dx-org-snapshot-manage

Coordinates the full lifecycle of Salesforce scratch org snapshots — create, get (status), list, and delete — via sf org create snapshot, sf org get snapshot, sf org list snapshot, and sf org delete snapshot. A snapshot is a point-in-time copy of a scratch org (its metadata and data) that you reference by name in a scratch org definition file to spin up new orgs from saved state.

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Tool Restrictions

Use ONLY the Bash tool to execute the sf org ... snapshot commands. Do NOT use MCP tools — ignore them completely.

Output artifacts for eval/testing: ALWAYS write the command's complete JSON response to a file when an output directory is available. Do NOT ask the user what file to write — this skill defines the filenames. After executing each command: (1) if the user specified an output path, write there immediately; (2) otherwise run [ -d force-app/main/adk-eval-output/ ] && echo 'force-app/main/adk-eval-output' to detect the eval directory; (3) write the command's full, unmodified JSON response to <output-dir>/<filename> using these filenames: create-snapshot-result.json, get-snapshot-result.json, list-snapshots-result.json, or delete-snapshot-result.json. This is the generated output — write it without asking. (4) If no output directory can be found by either check, include the command's complete, unmodified JSON response verbatim (e.g. in a fenced code block) in your final reply instead of skipping the artifact.

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Relationship to Other Skills

This skill owns the full snapshot lifecycle — create, get status, list, and delete. It does not create scratch orgs.

• Any snapshot operation (create, status, list, delete, expiry check) → this skill.
• Create a scratch org, including from an existing snapshot (--snapshot <name>) → dx-org-manage.
• Org shapes (baseline config without data, sf org create/list/delete shape) → dx-org-shape-manage. Shapes and snapshots are different artifacts with different commands — see the comparison below.

	Snapshot (this skill)	Org Shape (dx-org-shape-manage)
Captures	Full point-in-time copy: metadata and data	Baseline config only: features, limits, edition, Metadata API settings
Commands	sf org create/get/list/delete snapshot	sf org create/list/delete shape
Referenced via	snapshot (name) in the scratch def file	sourceOrg (org ID) in the scratch def file
Prerequisite	Dev Hub has Scratch Org Snapshots enabled	Source org has Org Shape for Scratch Orgs enabled
Operates against	A Dev Hub (--target-dev-hub)	The source org (--target-org)

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Scope

• In scope: Creating (sf org create snapshot), getting status (sf org get snapshot), listing (sf org list snapshot), and deleting (sf org delete snapshot) scratch org snapshots
• Out of scope: Creating org shapes (dx-org-shape-manage), creating scratch orgs — including from a snapshot (dx-org-manage)

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Required Inputs

Infer from the user's request:

• Operation: create, get, list, or delete (see Workflow step 1)
• Dev Hub: Username or alias of the Dev Hub that owns the snapshots. Passed via --target-dev-hub (-v); optional if the target-dev-hub config variable is set. All four commands operate against a Dev Hub, never --target-org.
• Source org (create only): Scratch org ID (starts with 00D), username, or alias to snapshot. Passed via --source-org (-o).
• Snapshot name (create only): A unique name for the snapshot, max 15 characters. Passed via --name (-n).
• Snapshot name or ID (get & delete only): Name, or ID (starts with 0Oo), of the snapshot. Passed via --snapshot (-s).
• Description (create, optional): Documents snapshot contents.
• Expiry threshold in days (expiring-soon listing only): There is no CLI flag for this — it's a client-side filter on ExpirationDate (see Command Patterns).

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Workflow

1. Identify the operation and match it to the command pattern below.
2. Resolve the Dev Hub — if --target-dev-hub isn't provided, check the default with sf config get target-dev-hub. Never fabricate a placeholder Dev Hub name (e.g. my-dev-hub) — an unresolved hub is a hard stop; advise sf org login web --set-default-dev-hub instead.
3. For create, confirm the source org and snapshot name — the source must be a scratch org; the name must be unique in the Dev Hub and ≤15 characters.
4. Execute via Bash tool with the --json flag.
5. Report the result (see Output Expectations and the example files).

Command Patterns

Operation	User intent	Execute via Bash tool
Create	Create snapshot with name only	sf org create snapshot --source-org <orgId|alias> --name <SnapshotName> --json
Create	Create snapshot with description	sf org create snapshot --source-org <orgId|alias> --name <SnapshotName> --description "<desc>" --json
Create	Specify Dev Hub explicitly	sf org create snapshot --source-org <orgId|alias> --name <SnapshotName> --target-dev-hub <devHub> --json
Get	Check a snapshot's status/details	sf org get snapshot --snapshot <name|0Oo...> --json
List	List all snapshots in the Dev Hub	sf org list snapshot --json
List	List snapshots expiring within N days	sf org list snapshot --json → filter on ExpirationDate with jq (see references/cli_flags.md)
Delete	Delete a snapshot (with confirm prompt)	sf org delete snapshot --snapshot <name|0Oo...> --json
Delete	Delete without prompting (scripts/CI)	sf org delete snapshot --snapshot <name|0Oo...> --no-prompt --json
Delete	Delete multiple/all snapshots	First sf org list snapshot --json, confirm the target names with the user, then run sf org delete snapshot --snapshot <name> once per snapshot — there is no bulk-delete command

Snapshot creation is asynchronous. create returns a record whose Status is typically InProgress initially, with ExpirationDate still null. Poll with sf org get snapshot until Status is Active (verified live against a real Dev Hub — see examples/create_success_output.json vs examples/get_output.json) before using the snapshot to create scratch orgs.

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Rules / Constraints

Constraint	Rationale
Always use --json flag	Provides structured output for reliable parsing and error handling
All commands operate against a Dev Hub	--target-dev-hub (not --target-org) — optional only if the target-dev-hub config is set
Dev Hub must have Scratch Org Snapshots enabled	Otherwise commands fail — contact Salesforce to enable it
Source org (create) must be a scratch org	Snapshots only work with scratch orgs
Snapshot names must be unique in the Dev Hub, ≤15 characters	Longer names fail with STRING_TOO_LONG (verified live)
Creation is asynchronous	create may return before the snapshot is Active — poll with sf org get snapshot
There is no update/rename/extend-expiration command.	Verified — the CLI (and the underlying platform object) exposes only create/get/list/delete. To change a snapshot's name, description, or expiration, delete it and create a new one.
There is no bulk-delete command.	Each sf org delete snapshot call removes exactly one snapshot
sf org list snapshot has no server-side filters	Returns every visible snapshot; filter status/expiry client-side (e.g. with jq)
delete prompts for confirmation by default	Use --no-prompt (-p) for non-interactive/CI use
Bulk/--no-prompt deletes require an explicit confirmation step	Before deleting multiple or all snapshots — or any delete with --no-prompt — first run sf org list snapshot --json, echo the resolved target names back to the user, and get explicit confirmation. Deletion is irreversible.
Permissions affect visibility/deletion	Users see/delete only their own snapshots unless a Dev Hub admin grants View All / Modify All

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Troubleshooting

Issue	Resolution
@salesforce/plugin-signups does not exist in the registry	Snapshot commands live in the signups plugin, bundled with a normal sf install. This means the CLI environment is incomplete (slim/offline image) — do NOT attempt sf plugins install in an offline environment, it will fail and loop. Advise repairing the environment (sf update, or a fresh install) from a connected machine.
Scratch Org Snapshots isn't enabled for your Dev Hub.	The Dev Hub lacks the snapshot feature — contact Salesforce to enable it
No snapshot found with the given name or id: <value> (SingleRecordQuery_NoRecords)	Verified live on get/delete — the name/ID doesn't exist in this Dev Hub. Run sf org list snapshot --json to see available snapshots
STRING_TOO_LONG — "Org Snapshot Name: data value too large... (max length=15)"	Verified live — the --name value exceeds 15 characters. Shorten it and retry
Snapshot name already exists (DuplicateValue)	Names must be unique per Dev Hub — choose a different name
Status is InProgress for a while	Creation is asynchronous — keep polling sf org get snapshot until Status becomes Active
Status is Error (see the Error field)	Read the Error field, delete the failed snapshot, and recreate
NotADevHubError	The targeted org isn't a Dev Hub — point --target-dev-hub at an actual Dev Hub
No default Dev Hub org found	Provide --target-dev-hub <alias> or set a default with sf config set target-dev-hub=<alias>

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Output Expectations

All commands return JSON when --json is used. get/list return the raw OrgSnapshot sobject record(s) — verified live, these include the sobject attributes wrapper plus Id, SnapshotName, Description, Status (New, InProgress, Active, Error, Expired, or Deleted), SourceOrg, CreatedDate, LastModifiedDate, ExpirationDate (null until Active), and Error.

• Create → a single snapshot record (Status is InProgress immediately after creation; ExpirationDate is null).
• Get → a single snapshot record — use it to poll Status.
• List → an array of snapshot records, ordered by CreatedDate. Empty array if none exist.
• Delete → { "id": "0Oo...", "success": true, "errors": [] }. No result if the user declines the confirmation prompt.

See the example files below for exact response structures (captured live against a real Dev Hub, not assumed).

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Cross-Skill Integration

Need	Delegate to
Create a scratch org from a snapshot	dx-org-manage skill (set snapshot to the snapshot name in the definition file, or --snapshot <name>)
Create/list/delete an org shape instead of a snapshot	dx-org-shape-manage skill

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Reference File Index

File	When to read
references/cli_flags.md	Detailed flag reference across create/get/list/delete, including the jq pipeline for filtering snapshots expiring soon
references/snapshot_usage.md	Using a snapshot name in a scratch org definition file, once it's Active

Example Files

File	Purpose
examples/create_success_output.json	Successful snapshot creation (Status: InProgress)
examples/create_error_output.json	STRING_TOO_LONG — name over 15 characters
examples/get_output.json	Get response for an Active snapshot (ExpirationDate populated)
examples/list_output.json	List response — array of snapshot records
examples/delete_output.json	Successful delete response