/**
     * Attempts to acquire a distributed lock for the specified operation.
     *
     * @param operationName the operation name used as the lock document ID.
     * @return {@code true} if the lock was acquired.
     */
    public boolean tryStartOperation(final String operationName) {
        return tryStartOperation(operationName, null);
    }

    /**

                // Simulate: create always fails (no OpenSearch)
                // Then apply the retry logic from the real implementation
                if (remainingRetries <= 0) {
                    return false;
                }
                return tryCleanupAndRetry(operationName, data, remainingRetries);
            }

    response = httpx.post(
        github_graphql_url,
        headers=headers,
        timeout=settings.httpx_timeout,
        json={"query": query, "variables": variables, "operationName": "Q"},
    )
    if response.status_code != 200:
        logging.error(
            f"Response was not 200, after: {after}, category_id: {category_id}"
        )
        logging.error(response.text)