You've asked your AI assistant to refactor a module, migrate a database schema, or write a comprehensive test suite. Now what? Do you stare at the screen for 10 minutes? Check back every 30 seconds? Context switch and forget about it entirely?

There's a better way.

The Problem with Long-Running AI Tasks

AI coding assistants are increasingly capable of handling complex, multi-step tasks. A refactoring job that would take you an hour can be delegated to your AI assistant in a single prompt. But this creates a new problem: waiting.

When you delegate a substantial task, you're stuck in limbo:

  • Watch and wait - You sit there, watching text stream, unable to do anything productive
  • Check back repeatedly - You try to work on something else but keep switching back to see if it's done
  • Forget entirely - You get absorbed in other work and the AI finishes... but you don't notice for an hour

None of these are good options. The first two waste your time. The third defeats the purpose of delegation.

Fire and Forget: A New Workflow

What if you could tell your AI assistant to notify you when it's done? Like ordering food delivery and getting a ping when it arrives. You don't stand at the door waiting. You go about your day and respond when notified.

With SuperClawd's checkpoint notifications, this is exactly how it works:

You: Refactor the authentication module to use JWT tokens.
     Notify me when you're done.

AI: [works on the task...]

[5 minutes later, a desktop banner pops up]

Notification: "Task Completed - Refactored authentication module
              to use JWT tokens."

You were getting coffee. Or in a meeting. Or deep in another codebase. It doesn't matter. When the work is done, you know about it.

How It Works

The notification system uses a simple "light switch" model:

  1. Say "notify me" in your request - the notification flag turns ON
  2. Work continues with notifications enabled for subsequent requests
  3. Say "don't notify" when you don't need it - flag turns OFF
Session Example:

Request 1: "Refactor auth module, notify me when done"
           → Notifications ON → You get notified

Request 2: "Now update the tests"
           → Notifications still ON → You get notified

Request 3: "Fix that typo, no need to notify"
           → Notifications OFF → No notification

The flag persists within your session, so you don't have to repeat yourself. Set it once for a work session, and every completion triggers a notification until you turn it off.

Notification Channels

Everyone works differently. Some people want a banner right on the machine they're working at. Others run everything through a team chat. That's why SuperClawd checkpoint notifications support two channels.

Desktop Notifications

The default. When your AI reaches a checkpoint, you get a native OS notification banner — the same kind your other apps use — right from the CLI. No setup, no inbox to check, no extra app. The banner appears, you glance at it, and you decide whether to switch back.

Simple, instant, and local to the machine you're already working on.

Webhook Notifications

For power users and teams. Configure a webhook URL and SuperClawd sends an HTTP POST when a checkpoint is reached. Point it at an incoming webhook and the notification lands wherever your team already pays attention:

  • Slack - Post to a channel when AI tasks complete (via a Slack incoming webhook)
  • Discord - Get notifications in your team server (via a Discord incoming webhook)
  • Zapier/Make - Trigger any automation workflow
  • Custom systems - Build your own notification handling

The webhook payload includes everything you need:

JSON
{
  "event": "checkpoint_notification",
  "type": "completion",
  "text": "Refactored authentication module...",
  "content": "Refactored authentication module...",
  "sessionId": "abc-123",
  "timestamp": "2026-01-20T10:30:00Z"
}

The payload carries both text and content fields with identical values, so the same webhook works with Slack and Discord out of the box.

Setting Up Notifications

Desktop

Nothing to configure. Desktop banners come from the CLI on the machine you're working on — just tell your AI to notify you.

Webhook (route to Slack / Discord / anywhere)

  1. Create an incoming webhook in Slack, Discord, or your tool of choice and copy its URL
  2. Go to Settings > Webhooks in your SuperClawd dashboard and paste the URL
  3. Go to Settings > Notifications and enable Webhook under Checkpoint Notifications
  4. (Optional) Use Send Test to confirm your endpoint receives the payload

Use Natural Language

Once enabled, just ask naturally:

  • "Notify me when you're done"
  • "Keep me posted"
  • "Let me know when this is complete"
  • "Send me an update when finished"

The AI understands these phrases and enables notifications automatically.

Real-World Use Cases

The Coffee Break Refactor

"Refactor all our API endpoints to use the new validation
middleware. There are about 30 endpoints. Notify me when done."

Go get coffee. Come back to a desktop banner telling you the refactor is complete.

The Meeting-Safe Migration

"Generate database migrations for the new user preferences
schema, run them against the test database, and verify the
data integrity. Keep me posted."

Join your meeting without worrying about the task. The completion will land in your team's Slack channel via webhook, ready for review.

The Overnight Test Suite

"Write comprehensive integration tests for the payment flow.
Cover all edge cases including failures, retries, and
webhooks. Notify me when complete."

Start it before lunch. Review it after.

Pricing

Checkpoint notifications are free. There's no per-notification credit charge for either the desktop banner or the webhook delivery — on any plan, including the free tier.

A rate limit of 10 notifications per minute prevents accidental spam while still allowing normal usage patterns.

The Productivity Multiplier

The real value isn't in the notification itself. It's in what you do with the freed-up time.

Without notifications, a 10-minute AI task costs you 10 minutes of attention. You're either watching or repeatedly checking. Your productivity during that time is near zero.

With notifications, that same 10-minute task costs you 30 seconds: the time to read the notification and context-switch back. You spent those 10 minutes doing something else entirely.

Over a day with multiple AI-delegated tasks, this adds up. Over a week, it's transformative.

Getting Started

Already using SuperClawd? Notifications are available now.

  1. (Optional) Add a webhook URL in Settings if you want to route to Slack/Discord
  2. Start your next AI task with "notify me"
  3. Walk away and trust the system

New to SuperClawd? Get started in 5 minutes with our quick setup guide.

Stop watching. Start delegating. Get notified.