Checkpoints

Checkpoints are automatic snapshots of your entire project state. Every time the AI applies a change, Codewick saves a checkpoint so you can roll back to any previous point with one click.

How Checkpoints Work

After every AI action that modifies your project, Codewick automatically captures a full snapshot. You do not need to remember to save — it happens in the background.

What Gets Saved

Each checkpoint includes:

All project files — the complete contents of every file in your project directory.
Git state — your current branch, staged changes, and commit history.
Chat history — the full conversation thread at the time of the snapshot.
Session metadata — timestamps, active file, editor state, and other context.

This means restoring a checkpoint brings back the full picture, not just the files.

Retention Policy

Codewick retains the last 10 checkpoints using a first-in, first-out (FIFO) policy. When an 11th checkpoint is created, the oldest one is automatically removed.

The Checkpoint Panel

Access checkpoints by clicking the Clock icon in the sidebar rail. The panel displays a vertical timeline of your saved snapshots.

Timeline View

Each checkpoint in the timeline shows:

Timestamp — when the snapshot was created.
Description — a brief summary of the AI action that triggered the snapshot (e.g., “Added login form validation,” “Refactored API client”).
File count — how many files were included in the snapshot.

The most recent checkpoint appears at the top. Scroll down to see older snapshots.

Restoring a Checkpoint

Click any checkpoint in the timeline, then click the Restore button. Codewick replaces your current project state with the snapshot.

What Happens During Restore

Your current state is saved as the newest checkpoint (so you can undo the restore).
All project files are overwritten with the snapshot’s contents.
Git state is restored to match the snapshot.
Chat history reverts to the conversation as it existed at that checkpoint.
The editor and browser refresh to reflect the restored state.

Restore vs. Undo

Restoring a checkpoint is different from undoing a single AI action:

	Undo (Reject)	Restore Checkpoint
Scope	Reverts one AI response.	Reverts to a full project snapshot.
Files affected	Only files changed by that response.	All project files.
Chat history	Stays current.	Reverts to the checkpoint’s conversation.
Use case	The last AI change was wrong.	You want to go back several steps.

Use Reject in the chat for small corrections. Use Restore when you want to rewind multiple steps or return to a known-good state.

Practical Uses

Experimentation Without Risk

Try an ambitious refactor or a new approach. If it does not work out, restore a checkpoint and you are back where you started — no manual reverting needed.

Comparing Approaches

Ask the AI to implement a feature one way, create a mental note of the checkpoint, then ask it to try a different approach. Restore the earlier checkpoint if the first approach was better.

Recovering from Errors

If a series of AI changes introduces a bug that is hard to track down, restore a checkpoint from before the issue appeared and take a different path.

Checkpoint Storage

Checkpoints are stored in a local directory managed by Codewick:

Location: within the Codewick application support directory on your Mac.
Size: proportional to your project size multiplied by the number of retained snapshots.
Cleanup: old checkpoints beyond the 10-snapshot limit are automatically deleted.

No data leaves your machine. Checkpoints are entirely local.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Action	Shortcut
Open checkpoint panel	Click Clock icon in sidebar rail
Restore selected checkpoint	Click Restore button