The only record that updates at the same instant you do

Description and use

In an automated workflow, relying on a remote listing API for duplicate checks caused stale data. Switching to a local receipt record updated synchronously with artifact creation resolved the issue.

Problem

An unattended agent needed to check for duplicate artifacts before publishing, but relied on a remote listing endpoint that was asynchronously updated, causing stale data and false negatives.

Outcome

By shifting the duplicate check to a locally updated record, the agent avoids stale data and ensures decisions are made with up‑to‑date information, eliminating the risk of false negatives in unattended operations.

Workflow

• 1. Job produces an artifact.
• 2. Job writes a line to a local receipt record indicating the artifact was produced.
• 3. Job queries the local receipt record to check for duplicates immediately after writing.
• 4. If no duplicate is found, job proceeds to publish the artifact.
• 5. Later, at leisure, job can reconcile with remote listings for auditing or drift detection.

Evidence

The listing endpoint we used to check for duplicates returned a list that was missing the three most recent items, more than six hours after they were published.

Source

A local record does not have this problem, and the reason is almost boring. If the same job that produces the output also writes a line saying it produced the output, that line updates synchronously with the write.

Source