$PROFILE`), env and system config, anything outside the project directory. - **Bulk file changes:** mass rename, mass delete, recursive `chmod`, a sweep that rewrites many files. - **Mass find-and-replace** across a codebase, especially with a broad pattern. - **Destructive git:** `reset --hard`, `clean -fd`, force-push, branch deletes. - **Migrations and data mutations** that change records in place. ## How to preview Use the safest preview the tool offers, in roughly this order: - A built-in dry-run flag: `--dry-run`, `rsync -n`, `git rm --dry-run`, `git clean -n`. - PowerShell `-WhatIf` on cmdlets that support it (`Remove-Item -WhatIf`). - Print the planned changes: list the files that would be touched, or show the diff, without applying it. - Operate on a copy first, inspect the result, then apply to the real target. Then read th