Aftersave

Aftersave is a software development concept referring to a callback, hook, or event that executes after a data record has been saved to a database or persistent store. It is used to perform actions that rely on the saved state, such as updating derived caches, logging, triggering asynchronous workflows, or syncing with external systems.

Naming and exact behavior vary by framework. In many ecosystems, the concept is implemented as a callback or signal that runs after a successful save. For example, Ruby on Rails uses an after_save callback, while Django provides a post_save signal. Other environments may use terms like postPersist, afterCommit, or after_update. The core idea is to run code after the persistence operation completes.

Key considerations include ensuring the callback runs only after a successful save, avoiding long-running work in the callback, and guarding against recursion or cascading saves. Some frameworks run after_save inside the same transaction as the save, while others provide an after_commit hook that fires only after the transaction commits, which can be important for consistency and for interactions with external systems. Idempotence is often desirable since a save operation can be retried.

Common use cases include updating caches, synchronizing data with external services, auditing, and triggering background jobs. Developers should document and test aftersave behavior to avoid unexpected side effects such as duplicated actions or performance bottlenecks. While the exact implementation differs across languages and frameworks, the aftersave concept remains a standard tool for post-persistence processing.