Frequently Asked Questions

SnapBack is a VS Code extension that automatically creates snapshots of your code when you save. It intelligently detects when AI assistants (like Copilot, Cursor, or Claude) make risky changes, and lets you restore your code with one click.

In short: Undo for the AI era.

1. Open VS Code
2. Go to Extensions (⌘+⇧+X on Mac, Ctrl+Shift+X on Windows)
3. Search for “SnapBack”
4. Click Install

That’s it. No configuration needed. SnapBack starts capturing snapshots immediately.

Yes, completely free during beta. No account required, no credit card, no limits on snapshots.

We’ll introduce paid team plans (Pro and Team tiers) in Q1 2025. Individual developers will always have free access to core features.

No. Snapshots are captured asynchronously after you save. Typical overhead is <50ms—imperceptible even on slower machines.

See performance benchmarks →

Every time you save a file, SnapBack creates an instant backup. It stores this locally using content-addressable storage (identical files aren’t duplicated).

When you restore, you get the exact version of your code from that moment.

Typical usage: 10-500MB depending on your project size and activity.

SnapBack uses deduplication, so:

• Same file saved 10 times = stored once
• 1000-line file with 1-character change = only the diff is stored (not the whole file)

You can see your storage usage in SnapBack settings.

SnapBack analyzes code changes for patterns common in AI-generated code:

• Large multi-line insertions
• Consistent formatting
• Defensive code patterns
• Naming convention shifts

It flags suspicious changes as “AI-detected” so you can review them first.

Learn more about AI detection →

VS Code 1.99.0 and later. We recommend keeping VS Code updated for the best experience.

Older versions might have limited functionality.

Yes! SnapBack works with:

• VS Code
• Cursor
• VSCodium
• Code Server
• Any VS Code fork

It’s built on the VS Code API, so any compatible editor works.

No. SnapBack doesn’t interfere with other extensions.

It’s fully compatible with:

• GitHub Copilot ✅
• Prettier ✅
• ESLint ✅
• Gitlens ✅
• All language servers ✅

Never. Your code is stored locally. It never leaves your machine.

Snapshots are stored at: ~/.config/Code/User/globalStorage/marcellelabs.snapback-vscode/

You can inspect this folder yourself.

Not by default. Telemetry is disabled by default.

If you opt-in to telemetry, we collect:

• Anonymous usage events (“snapshot created”, “file restored”)
• Anonymous error reports (error type, not your code)

We never collect:

• Your code or code content
• File names or paths
• Email or identity information
• Project names

Read the full privacy policy →

Check these first:

1. Is SnapBack installed?

   • Extensions → Look for “SnapBack” in the list
   • Should show “Enabled”

2. Did you save a file?

   • Press Cmd+S (or Ctrl+S)
   • Check the SnapBack sidebar

3. Not working?

   • Restart VS Code (Cmd+Q, then reopen)
   • Check the output console for errors (View → Output → SnapBack)

Full troubleshooting guide →