Design Undo/Redo Systems

Development

CREATE comprehensive undo/redo systems with Command Pattern. Design state management for complex applications with canvas interactions, multiple stores, and user actions. Use when building new undo/redo functionality from scratch.

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Undo/Redo Systems Architecture

Instructions

Command Pattern Implementation

Always use the Command Pattern for undo/redo functionality:

interface Command {
  execute(): void | Promise<void>
  undo(): void | Promise<void>
  getDescription(): string
  canExecute(): boolean
}

class OptimizedHistory {
  private undoStack: HistoryEntry[] = []
  private redoStack: HistoryEntry[] = []

  async execute(command: Command): Promise<void> {
    await command.execute()
    this.undoStack.push({ command, timestamp: Date.now() })
    this.redoStack = []
    this.optimizeMemory()
  }
}

Application-Specific Commands

Create domain-specific commands for all mutable operations:

// Task Management Commands
class CreateTaskCommand extends BaseCommand {
  constructor(private taskStore: any, private taskData: any) {
    super(`Create task: ${taskData.title}`)
  }

  async execute(): Promise<void> {
    this.generatedId = await this.taskStore.createTask(this.taskData)
  }

  async undo(): Promise<void> {
    if (this.generatedId) {
      await this.taskStore.deleteTask(this.generatedId)
    }
  }
}

// Canvas Interaction Commands
class MoveNodeCommand extends BaseCommand {
  constructor(
    private canvasStore: any,
    private nodeId: string,
    private fromPos: Position,
    private toPos: Position
  ) {
    super(`Move node ${nodeId}`)
  }

  async execute(): Promise<void> {
    await this.canvasStore.updateNodePosition(this.nodeId, this.toPos)
  }

  async undo(): Promise<void> {
    await this.canvasStore.updateNodePosition(this.nodeId, this.fromPos)
  }
}

Key Requirements

Always implement both execute() and undo() methods
Use async/await for operations that might be slow
Include descriptive messages for debugging
Handle circular references in state serialization
Implement memory management for large histories
Use delta compression for performance optimization

Common Patterns

Batch Commands: Group related operations together
Checkpoint Commands: Create application state snapshots
Delta Storage: Store only changes, not full state
Memory Management: Automatic cleanup and compression
Error Recovery: Graceful handling of failed operations

This skill ensures robust, scalable undo/redo systems that maintain consistency across complex applications while optimizing performance and memory usage.