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