Git Worktree

What it does

This skill enables AI agents to manage multiple working directories within a single Git repository simultaneously. It allows for parallel experimentation and development without modifying the primary branch or requiring frequent cloning of the entire codebase.

When to use it

• Parallel Feature Development: Test multiple feature branches against the same base code without merging conflicts.
• Isolated Experimentation: Create temporary worktrees to experiment with risky changes that can be easily discarded if they break the build.
• Multi-Environment Support: Maintain separate environments (e.g., dev, staging) pointing to different commits of the same repository.
• Code Review Workflow: Inspect specific branches or tags in an isolated directory without affecting your current working tree.

Key capabilities

• Creates additional working directories linked to the same Git repository database.
• Supports multiple heads (branches or tags) within a single worktree.
• Allows independent commits and changes per worktree without interfering with others.
• Integrates seamlessly with standard Git commands like checkout, commit, and push.

Example prompts

• "Create a new worktree named 'feature-auth' based on the current HEAD to implement login logic."
• "Set up two worktrees: one tracking the 'main' branch for daily tasks and another on 'release-v2' for hotfixes."
• "Switch to an existing worktree called 'experiment-db-migration' and run the migration script."

Tips & gotchas

Ensure you have write permissions to the parent directory where worktrees will be created, as they are stored there. Remember that changes in one worktree do not automatically appear in others; explicit commits and pushes are required for each branch.