Checkpoint — Save Developer Memory

When to Checkpoint

When in doubt, checkpoint — a few extra checkpoints are better than lost context.

• Completed a deliverable — feature slice, bug fix, refactor step
• Made a key decision — architecture, tradeoffs, approach choices that future sessions must follow
• Committed or pushed work — natural checkpoint moment after code lands
• Reaching a stopping point — end of a work session or switching tasks
• Before context compaction — preserve active state (PreCompact hook handles this automatically)
• Found something non-obvious — blockers, root causes, discoveries worth preserving
• User shared requirements/constraints — preserve what future work must honor

Space out checkpoints so each one captures a distinct piece of progress — one per logical milestone is the right cadence.

How to Write Good Descriptions

Your description becomes the markdown body of a .md file. Format it with structure — headers, bullet points, bold, code spans.