Version control
A system that saves every change to the app's code, so you can see history and go back to any earlier version.
What it is
Version control (usually a tool called Git) records every change as a snapshot called a commit. You can see who changed what and when, and return to any earlier state.
Branches let work happen on a separate copy without affecting the main version until it's ready. Coding agents use version control constantly, even if you never see it.
You mostly need the concept, not the commands: "go back to how it was yesterday" is a version control request.
How to ask for it
“I liked how it was before. Can you undo everything?”
“Use version control to restore the dashboard to how it was before today's layout changes, but keep the new export feature from this afternoon.”
"Undo everything" is blunt; referencing version history lets the builder roll back one change selectively.
You've seen this in
- GGitHub repositories
- GVersion history in Google Docs (a similar idea)
- FFigma's version history