Checkpoint Mode Skill

Overview

Implements selective autonomy - shorter bursts of autonomous work with feedback loops.

Research Source: "Use Agents or Be Left Behind" by Tim Dettmers

Philosophy

"More than 90% of code should be written by agents, but iteratively design systems with shorter bursts of autonomy with feedback loops."

• Tim Dettmers, 2026

Problem with Perpetual Autonomy:

• Can waste resources on wrong approach
• No opportunity for course correction
• User feels disconnected from progress

Solution:

• Pause after N tasks or M minutes
• Generate summary of accomplishments
• Wait for explicit approval to continue

When to Use

Use Checkpoint Mode For:

• Novel projects where approach may need adjustment
• High-cost operations (expensive API calls, cloud resources)
• Learning phases where user wants to guide direction
• Regulated environments requiring audit trail

Use Perpetual Mode For:

• Well-defined PRDs with clear requirements
• Established patterns with high confidence
• Overnight builds where interruption isn't desired
• CI/CD pipelines requiring full automation

Configuration

# Enable checkpoint mode
LOKI_AUTONOMY_MODE=checkpoint

# Pause frequency
LOKI_CHECKPOINT_FREQUENCY=10  # tasks
LOKI_CHECKPOINT_TIME=60  # minutes

# Always pause after these phases
LOKI_CHECKPOINT_PHASES="architecture,deployment"

Checkpoint Workflow

[Work on 10 tasks] → [Pause] → [Generate Summary] → [Wait for Approval]
                                                           ↓
                                              [User reviews and approves]
                                                           ↓
                                                    [Resume work]

On Checkpoint:

1. Generate Summary

   # Checkpoint Summary
   
   ## Tasks Completed (10)
   - Implemented POST /api/todos endpoint
   - Added unit tests (95% coverage)
   - Set up CI/CD pipeline
   - ...
   
   ## Next Actions
   - Deploy to staging
   - Run integration tests
   - Security audit
   
   ## Resources Used
   - 15 minutes elapsed
   - 3 Haiku agents, 2 Sonnet agents
   - Estimated cost: $0.45
   

2. Create Approval Signal

   # System writes:
   .loki/signals/CHECKPOINT_SUMMARY_2026-01-14-10-30.md
   
   # User reviews and creates:
   .loki/signals/CHECKPOINT_APPROVED
   

3. Wait for Approval

   • Orchestrator pauses execution
   • Monitors for approval signal
   • Resumes when signal detected

Agent Instructions (Orchestrator)

When LOKI_AUTONOMY_MODE=checkpoint:

completed_tasks = load_completed_tasks()
tasks_since_checkpoint = completed_tasks - last_checkpoint_count

if tasks_since_checkpoint >= CHECKPOINT_FREQUENCY:
    # Pause and generate summary
    summary = generate_checkpoint_summary()
    write_signal("CHECKPOINT_SUMMARY", summary)

    # Wait for approval
    log_info("Waiting for checkpoint approval...")
    while not signal_exists("CHECKPOINT_APPROVED"):
        sleep(5)

    # Resume work
    remove_signal("CHECKPOINT_APPROVED")
    log_info("Checkpoint approved. Resuming work...")
    last_checkpoint_count = completed_tasks

Comparison with Other Modes

Metrics

Track checkpoint effectiveness:

{
  "checkpoint_id": "cp-2026-01-14-001",
  "tasks_completed": 10,
  "time_elapsed_minutes": 15,
  "approval_time_seconds": 45,
  "course_corrections": 0,
  "user_satisfaction": "approved_without_changes"
}

Storage: .loki/metrics/checkpoint-mode/

References

• references/production-patterns.md - HN production insights
• timdettmers.com/use-agents-or-be-left-behind

Version: 1.0.0