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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>]
git worktree list [--porcelain]
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, you need to manually update the administrative files so that they do
not get pruned automatically. See section "DETAILS" for more information.
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.
list
List details of each worktree. The main worktree is listed first, followed by each of the linked
worktrees. The output details include if the worktree is bare, the revision currently checked out,
and the branch currently checked out (or detached HEAD if none).
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.
--porcelain
With list, output in an easy-to-parse format for scripts. This format will remain stable across Git
versions and regardless of user configuration. See below for details.
-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.
If you move a linked working tree, you need to update the gitdir file in the entry’s directory. For
example, if a linked working tree is moved to /newpath/test-next and its .git file points to
/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next, then update /path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/gitdir to reference
/newpath/test-next instead.
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.
LIST OUTPUT FORMAT
The worktree list command has two output formats. The default format shows the details on a single line
with columns. For example:
S git worktree list
/path/to/bare-source (bare)
/path/to/linked-worktree abcd1234 [master]
/path/to/other-linked-worktree 1234abc (detached HEAD)
Porcelain Format
The porcelain format has a line per attribute. Attributes are listed with a label and value separated by
a single space. Boolean attributes (like bare and detached) are listed as a label only, and are only
present if and only if the value is true. An empty line indicates the end of a worktree. For example:
S git worktree list --porcelain
worktree /path/to/bare-source
bare
worktree /path/to/linked-worktree
HEAD abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234
branch refs/heads/master
worktree /path/to/other-linked-worktree
HEAD 1234abc1234abc1234abc1234abc1234abc1234a
detached
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
• 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