AI coding · Version control

Checkpoint

Also called: Restore point, Rollback, Revert changes

A snapshot of your code that an AI coding tool saves automatically before each round of changes. If something breaks, you can go back to before that round in one click.

In detail

A checkpoint is like autosave in a video game. Before the AI touches anything, the tool saves a copy, and if things break you can "load the save." Tools like Cursor and Claude Code usually offer this, so you can return to the code as it was before a certain step in the conversation.

It's handy, but it doesn't replace Git. A checkpoint usually only tracks file changes the AI made in the current session. Changes you made by hand, and the effects of terminal commands the AI ran (like deleting files or changing the database), may not be restorable, and you may not find the checkpoint again in a different session.

A safe approach: use checkpoints to quickly back out of small experiments, and once you reach a working stage, make a Git commit as the "real save." After rolling back, it's best to tell the AI why the last approach didn't work, so it doesn't go down the same path again.

Developer infoTerm ID, DOM cues, match priority

Term ID: ai-checkpoint
DOM selectors: No DOM cues. This concept isn't detected directly on a page.
Priority: 1 · when several match at the same level, the higher priority wins
Version: v1 · updated Sep 29, 2026