Checkpoints

Checkpoints automatically save a snapshot of your workspace after key steps in a task. They help you track changes, roll back when needed, and explore different implementations without worrying about breaking your code.

How checkpoints work

Pochi creates a checkpoint after important actions such as file edits or applied fixes. These checkpoints:

• Run alongside your Git workflow without interference
• Preserve the conversation context when restoring (chat and task context remain intact)
• Track file changes using a shadow Git repository (no writes to your real repository)

Example: while developing a feature, the assistant updates multiple files. Each change creates a checkpoint. You can review each modification, and if needed, roll back to any point without impacting your main branch or real Git history.

Viewing changes and restoring

After each key action, you can:

1. Click Compare to see modified files and diffs
2. Click Restore to open restore options

Restore options

To go back to a previous point:

1. Click Restore next to any step
2. Choose how you want to restore:
   • Restore Workspace and Task (when available): revert both code and task context
   • Restore Task Only (when available): keep code changes, revert task context
   • Restore Workspace Only: revert code while preserving task context (current default)

Note: The current version focuses on “Restore Workspace Only.” Other options will appear as their capabilities are enabled.

Under the hood

In VS Code, Pochi implements checkpoints with a shadow Git that stays separate from your real repository:

• Initializes a bare repository under the extension’s storage directory (scoped per workspace)
• Points the worktree to your workspace, then stages and commits changes into the shadow repo
• Excludes common large/binary/cache/build artifacts (see Exclusions) to keep things fast and stable

This shadow repo is fully independent. Saving or restoring checkpoints does not create commits in your actual Git repository.

Requirements

• Git must be installed (the shadow Git depends on it). If Git isn’t available, the checkpoint feature can’t initialize and will be disabled.

Smart detection and exclusions

Pochi automatically detects and excludes heavy or redundant files to keep checkpoints lean and fast, including:

• Build artifacts and dependency folders
• Media files and large binaries
• Cache, logs, and temporary files
• Environment configuration files
• Files tracked by Git LFS

With this smart filtering, checkpoints focus on core code changes—making diffs clearer and restores faster.