Require a complete SQLite backup before releasing an AI snapshot

Start with a controlled knowledge export, not a live file copy

A support application wants an export of its own knowledge database for a separately authorized offline review. Writers may continue updating the source. A progress bar reaches its end and cleanup returns success: can another component now consume the export? The useful decision concerns what actually completed, before the separate question of who may receive it.

This original worksheet selects the SQLite C Online Backup API, with symbolic source S-A, quarantined destination D-A and attempt B-A. Both database names are fixed application choices. No model chooses a filename, database handle, schema or SQL. The official overview describes copying into a destination that replaces its prior contents; do not point this plan at an existing valuable database.

Trusted source ownership and schema, supported distinct connections, exclusive destination ownership, resource control and current content rights are earlier review requirements. None has been implemented or established here. Unknown prerequisites block actual admission. Every case below is PROPOSED_UNRUN: no database, backup object, connection, copy, lock or runtime fixture was exercised.

Keep the completion result separate from cleanup

The C API reference distinguishes successful initialization, step progress and finalization. A partial step can return SQLITE_OK; complete copying returns SQLITE_DONE. Finalization can return SQLITE_OK even without completed copying. Before DONE, it rolls back an active destination write transaction; afterward the backup object is invalid. Each successful initialization requires one finalization.

For B-A, therefore record the step-completion disposition separately from the finalization disposition. Do not collapse both into a single success boolean or inspect only the last return value. An application wrapper that discards the earlier result would lose the distinction this release decision needs.

The reviewed pages are maintained documentation, not an inspected installed library. The overview shows an update of 13 November 2025; the reference displays no numeric release marker. Actual library applicability, adapter result handling and configuration remain unknown. Neither example code nor a documentation date verifies the deployed path.

Keep the destination outside ordinary consumer access

The handle restrictions prohibit other API use of the destination connection between initialization and finalization. Incorrect use need not produce a diagnostic; shared-cache access adds restrictions. Our narrower proposed profile excludes shared cache and all concurrent use of that destination, and serializes its backup lifecycle. Those application choices require independent confirmation.

Assign one lifecycle owner to B-A. A dashboard receives only previously captured disposition metadata; it must not query D-A to preview unfinished content. Other workers cannot borrow the connection because a progress display looks complete. Any unexpected access breaks this profile and holds release rather than being excused by later cleanup.

The destination stays private through separate application access controls. An obscure temporary name does not establish quarantine. Reader admission, destination replacement protection and the eventual artifact publication path all need supported designs. This worksheet creates none of them and does not promise atomic publication of a database and related files.

Do not turn progress into a stable snapshot timestamp

The incremental-backup discussion describes source changes that restart copying and distinguishes writes through the source connection. Repeated restarts can prevent completion. Its progress counters describe the previous step rather than a fresh inspection. Consequently this plan promises neither a snapshot fixed at the initial invocation nor a stable progress denominator.

For simplicity, B-A excludes concurrent application use of its source connection; other permitted source connections may still change the database under the documented backup contract. This is a chosen ownership rule, not a claim that SQLite forbids every other source use. Record the selected association throughout the attempt.

Set a separately reviewed stopping policy before implementation. The reference separates retryable BUSY/LOCKED results from fatal IO, memory and read-only failures. Our worksheet supplies no retry loop, timer or busy-handler configuration. Interrupted or exhausted work remains incomplete; cleanup is still a lifecycle responsibility. A page increment is not a bound on elapsed time, allocation or total database size.

Walk eight inert snapshot-admission cards

These are decision cards, not observed return values. An eventual review record could retain B-A, source/destination associations, profile revision and separate completion, cleanup and release dispositions. Do not copy protected rows into ordinary logs to make that record seem more persuasive.

Hand a completed copy to separate release gates

The positive outcome is deliberately small: the selected operation has supported copy-completion evidence and its lifecycle is closed, under the stated prerequisites. A subsequent reviewer still checks allowed contents, current rights and the intended recipient. If any required evidence is missing, report it explicitly instead of promoting a partially known attempt.

The existing artifact publication guide starts with completed bytes; naming and synchronization are later boundaries. Likewise, deletion and stale-context controls still apply to exported data. This copy worksheet proves no crash persistence, restoration safety, multi-database consistency or physical durability.

No SQLite, SQL, API, model or storage experiment occurred. Boundary is prelaunch and does not provide a shipped database backup or export service. Its synthetic policy evidence concerns different behavior.