Session Time-Travel

The Challenge: Multi-File AI Changes

Your AI assistant just refactored 5 files. The output looks good, but something broke:

Copy🧢 Files Modified:
   ✓ src/auth.ts          (looks good)
   ✓ src/user.ts          (looks good)
   ❌ src/index.ts         (undefined reference!)
   ✓ src/middleware.ts     (looks good)
   ✓ tests/auth.test.ts    (looks good)

Your options:

• Option A: VS Code undo (Cmd+Z) 10+ times individually per file = slow
• Option B: Git revert commit = loses all good work
• Option C: Manual fix = hours of debugging
• Option D: SnapBack sessions = 1 click navigate all 5 files with full context ✔️

How Sessions Work

SnapBack automatically groups related snapshots based on timing and context:

Session Triggers

SnapBack automatically creates new sessions based on these triggers:

Session Grouping Example

Here’s what SnapBack automatically created:

Copy📦 Session: "Claude refactored auth system" (14:05 - 14:23 UTC)
├── Trigger: Multiple file saves within 60s
├── Files in Session:
│  ├─ src/auth.ts          (3 snapshots: 14:05, 14:12, 14:18)
│  ├─ src/user.ts          (2 snapshots: 14:06, 14:19)
│  ├─ src/index.ts         (2 snapshots: 14:07, 14:23)
│  ├─ src/middleware.ts     (1 snapshot: 14:08)
│  └─ tests/auth.test.ts    (2 snapshots: 14:09, 14:21)
└── AI Detection: 🚴 HIGH RISK
   └─ src/index.ts has undefined reference (detected 14:23)

Click “Apply State” → All 5 files navigate to 14:04 state → 2 seconds ✔️

How Sessions Are Grouped

SnapBack uses this logic:

1. Timing: Snapshots within 60 seconds of each other group together
2. AI Detection: Same AI assistant detected across files → same session
3. User Activity: Idle gap >105s → new session starts
4. Git Events: Git commit → new session starts

Time-Based Triggers

• 105s Idle Gap: After 105 seconds of inactivity, a new session begins
• Window Blur: When you switch away from VS Code, the current session ends

Action-Based Triggers

• Git Commit: Each Git commit starts a new session
• Task Completion: Finishing a coding task (configured in settings)

Manual Triggers

You can also manually create sessions:

Copy# Create a new session manually
snapback session create --name "Implement user authentication"

# End current session
snapback session end

Session Structure

Each session contains:

1. Metadata: Timestamp, duration, trigger event
2. File Changes: All snapshots created during the session
3. AI Detection Results: Any risks detected during the session
4. User Notes: Optional notes added during the session

Time-Travel Navigation

Navigate through your coding history with intuitive controls:

VS Code Extension

1. Open the SnapBack panel (View → SnapBack)
2. Switch to the “Sessions” tab
3. Browse through your session history
4. Click on any session to view its protection states
5. Apply the entire session or individual protection states

CLI Tool

Copy# List all sessions
snapback session list

# View session details
snapback session view --id session_12345

# Navigate to a session state
snapback session restore --id session_12345

# Compare sessions
snapback session diff --id session_12345 --id session_67890

Session vs Snapshot Differences

Understanding the relationship between sessions and snapshots:

Navigation Process

Applying a session state is simple and safe:

Step 1: Identify the Session

Find the session you want to explore:

Step 2: Review Changes

Before applying, review what will be changed:

Step 3: Apply State

Apply the session state:

Copy# Apply an entire session state
snapback session restore --id session_12345

# Apply specific files from a session
snapback session restore --id session_12345 --files src/index.js,src/utils.js

# Preview changes before applying
snapback session restore --id session_12345 --dry-run

Best Practices

Advanced Features

Session Comparison

Compare different sessions to understand changes over time:

Copy# Compare two sessions
snapback session diff --id session_12345 --id session_67890

# Export session comparison as HTML report
snapback session diff --id session_12345 --id session_67890 --format html > comparison.html

Session Export

Export sessions for backup or sharing:

Copy# Export a session
snapback session export --id session_12345 --output session_backup.json

# Import a session
snapback session import --input session_backup.json

Related Documentation

• Protection Levels - Granular file-level control
• AI Detection - Real-time risk analysis
• CLI Documentation - Command-line interface for automation
• VS Code Commands - IDE integration for real-time protection