checkpoint-commit

name	Checkpoint Commit
description	Create quick checkpoint commits to save work-in-progress without detailed commit messages. Use when you want to save current progress, create a restore point, checkpoint before risky changes, or snapshot code mid-task.

Checkpoint Commit

What This Skill Does

Creates quick work-in-progress (WIP) checkpoint commits with auto-generated messages. Perfect for:

1. Saving progress before risky operations
2. Creating restore points mid-development
3. Quick snapshots without crafting commit messages
4. Preserving work before context switches

Quick Start

# Basic checkpoint - stages all changes and commits
git add -A && git commit -m "checkpoint: WIP $(date +%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M:%S)"

Checkpoint Patterns

Pattern 1: Simple Timestamp Checkpoint

git add -A && git commit -m "checkpoint: $(date +%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M:%S)"

Pattern 2: Checkpoint with Context

git add -A && git commit -m "checkpoint: WIP on <feature-name>"

Pattern 3: Checkpoint Before Risky Change

git add -A && git commit -m "checkpoint: before <risky-operation>"

Pattern 4: Checkpoint with File Summary

# Shows what's being checkpointed
git add -A && git commit -m "checkpoint: $(git diff --cached --stat | tail -1 | xargs)"

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Step-by-Step Guide

Creating a Checkpoint

1. Stage all changes:

   git add -A
   

2. Create checkpoint commit:

   git commit -m "checkpoint: WIP $(date +%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M:%S)"
   

3. Verify checkpoint created:

   git log --oneline -1
   

Restoring from Checkpoint

If you need to go back to a checkpoint:

# View recent checkpoints
git log --oneline --grep="checkpoint:" -10

# Reset to a specific checkpoint (keeps changes staged)
git reset --soft <checkpoint-hash>

# Hard reset to checkpoint (discards all changes after)
git reset --hard <checkpoint-hash>

Cleaning Up Checkpoints

Before pushing, squash checkpoint commits into meaningful commits:

# Interactive rebase to squash checkpoints
git rebase -i HEAD~<number-of-commits>

# In the editor, change 'pick' to 'squash' for checkpoint commits
# Then write a proper commit message

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Best Practices

When to Checkpoint

• Before refactoring code
• Before deleting files
• Before merge operations
• When switching tasks mid-work
• Before running automated fixes (linting, formatting)
• After completing a logical unit of work

Checkpoint Message Conventions

checkpoint: WIP                    # Generic work-in-progress
checkpoint: before refactor        # Before risky operation
checkpoint: auth flow progress     # With feature context
checkpoint: 2024-01-15_14:30:00   # Timestamp-based

Never Push Checkpoints

Checkpoints are local-only. Always squash or rewrite before pushing:

# Check for checkpoint commits before pushing
git log origin/main..HEAD --oneline --grep="checkpoint:"

# If found, rebase to clean up
git rebase -i origin/main

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Troubleshooting

Issue: "Nothing to commit"

Cause: No changes since last commit Solution: Only checkpoint when there are actual changes

# Check for changes first
git status --porcelain | grep -q . && git add -A && git commit -m "checkpoint: WIP"

Issue: Accidentally pushed checkpoints

Solution: If not shared, rewrite history:

git rebase -i origin/main~<n>
# Squash checkpoint commits
git push --force-with-lease

Issue: Too many checkpoints cluttering history

Solution: Squash before continuing work:

# Squash last N commits into one
git reset --soft HEAD~<n>
git commit -m "feat: <proper-message>"

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Advanced Usage

Checkpoint with Branch Backup

For extra safety, create a backup branch:

git branch backup/$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S) && git add -A && git commit -m "checkpoint: WIP"

Auto-Checkpoint Hook (Optional)

Create a pre-commit alias for quick checkpoints:

# Add to ~/.gitconfig
[alias]
    cp = "!git add -A && git commit -m \"checkpoint: WIP $(date +%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M:%S)\""

# Usage
git cp

View Checkpoint History

# List all checkpoints
git log --oneline --all --grep="checkpoint:"

# Show checkpoint diff
git show <checkpoint-hash>

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Related Commands

Command	Purpose
git stash	Temporary storage (not a commit)
git commit --amend	Modify last commit
git reset --soft	Undo commit, keep changes staged
git reflog	View all HEAD changes (recovery)