git-worktree(1)

# git-worktree(1) Manual Page

## NAME

git-worktree - Manage multiple working trees

## SYNOPSIS

    git worktree add [-f] [--detach] [-b <new-branch>] <path> [<branch>]
    git worktree prune [-n] [-v] [--expire <expire>]

## DESCRIPTION

Manage multiple working trees attached to the same repository.

A git repository can support multiple working trees, allowing you to check out more than one branch at a time. With `git worktree add` a new working tree is associated with the repository. This new working tree is called a "linked working tree" as opposed to the "main working tree" prepared by "git init" or "git clone". A repository has one main working tree (if it’s not a bare repository) and zero or more linked working trees.

When you are done with a linked working tree you can simply delete it. The working tree’s administrative files in the repository (see "DETAILS" below) will eventually be removed automatically (see `gc.worktreePruneExpire` in git-config(1)), or you can run `git worktree prune` in the main or any linked working tree to clean up any stale administrative files.

If you move a linked working tree to another file system, or within a file system that does not support hard links, you need to run at least one git command inside the linked working tree (e.g. `git status`) in order to update its administrative files in the repository so that they do not get automatically pruned.

If a linked working tree is stored on a portable device or network share which is not always mounted, you can prevent its administrative files from being pruned by creating a file named locked alongside the other administrative files, optionally containing a plain text reason that pruning should be suppressed. See section "DETAILS" for more information.

## COMMANDS

add <path> [<branch>]

  Create `<path>` and checkout `<branch>` into it. The new working directory is linked to the current repository, sharing everything except working directory specific files such as HEAD, index, etc.

  If `<branch>` is omitted and neither `-b` nor `-B` nor `--detached` used, then, as a convenience, a new branch based at HEAD is created automatically, as if `-b $(basename <path>)` was specified.

prune

  Prune working tree information in $GIT_DIR/worktrees.

## OPTIONS

-f
--force

  By default, `add` refuses to create a new working tree when `<branch>` is already checked out by another working tree. This option overrides that safeguard.

-b <new-branch>
-B <new-branch>

  With `add`, create a new branch named `<new-branch>` starting at `<branch>`, and check out `<new-branch>` into the new working tree. If `<branch>` is omitted, it defaults to HEAD. By default, `-b` refuses to create a new branch if it already exists. `-B` overrides this safeguard, resetting `<new-branch>` to `<branch>`.

--detach

  With `add`, detach HEAD in the new working tree. See "DETACHED HEAD" in git-checkout(1).

-n
--dry-run

  With `prune`, do not remove anything; just report what it would remove.

-v
--verbose

  With `prune`, report all removals.

--expire <time>

  With `prune`, only expire unused working trees older than <time>.

## DETAILS

Each linked working tree has a private sub-directory in the repository’s $GIT_DIR/worktrees directory. The private sub-directory’s name is usually the base name of the linked working tree’s path, possibly appended with a number to make it unique. For example, when `$GIT_DIR=/path/main/.git` the command `git worktree add /path/other/test-next next` creates the linked working tree in `/path/other/test-next` and also creates a `$GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next` directory (or `$GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next1` if `test-next` is already taken).

Within a linked working tree, $GIT_DIR is set to point to this private directory (e.g. `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next` in the example) and $GIT_COMMON_DIR is set to point back to the main working tree’s $GIT_DIR (e.g. `/path/main/.git`). These settings are made in a `.git` file located at the top directory of the linked working tree.

Path resolution via `git rev-parse --git-path` uses either $GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR depending on the path. For example, in the linked working tree `git rev-parse --git-path HEAD` returns `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/HEAD` (not `/path/other/test-next/.git/HEAD` or `/path/main/.git/HEAD`) while `git rev-parse --git-path refs/heads/master` uses $GIT_COMMON_DIR and returns `/path/main/.git/refs/heads/master`, since refs are shared across all working trees.

See gitrepository-layout(5) for more information. The rule of thumb is do not make any assumption about whether a path belongs to $GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR when you need to directly access something inside $GIT_DIR. Use `git rev-parse --git-path` to get the final path.

To prevent a $GIT_DIR/worktrees entry from being pruned (which can be useful in some situations, such as when the entry’s working tree is stored on a portable device), add a file named locked to the entry’s directory. The file contains the reason in plain text. For example, if a linked working tree’s `.git` file points to `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next` then a file named `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/locked` will prevent the `test-next` entry from being pruned. See gitrepository-layout(5) for details.

## EXAMPLES

You are in the middle of a refactoring session and your boss comes in and demands that you fix something immediately. You might typically use git-stash(1) to store your changes away temporarily, however, your working tree is in such a state of disarray (with new, moved, and removed files, and other bits and pieces strewn around) that you don’t want to risk disturbing any of it. Instead, you create a temporary linked working tree to make the emergency fix, remove it when done, and then resume your earlier refactoring session.

    $ git worktree add -b emergency-fix ../temp master
    $ pushd ../temp
    # ... hack hack hack ...
    $ git commit -a -m 'emergency fix for boss'
    $ popd
    $ rm -rf ../temp
    $ git worktree prune

## BUGS

Multiple checkout in general is still experimental, and the support for submodules is incomplete. It is NOT recommended to make multiple checkouts of a superproject.

git-worktree could provide more automation for tasks currently performed manually, such as:

- `remove` to remove a linked working tree and its administrative files (and warn if the working tree is dirty)

- `mv` to move or rename a working tree and update its administrative files

- `list` to list linked working trees

- `lock` to prevent automatic pruning of administrative files (for instance, for a working tree on a portable device)

## GIT

Part of the git(1) suite