checkpoint

name	checkpoint
description	Save and restore work state across sessions, branches, and compactions. Use when saving progress before stopping, switching branches, or when the /checkpoint command is invoked.

Checkpoint Management

Persist work state for cross-session recovery. Checkpoints capture everything needed to resume work without re-reading the entire codebase.

Checkpoint Format

# Checkpoint: {title}
**Branch**: {git branch name}
**Timestamp**: {YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM}
**Plan**: {_docs/ plan file path, or "none"}

## Current Progress
- [x] Completed step 1
- [x] Completed step 2
- [ ] Remaining step 3
- [ ] Remaining step 4

## Modified Files
{output of git status --short, staged + unstaged}

## Key Decisions
- {Decision}: {Rationale}

## Verified Approaches
- {Approach}: {Evidence it works — test pass, build success, etc.}

## Failed Approaches
- {Approach}: {Why it failed — error message, wrong assumption, etc.}

## Blockers / Gotchas
- {Anything the next session needs to watch out for}

## Next Steps
1. {Concrete, actionable next task}
2. {Second task}
3. {Third task}

Storage

.claude/session-state/checkpoints/
├── latest.md                          # Always the most recent (overwritten)
├── checkpoint-20260416-1430.md        # Timestamped archive
├── checkpoint-20260416-1100.md        # Older checkpoint
└── ...

• latest.md is always overwritten with the newest checkpoint
• Timestamped copies are kept for history (max 10, oldest auto-cleaned)
• Checkpoints from team workflow phases are prefixed: phase1-baseline.md, phase3-worktree-auth.md

Save Checkpoint

Manual Save

When user runs /checkpoint save [title] or when explicitly asked:

1. Capture git state:

   git branch --show-current
   git status --short
   

2. Summarize conversation progress (completed/remaining from tasks or context)
3. Write checkpoint file using the format above
4. Save to both latest.md and timestamped file

Auto-Save (Hook Triggered)

Hooks trigger checkpoint saves at these events:

• Session Stop: session-stop.sh promotes current.md content to checkpoint
• Pre-Compact: pre-compact.sh saves current state before compression
• Phase Completion: Team workflow saves after each phase

Auto-save uses current.md as source — the session state file maintained during work.

Restore Checkpoint

Load Process

1. Read checkpoint file (latest.md or specific)
2. Parse all sections
3. Compare current branch with checkpoint branch:
   • Same branch: proceed normally
   • Different branch: warn user, suggest git checkout {branch}
4. Check if plan file exists → load for additional context
5. Check modified files against current git status:
   • Files still modified: "Continuing from last state"
   • Files committed since: "Changes from checkpoint have been committed"
   • New modifications: "New changes since checkpoint"
6. Present Next Steps as actionable items
7. Begin work on the first remaining step

Branch Recovery

If checkpoint was on a different branch:

⚠ Checkpoint was on branch: feat/auth
   Current branch: main

Options:
1. Switch to feat/auth and continue
2. Stay on main and use checkpoint as reference only

Cleanup

• Keep max 10 timestamped checkpoints
• Auto-clean when saving new checkpoint:

  ls -1t checkpoints/checkpoint-*.md | tail -n +11 | xargs rm -f
  

• latest.md is never auto-cleaned (always available)

Integration with Team Workflow

Workflow Event	Checkpoint Name	Content
Plan finalized (Phase 1)	phase1-baseline.md	Plan summary + file assignments
Designer completes (Phase 3)	phase3-worktree-{name}.md	Implementation report + test results
All worktrees merged	phase3-integration.md	Merged state + any conflicts resolved
Verification pass (Phase 4)	phase4-verified.md	Full verification results
Before PR (Phase 5)	phase5-final-gate.md	Security review + ship decision

Quick Reference

Save:    /checkpoint save "title"     or auto (hooks)
Load:    /checkpoint                  or /checkpoint load [id]
List:    /checkpoint list
Storage: .claude/session-state/checkpoints/
Format:  Branch + Progress + Decisions + Verified + Failed + Next Steps
Max:     10 timestamped + 1 latest