Return to your coding context after an interruption
ReturnFast keeps one ordered Back/Forward trail as work moves between a code editor, browser documentation, terminal, Finder, and communication windows.
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A typical development trail
- Edit a file in Cursor or VS Code.
- Open a Chromium tab to check API documentation.
- Move to iTerm2, Terminal, or another supported terminal window.
- Answer an interruption in Slack or another app.
- Press ⌥⌘[ to step backward through the recorded locations.
App-specific depth varies. A matching Chromium tab can be selected by URL; an editor file and line can be opened when those details were available; terminals and Slack use window-level restore. The compatibility matrixdocuments each boundary.
What ReturnFast can remember
| Workflow surface | Captured context | Restore behavior |
|---|---|---|
| VS Code and Cursor family | Window and file name; path and line when exposed | Best-effort file and line, otherwise the editor window |
| Chrome, Brave, and Edge family | Page title and exact URL | An existing tab with the same URL |
| Terminals | Session or window name, depending on the terminal | The matching terminal window |
| Finder | Window, folder name, and path | The matching window or reopened folder |
| Slack and other tools | App and focused window title | The matching window, not a specific thread or message |
Use a detour for the interruption, history for the trail
When focus leaves an editor or terminal for another app, ReturnFast can save the work location as a detour anchor. Press ⌥⌘R to return to that anchor. Back and Forward remain available for walking the full sequence of recorded locations.
This distinction is useful when an interruption should have one return point while research and debugging still need a navigable multi-step trail.
A location history, not just an app switcher
ReturnFast stores locations in visit order. Several entries can belong to the same app when the URL, file path, or window title changes. Going Back changes the current position in that history, and going Forward can reverse the move until a new branch is created.
This does not replace macOS app or window switching. It provides a separate navigation model for retracing work.
What happens to code and URLs
File paths, line numbers, browser URLs, terminal titles, and window titles used by the navigation trail remain in application memory on the Mac. They are not included in license-validation requests. Purchase and activation data use online services separately; see the privacy explanation.
Know the boundaries
- Editor file and line restore depends on accessibility data available during capture.
- A browser tab must still be open at the exact URL.
- A terminal command, shell, session, or working directory is not recreated.
- Slack and other chat tools are restored by window, not by thread.
- The in-memory history clears when ReturnFast quits.