# Reviewing and applying changes

Treat every completed task as a result to review—not as an automatic approval.

## Choose where changes happen

### Direct edit

Use direct editing for a small, clear task when you are comfortable with changes appearing in the selected workspace immediately.

### Virtual Edit

Use **Virtual Edit** when you want Syntheo's changes kept separate until you approve them. It is a good default for broad, risky, or experimental work.

Turn it on before starting a new task. When the task finishes, review the layer and choose **Apply Layer** only when you want the changes in your main workspace.

### Room work

Use a room for several coordinated tasks. People or agents sharing a room may also share changes, so give each task a clear area of ownership.

## Review in this order

1. **Read the final summary.** What changed? What was checked? What remains uncertain?
2. **Open File Diff.** Inspect every changed file and look for unrelated edits.
3. **Check the active location.** Confirm whether you are viewing the main workspace, a Virtual Edit, or a room.
4. **Run the important check.** Repeat the most meaningful test or manual scenario when the result matters.
5. **Apply or keep separate.** Apply a Virtual Edit only after the result is ready.

File Diff is a convenient review view. If other tools or apps also changed files, use your normal Git view for the complete project state.

## Apply a Virtual Edit

1. Make sure the main workspace does not contain surprising changes.
2. Open **Git → Apply Layer**.
3. Confirm the layer and destination.
4. Apply it.
5. Review the files again in the main workspace.

Applying does not stage, commit, or push the changes.

## Use Git actions carefully

- **Add Current Changes** stages all current changes shown to the action, including files unrelated to the task.
- **Commit Changes** commits what is already staged.
- **Push to Origin** sends the current branch to its remote.
- **Pull from Origin** brings in remote changes only when they can be applied cleanly.
- **Sync Changes** pulls and then pushes, so use it only when you intend both actions.

Before any commit or push, check the branch, file list, and staged changes.

## If something looks wrong

- Stop before applying, staging, or deleting anything.
- Confirm the current workspace and task location.
- Preserve changes you do not recognize.
- Ask Syntheo to review the current diff without editing.
- Resolve conflicts deliberately instead of using a destructive reset.

## Next

For independent tasks or recurring work, continue to **[Advanced workflows](../advanced-workflows/README.md)**.

[← Workspaces](workspaces.md) · [Everyday work](README.md) · [Documentation use notice](../NOTICE.md)