My Replit AI agent rewrote the database schema without asking

Solved · 160 views · asked 3 weeks ago by kai_makes · edited

I asked for a new field on projects. It renamed three tables, changed ids from int to uuid, and deleted my test data.

Restored from a backup I luckily had. Scared to ask it anything schema-related now.

Do you have a backup? If it's Postgres, check whether point-in-time recovery or daily backups are on. fatima_z 3 weeks ago · edited

It was test data, luckily. Point taken though. kai_makes 3 weeks ago · edited

1 answer

Marked as helpful by the asker

ines_data3 weeks ago · edited

Right to be scared. For anything touching the schema, run the agent in plan-only mode:

Propose the SQL for adding deadline to projects. Do not execute anything. Show me the statement and a rollback.

Then you run it yourself. Agents are great at writing SQL and terrible at knowing which SQL is irreversible. Keep that decision human.

Same with the Replit agent last month. Plan-only for schema changes should honestly be the default. moana_k 3 weeks ago · edited