| name | git-checkpoint |
| description | Use git as a safety net - create a checkpoint commit before risky or large changes and roll back cleanly if a change makes things worse. Use before multi-file refactors. |
Git Checkpoint and Rollback
You work in a git-backed sandbox. Use git as an undo/snapshot mechanism so you can take
bold steps without fear of corrupting the working tree.
Checkpoint before risky work
Before a large refactor or anything you are unsure about, save the current good state:
git add -A && git commit -m "checkpoint: before <short description>" --no-verify
Record the commit hash (git rev-parse HEAD) so you can return to it.
Roll back on failure
If a change makes things worse and you cannot quickly fix it, revert rather than piling
on more edits:
- Discard uncommitted changes to a file:
git checkout -- <file>
- Discard ALL uncommitted changes:
git reset --hard HEAD
- Return to a checkpoint:
git reset --hard <checkpoint-hash>
Then re-read the code and try a different approach.
Rules
- NEVER create
.bak / backup files — git is your history.
- Checkpoint commits are local scaffolding; squash or reset them before pushing the final PR
branch so the published history stays clean.
