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# Claude Code Checkpointing Checkpointing is Claude Code's **code safety rollback tool**, which automatically tracks Claude's file editing operations, helping you quickly undo unwanted changes and avoid difficult recovery when code breaks. ## How Checkpointing Works Checkpoints run **automatically in the background** when you use Claude Code, requiring no manual configuration: 1. **Automatic Creation**: A checkpoint is automatically created after each user prompt is sent, recording the current code state 2. **Persistent Storage**: Checkpoints are retained across sessions; even if you close a session, you can still access historical checkpoints when you resume 3. **Automatic Cleanup**: Checkpoints older than 30 days are automatically deleted (cleanup time is configurable) > Note: Only tracks direct modifications made by Claude **through file editing tools**; changes made through other methods are not recorded. * * * ## How to Use Checkpoints to Roll Back Changes ### 1. Open the Rewind Menu There are two ways to trigger it, choose either: * Shortcut: Press `Esc` twice (`Esc` + `Esc`) * Slash command: Type `/rewind` ### 2. Select Rewind Type After opening the menu, you can choose from three rewind modes based on your needs: | Rewind Type | Effect | Applicable Scenario | | --- | --- | --- | | Conversation Only | Rewind to historical conversation content, keeping current code changes | When you feel the conversation has gone off track and want to re-ask, but the code changes are fine | | Code Only | Restore files to historical state, keeping current conversation | When code changes broke something, but you want to continue adjusting based on current conversation | | Code and Conversation | Rewind both code and conversation to previous state | When you want to completely start over and return to a satisfactory point | * * * ## Common Use Cases Checkpointing is particularly suitable for the following development scenarios: 1. **Exploring Multiple Solutions**: Try different code implementation approaches; if unsatisfied, one-click rollback to the starting point and try another solution 2. **Quickly Fixing Mistakes**: When Claude's modifications introduce bugs or break functionality, quickly rollback to the working state before the changes 3. **Iterative Feature Development**: Make multiple variant experiments on features, with the ability to restore to any stable intermediate version at any time * * * ## Important Limitations Checkpoints are a **temporary safety net**, not a universal solution. Be aware of its boundaries: **Does Not Track Bash Command Changes** File operations executed through Bash tools like `rm`, `mv`, `cp` are not recorded by checkpoints and cannot be rolled back. **Does Not Track External Changes** Only files edited by Claude in the current session are tracked. Files you manually modified in external tools like VS Code, terminal, or changes from other sessions are not captured. **Cannot Replace Version Control Tools**