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Data Integrity Guidelines

.ai/skills/woocommerce-backend-dev/data-integrity.md

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Data Integrity Guidelines

Table of Contents

Preventing Accidental Data Loss

Always verify entity state before deletion/modification to prevent accidental data loss.

Validation Before Deletion

Always verify the state of the entity before deleting or modifying it.

Example: Deleting a draft order

php
// GOOD: Verify order status before deletion
public function delete_draft_order( int $order_id ) {
    $order = wc_get_order( $order_id );

    if ( ! $order ) {
        return false;
    }

    // Verify it's actually a draft or checkout-draft
    if ( ! in_array( $order->get_status(), array( 'draft', 'checkout-draft' ), true ) ) {
        throw new \Exception( 'Cannot delete non-draft order' );
    }

    return $order->delete( true );
}

// BAD: No verification
public function delete_draft_order( int $order_id ) {
    $order = wc_get_order( $order_id );
    return $order->delete( true );  // Could delete any order!
}

Consider Race Conditions

Think about whether race conditions could occur that might affect the wrong data.

Example: User-specific data deletion

php
// GOOD: Verify ownership before deletion
public function delete_user_cart_item( int $item_id, int $user_id ) {
    $item = $this->get_cart_item( $item_id );

    if ( ! $item ) {
        return false;
    }

    // Prevent race condition: verify item belongs to this user
    if ( (int) $item->get_user_id() !== $user_id ) {
        throw new \Exception( 'Cannot delete item belonging to another user' );
    }

    return $this->data_store->delete( $item_id );
}

// BAD: Race condition possible
public function delete_user_cart_item( int $item_id, int $user_id ) {
    // Another user could have taken this item in the meantime
    return $this->data_store->delete( $item_id );
}

Session-Based Operations

For session-based operations (like cart or checkout), verify session ownership.

Example: Clearing checkout data

php
// GOOD: Verify session ownership
public function clear_checkout_data( int $session_id ) {
    $current_session_id = WC()->session->get_customer_id();

    if ( $session_id !== $current_session_id ) {
        throw new \Exception( 'Cannot clear checkout data for another session' );
    }

    WC()->session->set( 'checkout_data', array() );
}

When in Doubt, Ask

If unsure about data operations, ask for clarification about:

  • Required state/ownership verifications
  • Soft delete vs hard delete requirements
  • Protected states that prevent deletion

Security Checklist for Data Operations

Before implementing code that modifies or deletes data:

  • Verify entity exists
  • Verify entity state (status, type, etc.)
  • Verify ownership (user_id, session_id, etc.)
  • Check for race conditions
  • Consider using soft delete (trash) instead of hard delete
  • Add appropriate error handling
  • Log sensitive operations for audit trail
  • Add capability checks (current_user_can())

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

1. Trusting User Input

php
// BAD
$order_id = $_POST['order_id'];
$order->delete( true );

// GOOD
$order_id = absint( $_POST['order_id'] );
if ( ! current_user_can( 'delete_order', $order_id ) ) {
    wp_die( 'Unauthorized' );
}
// ... additional validation ...

2. Batch Operations Without Verification

php
// BAD: Deletes all without verification
foreach ( $order_ids as $order_id ) {
    wc_delete_order( $order_id );
}

// GOOD: Verify each item
foreach ( $order_ids as $order_id ) {
    $order = wc_get_order( $order_id );
    if ( $order && $order->get_status() === 'draft' ) {
        wc_delete_order( $order_id );
    }
}

3. Ignoring Return Values

php
// BAD: Doesn't check if operation succeeded
$order->delete( true );
wp_send_json_success();

// GOOD: Check result
if ( $order->delete( true ) ) {
    wp_send_json_success();
} else {
    wp_send_json_error( 'Failed to delete order' );
}