mrq vs Git

The Short Answer

Use both. They solve different problems.

• Git: Collaboration, code review, deployment, history for humans
• mrq: Continuous protection during AI-assisted development

mrq captures state automatically while you work. Git captures state when you deliberately commit. They complement each other.

The Problem with Git During AI Sessions

Git requires intentional action. You decide when to commit, what message to write, which files to stage. This works well for normal development where changes happen at human pace.

AI coding is different:

• Changes happen in seconds, not minutes
• A single prompt might modify 10+ files
• You're iterating rapidly, trying different approaches
• Stopping to commit breaks your flow

Most developers end up in one of two modes:

Mode 1: Commit Constantly

You create checkpoint commits after every AI interaction. Your history fills with commits like:

wip
wip2
trying auth refactor
checkpoint
this might work
reverting, that didnt work
checkpoint before big change

Your git history becomes noise. Collaboration suffers. Code review is painful.

Mode 2: Commit Rarely

You skip commits during AI sessions and commit when you're happy. This keeps history clean but removes your safety net. When something goes wrong, you have nothing to fall back on.

How mrq Solves This

mrq runs in the background and captures snapshots automatically. You don't need to think about it.

mrq watch --daemon

Now:

• Every meaningful change is captured
• You can restore to any point
• Your git history stays clean
• You never lose work

Use mrq during the messy exploration phase. Commit to git when you're happy with the result.

Comparison

Feature	Git	mrq
Capture trigger	Manual commit	Automatic on change
Messages	Required	AI-generated summaries
Branching	Full support	Linear timeline
Collaboration	Primary use case	Single developer
Recovery speed	Requires git commands	Single command
Best for	Code review, deployment	Active development

Recommended Workflow

# Start your session
mrq watch --daemon

# Work with AI tools freely
# mrq captures everything automatically

# When you're happy with the result
git add .
git commit -m "Implement feature X"

# mrq history is still there if you need it later

When to Use Just Git

• Traditional development without AI tools
• When you want granular control over history
• Team collaboration and code review
• CI/CD and deployment workflows

When to Add mrq

• Working with AI coding assistants
• Rapid iteration and experimentation
• When you want a safety net without commit noise
• When recovery needs to be instant

Related Resources

• All integrations - Cursor, Claude Code, Copilot, and more
• Recovery guide - When things go wrong
• Use cases - How developers use mrq
• Documentation - Full reference

Get Started

npm install -g mrq-cli@latest
mrq login
mrq watch