Compensating transaction.

also: compensating transactions · compensation · compensations · compensating action · compensating actions

A new transaction that semantically undoes an earlier saga step, such as refunding a charge, since a committed step can't be rolled back.

the two-minute refresher

A rollback erases changes as if they never happened; a compensation adds a reversing change.
Charge → refund, reserve stock → release stock, book → cancel.
Some effects can't be undone (an email was sent): compensate with a follow-up.
Compensations must be idempotent and retried until they succeed.

also: compensating transactions · compensation · compensations · compensating action · compensating actions

A new transaction that semantically undoes an earlier saga step, such as refunding a charge, since a committed step can't be rolled back.

A rollback erases changes as if they never happened; a compensation adds a reversing change.
Charge → refund, reserve stock → release stock, book → cancel.
Some effects can't be undone (an email was sent): compensate with a follow-up.
Compensations must be idempotent and retried until they succeed.