# Saving with Depot

> Save selected work, review an exact change, open a saved file, and recover after an interrupted operation.

**Experimental · private access. Public signup is not open.**

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Depot keeps a project's Git history and owns its review and recovery controls.
Space shows those facts and offers actions for managed projects. Full repository,
review, and custody pages open in [Depot](https://depot.kinra.ai). The
[Depot user guide](/docs/depot/) covers that workspace, exact-version review,
and the [custody controls](/docs/depot/custody/) in detail.

## Create or recover a Depot project

1. Check that **Your profile → Kinra account** is ready.
2. Open **Projects → New project** and name the local project.
3. Under **Where it belongs**, choose **New private project in Depot** or
   **Recover a project from Depot**. For recovery, select **Your repository**.
4. Read and confirm the custody choice. It explains ownership and Kin's access.
5. Choose **Create project** or **Bring it home**, then review Kin's workspace
   trust decision.

Profile's Depot list also offers **Bring it home** for a saved repository.
An unavailable repository list includes a reason and **Refresh repositories**.
An unfinished project attempt remains available through **Resume project**.

## Save selected files

1. Open the project's **Source** page.
2. Review the local working changes and select the files you intend to keep.
3. Enter a description under **Describe this checkpoint**.
4. Choose **Save selected files** and wait for the saved result.

This keeps a checkpoint of the selected files and publishes it to your private
Depot branch. **Save existing checkpoint** publishes a checkpoint that already
exists locally. **Bring updates home** brings saved updates into the local work.
Inspect the result before starting a second operation.

## Review before merging

Prepare work for review through the available Source controls. Open the **Review**
link to inspect and approve it in Depot's own sign-in flow. Approvals apply to
the exact source revision you reviewed. Merge checks both the source and target
again before incorporating the work.

Comments, old revisions, superseded decisions, and reviewers who lost permission
do not count as current approval. **Merge reviewed change** becomes available
only when Depot confirms that the inspected change is ready. A later revision
can need another review.

## Recover an interrupted operation

If the outcome is uncertain, **Retry saved operation** reuses the retained
request and completed steps. Use that action before starting a new save.

If Depot reports that state changed, **Inspect outcome** shows the original
steps and current facts. Confirm what happened before choosing another action.
Repeatedly creating new requests can make the result harder to understand.

## Open a saved file without a checkout

1. Choose **Open saved file** on a Profile repository or in managed Source.
2. Choose the saved default version, a published proposal, or an earlier saved
   version, then browse to the file.
3. Inspect **Saved revision** for its repository, fixed commit, path, and
   verified bytes.
4. Choose **Keep artifact** to retain that reference, or **Discuss this with
   Kin** to add its exact identity to a draft.

Opening a saved file does not create a workspace. Selecting a newer version
opens another fixed reference; a kept older version does not silently update.
Current Depot permission is still needed to reopen it. A view closes if access
ends or cannot be confirmed; reconnect and reopen it when access is restored.

Files over 8 MiB, previews over 128 files or 64 MiB, and symlink or submodule
paths need Depot's **Custody & recovery** or authenticated Git access instead.

## Export and access

**Custody** shows the actual owner, Kin's role, and retention state. **Export
Git history** offers a portable Git archive. **End Kin's access** is available
only when Depot reports the required connection and permission. Revocation
does not erase local files or copies already downloaded.

A deletion request records a request for operator removal; it does not erase
the repository immediately. Read the confirmation and Depot's owning page.

Local edits, a saved branch, reviewed shared history, and a whole-machine backup
are different. Saving a project does not prove that the rest of your machine
can be restored. See [Terminal and machine](/docs/space/machine/#what-persists).

_Source authority: Kinra Site (src/content/docs/space/depot.md)._