6 git-worktree - Manage multiple working trees
12 'git worktree add' [-f] [--detach] [--checkout] [-b <new-branch>] <path> [<branch>]
13 'git worktree prune' [-n] [-v] [--expire <expire>]
14 'git worktree list' [--porcelain]
19 Manage multiple working trees attached to the same repository.
21 A git repository can support multiple working trees, allowing you to check
22 out more than one branch at a time. With `git worktree add` a new working
23 tree is associated with the repository. This new working tree is called a
24 "linked working tree" as opposed to the "main working tree" prepared by "git
25 init" or "git clone". A repository has one main working tree (if it's not a
26 bare repository) and zero or more linked working trees.
28 When you are done with a linked working tree you can simply delete it.
29 The working tree's administrative files in the repository (see
30 "DETAILS" below) will eventually be removed automatically (see
31 `gc.worktreePruneExpire` in linkgit:git-config[1]), or you can run
32 `git worktree prune` in the main or any linked working tree to
33 clean up any stale administrative files.
35 If you move a linked working tree, you need to manually update the
36 administrative files so that they do not get pruned automatically. See
37 section "DETAILS" for more information.
39 If a linked working tree is stored on a portable device or network share
40 which is not always mounted, you can prevent its administrative files from
41 being pruned by creating a file named 'locked' alongside the other
42 administrative files, optionally containing a plain text reason that
43 pruning should be suppressed. See section "DETAILS" for more information.
47 add <path> [<branch>]::
49 Create `<path>` and checkout `<branch>` into it. The new working directory
50 is linked to the current repository, sharing everything except working
51 directory specific files such as HEAD, index, etc. `-` may also be
52 specified as `<branch>`; it is synonymous with `@{-1}`.
54 If `<branch>` is omitted and neither `-b` nor `-B` nor `--detached` used,
55 then, as a convenience, a new branch based at HEAD is created automatically,
56 as if `-b $(basename <path>)` was specified.
60 Prune working tree information in $GIT_DIR/worktrees.
64 List details of each worktree. The main worktree is listed first, followed by
65 each of the linked worktrees. The output details include if the worktree is
66 bare, the revision currently checked out, and the branch currently checked out
67 (or 'detached HEAD' if none).
74 By default, `add` refuses to create a new working tree when `<branch>`
75 is already checked out by another working tree. This option overrides
80 With `add`, create a new branch named `<new-branch>` starting at
81 `<branch>`, and check out `<new-branch>` into the new working tree.
82 If `<branch>` is omitted, it defaults to HEAD.
83 By default, `-b` refuses to create a new branch if it already
84 exists. `-B` overrides this safeguard, resetting `<new-branch>` to
88 With `add`, detach HEAD in the new working tree. See "DETACHED HEAD"
89 in linkgit:git-checkout[1].
92 By default, `add` checks out `<branch>`, however, `--no-checkout` can
93 be used to suppress checkout in order to make customizations,
94 such as configuring sparse-checkout. See "Sparse checkout"
95 in linkgit:git-read-tree[1].
99 With `prune`, do not remove anything; just report what it would
103 With `list`, output in an easy-to-parse format for scripts.
104 This format will remain stable across Git versions and regardless of user
105 configuration. See below for details.
109 With `prune`, report all removals.
112 With `prune`, only expire unused working trees older than <time>.
116 Each linked working tree has a private sub-directory in the repository's
117 $GIT_DIR/worktrees directory. The private sub-directory's name is usually
118 the base name of the linked working tree's path, possibly appended with a
119 number to make it unique. For example, when `$GIT_DIR=/path/main/.git` the
120 command `git worktree add /path/other/test-next next` creates the linked
121 working tree in `/path/other/test-next` and also creates a
122 `$GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next` directory (or `$GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next1`
123 if `test-next` is already taken).
125 Within a linked working tree, $GIT_DIR is set to point to this private
126 directory (e.g. `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next` in the example) and
127 $GIT_COMMON_DIR is set to point back to the main working tree's $GIT_DIR
128 (e.g. `/path/main/.git`). These settings are made in a `.git` file located at
129 the top directory of the linked working tree.
131 Path resolution via `git rev-parse --git-path` uses either
132 $GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR depending on the path. For example, in the
133 linked working tree `git rev-parse --git-path HEAD` returns
134 `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/HEAD` (not
135 `/path/other/test-next/.git/HEAD` or `/path/main/.git/HEAD`) while `git
136 rev-parse --git-path refs/heads/master` uses
137 $GIT_COMMON_DIR and returns `/path/main/.git/refs/heads/master`,
138 since refs are shared across all working trees.
140 See linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] for more information. The rule of
141 thumb is do not make any assumption about whether a path belongs to
142 $GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR when you need to directly access something
143 inside $GIT_DIR. Use `git rev-parse --git-path` to get the final path.
145 If you move a linked working tree, you need to update the 'gitdir' file
146 in the entry's directory. For example, if a linked working tree is moved
147 to `/newpath/test-next` and its `.git` file points to
148 `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next`, then update
149 `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/gitdir` to reference `/newpath/test-next`
152 To prevent a $GIT_DIR/worktrees entry from being pruned (which
153 can be useful in some situations, such as when the
154 entry's working tree is stored on a portable device), add a file named
155 'locked' to the entry's directory. The file contains the reason in
156 plain text. For example, if a linked working tree's `.git` file points
157 to `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next` then a file named
158 `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/locked` will prevent the
159 `test-next` entry from being pruned. See
160 linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] for details.
164 The worktree list command has two output formats. The default format shows the
165 details on a single line with columns. For example:
169 /path/to/bare-source (bare)
170 /path/to/linked-worktree abcd1234 [master]
171 /path/to/other-linked-worktree 1234abc (detached HEAD)
176 The porcelain format has a line per attribute. Attributes are listed with a
177 label and value separated by a single space. Boolean attributes (like 'bare'
178 and 'detached') are listed as a label only, and are only present if and only
179 if the value is true. An empty line indicates the end of a worktree. For
183 S git worktree list --porcelain
184 worktree /path/to/bare-source
187 worktree /path/to/linked-worktree
188 HEAD abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234
189 branch refs/heads/master
191 worktree /path/to/other-linked-worktree
192 HEAD 1234abc1234abc1234abc1234abc1234abc1234a
199 You are in the middle of a refactoring session and your boss comes in and
200 demands that you fix something immediately. You might typically use
201 linkgit:git-stash[1] to store your changes away temporarily, however, your
202 working tree is in such a state of disarray (with new, moved, and removed
203 files, and other bits and pieces strewn around) that you don't want to risk
204 disturbing any of it. Instead, you create a temporary linked working tree to
205 make the emergency fix, remove it when done, and then resume your earlier
209 $ git worktree add -b emergency-fix ../temp master
211 # ... hack hack hack ...
212 $ git commit -a -m 'emergency fix for boss'
220 Multiple checkout in general is still experimental, and the support
221 for submodules is incomplete. It is NOT recommended to make multiple
222 checkouts of a superproject.
224 git-worktree could provide more automation for tasks currently
225 performed manually, such as:
227 - `remove` to remove a linked working tree and its administrative files (and
228 warn if the working tree is dirty)
229 - `mv` to move or rename a working tree and update its administrative files
230 - `lock` to prevent automatic pruning of administrative files (for instance,
231 for a working tree on a portable device)
235 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite