1. Introduction: "All My Code Disappeared..." A Moment of Despair

On Friday night, I accidentally deleted all the authentication features I had developed over three days with Genspark. And what's worse, I hadn't made a single Git commit.

I pressed "Ctrl+Z" repeatedly, but since it was a file system-level deletion, it couldn't be restored. I had no backups either. 3 days x 8 hours = 24 hours of work vanished in an instant.

What You Will Learn in This Article

  • The real damage of neglecting Git management
  • The importance of version control in AI development
  • Git workflow optimized for Genspark development
  • Appropriate timing and granularity of commits
  • Emergency recovery methods for code loss

2. The Incident: Three Days of Neglecting Git Management

Let's look back at why Git management was neglected, chronologically.

2.1 Day 1: "I'll Just Commit Everything Later"

On Monday, I started developing a new authentication feature. While interacting with Genspark, I repeated small changes many times. I thought, "I'll just get it working first, then commit everything later."

2.2 Day 2: "It's Not Finished Yet"

On Tuesday, the feature was 80% complete, but I thought, "I'll commit it once it's finished." No tests were written, and the code wasn't organized—for these reasons, I postponed committing.

2.3 Day 3: A Fatal Mistake

On Wednesday night, while trying to implement another feature, I accidentally deleted the entire authentication feature directory.

# Command executed by mistake
rm -rf auth/ # All authentication feature files deleted

What Was Lost

  • Lines of Code: Approx. 1,200 lines
  • Working Hours: 24 hours
  • Features: User registration, login, JWT authentication, password reset
  • Test Code: 30 unit tests
  • Configuration Files: Environment variable settings, dependency list

2.4 Recovery Attempts

I tried every recovery method:

  • Recycle Bin Check: The rm command deletes directly, so it wasn't in the Recycle Bin
  • File Recovery Software: Overwritten and unrecoverable
  • Chat History: Code fragments were available, but the whole code couldn't be restored
  • AI Drive: Not saved

Ultimately, I had no choice but to rebuild from scratch.

3. Why Git Management is Important

Especially in AI development, Git management is not just a "nice-to-have" tool, but essential.

3.1 Specificity of AI Development

Development using AI tools like Genspark carries risks not present in traditional development:

  • Frequent Trial and Error: Repeatedly testing AI suggestions makes change history complex
  • Unexpected Changes: AI may make unintended changes
  • Incompleteness of Chat History: Not all code remains in the chat history
  • Loss of Context: Information can be lost when switching chat screens

3.2 Safety Net Provided by Git

3 Protective Features of Git

  1. Time Machine: Go back to previous code versions anytime
  2. Freedom to Experiment: Safely try new features in branches
  3. Change Tracking: Record what, when, and why changes were made

4. 5 Steps to a Git Workflow in AI Development

Here is a practical Git workflow optimized for Genspark development.

4.1 Step 1: Always `git init` at Project Start

# When starting a new project
mkdir my-project
cd my-project
git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"

# Link with GitHub remote repository
git remote add origin https://github.com/username/repo.git
git push -u origin main

4.2 Step 2: Create Branches per Feature

When implementing a new feature, always create a new branch.

# Create a branch for the authentication feature
git checkout -b feature/authentication

# Develop with Genspark...

# Commit regularly (every 30 minutes to 1 hour)
git add .
git commit -m "Add user registration endpoint"

4.3 Step 3: Commit Small and Frequently

Commit Timing

  • After adding a feature: Commit immediately once a feature works
  • After fixing a bug: Commit immediately once the issue is resolved
  • After refactoring: Commit immediately after organizing the code
  • Before switching chat screens: Always commit
  • Before breaks/end of work: Always commit before interrupting your work

4.4 Step 4: Regularly Push to Remote

# Push once an hour, or after important changes
git push origin feature/authentication

# Even if your PC breaks, the code remains on GitHub

4.5 Step 5: Merge After Feature Completion

# Return to main branch
git checkout main

# Merge feature branch
git merge feature/authentication

# Reflect on remote
git push origin main

# Delete unnecessary branches
git branch -d feature/authentication

5. Git Best Practices in Genspark Development

Here are tips for Git operation specific to AI development.

5.1 How to Write Commit Messages

Examples of Good Commit Messages

  • Specific: "Add user login with JWT authentication"
  • Explicitly state AI generation: "[GenSpark] Fix N+1 query issue in user list"
  • Record of issues: "Fix infinite loop (GenSpark generated code)"

5.2 .gitignore Configuration

When starting a project, always create a .gitignore.

# Python .gitignore
__pycache__/
*.pyc
.env
venv/
.vscode/
.idea/
*.log
db.sqlite3

# Sensitive Information
config/secrets.json
*.key
*.pem

5.3 Combining with AI Drive

Differentiate usage of Git and AI Drive:

  • Git: Code version control
  • AI Drive: Design documents, notes, screenshots

5.4 Regular Backup

3-2-1 Backup Rule

  • 3 copies: Local, GitHub, AI Drive
  • 2 types of media: HDD/SSD, cloud
  • 1 offsite: GitHub or AI Drive

6. How to Recover from Code Loss

Here are the recovery steps if you ever lose your code.

6.1 If Already Committed to Git

# If a file was accidentally deleted
git checkout -- filename

# Discard all uncommitted changes
git reset --hard

# Revert to a specific commit
git reset --hard commit_ID

# Restore a deleted branch
git reflog # Check history
git checkout -b branch_name commit_ID

6.2 If Not Committed

Unfortunately, complete recovery is difficult, but try these methods:

  • Chat History: Reconstruct the code from Genspark conversations
  • AI Drive: Look for saved snippets
  • File Recovery Software: PhotoRec, TestDisk, etc.
  • IDE History: VSCode's Local History, etc.

6.3 Preventive Measures

Habits to Never Lose it Again

  1. 30-minute rule: Commit every 30 minutes
  2. At the end of work: Always commit & push
  3. Before experimenting: Always create a branch
  4. Before deleting: Confirm with `git status`

7. Conclusion: Git Management is Not Insurance, But Essential

From the experience of losing three days' worth of code, I deeply realized the importance of Git management. Especially in AI development, where changes are frequent and unpredictable, Git management is even more crucial.

5 Golden Rules

  1. Always `git init` at project start
  2. Commit every 30 minutes to 1 hour
  3. Push to remote at least once a day
  4. Always develop new features in a branch
  5. Always commit before switching chat screens

Git is not something you "can set up later". Making Git management a habit from the moment a project starts is the most important self-defense measure in AI development.

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