Should I backup my code before using AI?

Yes. AI coding assistants can make unexpected changes, delete files, or break your code. Always have a way to recover before letting AI make significant changes.

What's the best way to backup code for AI coding?

Automatic snapshots (mrq) provide the most reliable protection with zero effort. Git commits work but require discipline, and the one time you forget is usually when things break.

How often should I commit when using AI?

With automatic snapshots running, you don't need to commit constantly. Use Git for meaningful milestones and let mrq handle continuous protection in between.

Can I recover code if I didn't backup before AI changes?

Sometimes. Try Ctrl+Z, Local History, or tool checkpoints, but these are unreliable. Prevention with automatic snapshots is far more reliable than scrambling to recover.

Backup Your Code Before Using AI: Complete Guide

You’re about to ask Cursor to refactor your authentication system. Or let Claude Code reorganize your file structure. Or have Copilot update all your API calls.

Stop. Is your code protected?

If not, you’re one bad AI response away from losing work. Here’s how to set up protection properly so recovery is instant when things go wrong.

Why Backups Matter More With AI

Traditional coding is predictable. You make a change, test it, move on. If something breaks, you usually know what you just changed.

AI coding is different:

AI can modify dozens of files in one operation
Changes happen faster than you can review them
AI might “fix” things you didn’t ask about
AI confidently makes mistakes

The combination of speed and unpredictability means you need better protection than you did before.

The Best Approach: Automatic Snapshots

The most reliable protection is protection you don’t have to think about.

mrq watches your project and captures every file change automatically:

npm install -g mrq-cli
mrq login
mrq watch

Now every change is captured, whether from AI, manual edits, or anything else.

When AI breaks something:

mrq history          # See recent snapshots
mrq restore abc123   # Go back to any point

Why this works best:

Zero effort after setup, nothing to remember
Every state is recoverable, not just what you committed
Works across all AI tools and editors
No discipline required

Developers who work heavily with AI keep mrq running in the background. They iterate as fast as the AI can generate, knowing recovery is always one command away.

Alternative: Git Commits

If you prefer Git-only, you can protect yourself with disciplined commits:

git add -A
git commit -m "checkpoint before AI refactor"

Now if things break:

git checkout .                    # Discard all changes
# or
git reset --hard HEAD~1          # Undo the commit entirely

The catch: You have to remember to do it. Every time. Before every risky AI operation.

When you’re in flow, iterating quickly and accepting suggestions, stopping to commit feels like an interruption. So you skip it “just this once.” And that’s usually when AI goes haywire.

Git commits work for intentional milestones, but not so well for continuous protection during rapid iteration.

Other Backup Methods (With Limitations)

Git Stash

For quick experiments:

git stash push -m "before AI experiment"
# Try AI stuff...
git stash pop        # Restore if it broke

Limitation: Only saves tracked files. Only one stash at a time without extra commands. Easy to forget what’s stashed.

Git Branches

For larger experiments:

git checkout -b experiment/ai-refactor
# Do AI stuff...
git checkout main    # If it didn't work
git branch -D experiment/ai-refactor

Limitation: Overhead for quick iterations. Still requires committing on the branch. Branch switching can be slow in large repos.

VS Code Local History

VS Code automatically saves file versions as you work.

Limitation: File-by-file recovery only. Tedious for many files. Only works for files that were open. Easy to forget it exists until you need it.

Copy-Paste Backup

The low-tech option:

cp -r my-project my-project-backup

Limitation: Manual. Takes disk space. No history, just one backup point. Nobody actually does this consistently.

Comparison

Method	Effort	Reliability	Best For
mrq (automatic snapshots)	Zero after setup	✓ Always works	Continuous AI protection
Git commit	Manual each time	Works if you remember	Intentional milestones
Git stash	Manual	Limited	Quick experiments
Git branch	Manual	Works	Major refactors
Local History	Automatic	File-by-file only	Single file recovery
Copy folder	Manual	One point only	One-time backup

The Recommended Setup

Here’s what works best for serious AI coding:

1. Automatic Snapshots (Continuous Protection)

Run mrq watch when you start working. Every change is captured without any thought.

2. Git Commits (Meaningful History)

When you hit a milestone worth documenting, commit to Git:

git add -A
git commit -m "User registration complete"

This keeps your Git history clean and meaningful, with actual milestones instead of “checkpoint before AI” noise.

3. Branches (Optional, for Experiments)

For major explorations where you might want to compare approaches, use branches.

The result:

mrq handles continuous protection (every state recoverable)
Git handles intentional history (clean, meaningful commits)
You iterate as fast as the AI allows, without fear

What This Looks Like in Practice

# Start of session
cd my-project
mrq watch                         # Start automatic snapshots

# Work with AI freely
# Accept suggestions, try things, iterate fast
# Everything captured automatically

# Hit a good milestone
git add -A
git commit -m "Feature complete"

# Want to try something risky
# Just try it, mrq has your back
# If it breaks: mrq restore

# End of day
# Git history is clean
# mrq captured everything in between

What If You Didn’t Set Up Protection?

If AI just broke something and you weren’t prepared:

Don’t close your editor — files may be in memory
Try Ctrl+Z in each affected file
Check AI tool checkpoints — Cursor and Claude have them
Try Local History — might have recent versions
Check Git — if you happened to commit

But honestly, these are hit-or-miss. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. Prevention is far more reliable than scrambling to recover.

Summary

Best protection: Automatic snapshots (mrq). Zero effort, every state recoverable.

Alternative: Git commits before every risky AI operation. Works if you’re disciplined.

Reality: The one time you forget to commit is the time AI breaks everything.

Set up protection now, before you need it. Your future self will thank you.

mrq vs Git for AI Coding - When to use each
AI Broke My Code: How to Fix It - When things go wrong
AI Deleted My Files: Recovery Guide - File deletion recovery
How to Safely Use AI Coding Assistants - Complete safety guide

mrq captures every file change automatically. Set it once, recover instantly when AI breaks things.