# snapdir checkout

Check out a snapshot to a directory.

`checkout` materializes a snapshot that is already in the local cache into a
destination directory. If the snapshot is not yet cached, fetch it first with
[`snapdir fetch`](snapdir-fetch.md) or use [`snapdir pull`](snapdir-pull.md).

## Usage

```text
snapdir checkout [OPTIONS] [DIR]
```

### Arguments

| Argument | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `[DIR]` | Destination directory. |

### Options

`checkout` accepts the [global options](overview.md#global-options); the most
relevant are `--id` (snapshot to check out), `--cache-dir`, `--linked` (symlink
into the cache instead of copying), and `--force`.

## Examples

Check out a cached snapshot into a directory:

```console
snapdir checkout --id 1220abc... ./restored
```

Check out using symlinks into the cache, overwriting an existing directory:

```console
snapdir checkout --id 1220abc... --linked --force ./restored
```

## See also

- [`snapdir fetch`](snapdir-fetch.md) — download a snapshot into the cache first
- [`snapdir pull`](snapdir-pull.md) — fetch and check out in one step
- [`snapdir stage`](snapdir-stage.md) — record a directory into the cache