Branches let you work on website changes without immediately changing main. Checkpoints give your team a saved review point with a summary of what changed.

What this guide helps you do

• Create and switch website branches safely.
• Save checkpoints before review, merge, or publish.
• Merge approved branch work into main.

Before you start

• Know whether the change is small enough for main or should happen on a branch.
• Use branch names with letters, numbers, and hyphens.
• Save or discard unsaved work before switching branches.

Do it manually

1. Open Website and use the branch picker to view the current branch.
2. Create a new branch from the current branch for larger or risky changes.
3. Make edits and preview them in that branch.
4. Create a checkpoint with a clear description of the change.
5. Ask a reviewer to preview the branch.
6. Merge to main after approval, then publish from main when ready.

Ask Faster AI

• Summarize the changes in this branch so I can review them before merging.
• Create a safe checklist for this website branch before it goes to main.
• Help me name a branch for these page updates using lowercase words and hyphens.

Review before saving or publishing

• Switching branches reloads files, so save work before switching.
• Do not merge unfinished placeholder content into main unless the reviewer approved it.
• Check branch preview links before sending them to stakeholders.

Common issues and fixes

• If a branch name is rejected, remove spaces, slashes, underscores, and dots.
• If changes disappear after switching, return to the branch where they were saved.
• If main should not change yet, keep the branch unmerged and share the branch preview.

How Faster keeps AI edits reviewable

For the engineering rationale behind branches, checkpoints, and reviewable website work, read the AI website guardrails article. Guardrails for AI-Edited Websites: Validators, Checkpoints, and Review.

Versioned workspace model

For the platform rationale behind branches, checkpoints, and reviewable content changes, read the versioned workspace article. Why Every Faster Workspace Is a Git Repo.

Describe website changes to AI

For why larger AI-assisted page edits should use branches, checkpoints, and review before merging, read the website AI article. Ask, Don't Click: Updating Your Website by Describing the Change.

Placeholder media

• Screenshot placeholder: add an annotated screenshot of manage branches and checkpoints with customer names, email addresses, private domains, DNS values, amounts, internal notes, and unpublished content blurred.
• Video placeholder: add a short walkthrough that starts from the relevant Faster workspace area, shows the manual path, then shows how to ask Faster AI and review the result before saving, publishing, sending, or applying work.

Related help

• Publish a page safely
• Ask AI to update a page
• Review AI drafts before publishing