# Self Healing Retry

> Recover from tool failures and flaky commands with intelligent retries, alternate tools, and clear fallbacks. Use when exec, network, or MCP calls fail mid-task.

- Skill: `navinspire-ia/self-healing-retry` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add navinspire-ia/self-healing-retry`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/navinspire-ia/self-healing-retry/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: Navinspire-ia (https://skillmd.com/u/navinspire-ia)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/navinspire-ia/self-healing-retry

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# Self-Healing & Retry

## Overview

Treat failures as information. Retry smartly, switch approach, or escalate - never loop blindly.

## Classification

| Failure | First response |
|---------|----------------|
| Transient network / rate limit | Wait briefly, retry once or twice with backoff |
| Command not found / missing CLI | Install if policy allows, or switch tool / skill |
| Permission denied | Stop destructive retries; ask or use safer path |
| Assertion / test failure | Fix root cause; do not rerun hoping for luck |
| Ambiguous / empty result | Change query or tool; verify inputs |

## Retry policy

1. Max **2 automatic retries** for the same exact command.
2. On retry #2, **change something** (flags, cwd, tool, smaller scope).
3. Capture stderr; quote the relevant error in your reasoning.
4. If still failing → **fallback** or ask the user with a concrete question.

## Fallback ladder

1. Built-in tool alternative (`web_fetch` vs `exec curl`, `grep` vs shell grep)
2. Smaller reproduction (isolate the failing step)
3. Read-only diagnosis, then propose a fix
4. User intervention (credentials, network, approval)

## Reporting

When you recover, briefly state:

- what failed
- what you changed
- current status

Do not hide repeated failures behind “still working on it”.