git-worktree - Online in the Cloud

PROGRAM:

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

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