6 git-worktree - Manage multiple working trees
12 'git worktree add' [-f] [--detach] [--checkout] [--lock] [-b <new-branch>] <path> [<commit-ish>]
13 'git worktree list' [--porcelain]
14 'git worktree lock' [--reason <string>] <worktree>
15 'git worktree prune' [-n] [-v] [--expire <expire>]
16 'git worktree unlock' <worktree>
21 Manage multiple working trees attached to the same repository.
23 A git repository can support multiple working trees, allowing you to check
24 out more than one branch at a time. With `git worktree add` a new working
25 tree is associated with the repository. This new working tree is called a
26 "linked working tree" as opposed to the "main working tree" prepared by "git
27 init" or "git clone". A repository has one main working tree (if it's not a
28 bare repository) and zero or more linked working trees.
30 When you are done with a linked working tree you can simply delete it.
31 The working tree's administrative files in the repository (see
32 "DETAILS" below) will eventually be removed automatically (see
33 `gc.worktreePruneExpire` in linkgit:git-config[1]), or you can run
34 `git worktree prune` in the main or any linked working tree to
35 clean up any stale administrative files.
37 If you move a linked working tree, you need to manually update the
38 administrative files so that they do not get pruned automatically. See
39 section "DETAILS" for more information.
41 If a linked working tree is stored on a portable device or network share
42 which is not always mounted, you can prevent its administrative files from
43 being pruned by issuing the `git worktree lock` command, optionally
44 specifying `--reason` to explain why the working tree is locked.
48 add <path> [<commit-ish>]::
50 Create `<path>` and checkout `<commit-ish>` into it. The new working directory
51 is linked to the current repository, sharing everything except working
52 directory specific files such as HEAD, index, etc. `-` may also be
53 specified as `<commit-ish>`; it is synonymous with `@{-1}`.
55 If <commit-ish> is a branch name (call it `<branch>` and is not found,
56 and neither `-b` nor `-B` nor `--detach` are used, but there does
57 exist a tracking branch in exactly one remote (call it `<remote>`)
58 with a matching name, treat as equivalent to
60 $ git worktree add --track -b <branch> <path> <remote>/<branch>
63 If `<commit-ish>` is omitted and neither `-b` nor `-B` nor `--detach` used,
64 then, as a convenience, a new branch based at HEAD is created automatically,
65 as if `-b $(basename <path>)` was specified.
69 List details of each worktree. The main worktree is listed first, followed by
70 each of the linked worktrees. The output details include if the worktree is
71 bare, the revision currently checked out, and the branch currently checked out
72 (or 'detached HEAD' if none).
76 If a working tree is on a portable device or network share which
77 is not always mounted, lock it to prevent its administrative
78 files from being pruned automatically. This also prevents it from
79 being moved or deleted. Optionally, specify a reason for the lock
84 Prune working tree information in $GIT_DIR/worktrees.
88 Unlock a working tree, allowing it to be pruned, moved or deleted.
95 By default, `add` refuses to create a new working tree when `<commit-ish>` is a branch name and
96 is already checked out by another working tree. This option overrides
101 With `add`, create a new branch named `<new-branch>` starting at
102 `<commit-ish>`, and check out `<new-branch>` into the new working tree.
103 If `<commit-ish>` is omitted, it defaults to HEAD.
104 By default, `-b` refuses to create a new branch if it already
105 exists. `-B` overrides this safeguard, resetting `<new-branch>` to
109 With `add`, detach HEAD in the new working tree. See "DETACHED HEAD"
110 in linkgit:git-checkout[1].
113 By default, `add` checks out `<commit-ish>`, however, `--no-checkout` can
114 be used to suppress checkout in order to make customizations,
115 such as configuring sparse-checkout. See "Sparse checkout"
116 in linkgit:git-read-tree[1].
119 When creating a new branch, if `<commit-ish>` is a branch,
120 mark it as "upstream" from the new branch. This is the
121 default if `<commit-ish>` is a remote-tracking branch. See
122 "--track" in linkgit:git-branch[1] for details.
125 Keep the working tree locked after creation. This is the
126 equivalent of `git worktree lock` after `git worktree add`,
127 but without race condition.
131 With `prune`, do not remove anything; just report what it would
135 With `list`, output in an easy-to-parse format for scripts.
136 This format will remain stable across Git versions and regardless of user
137 configuration. See below for details.
141 With `prune`, report all removals.
144 With `prune`, only expire unused working trees older than <time>.
147 With `lock`, an explanation why the working tree is locked.
150 Working trees can be identified by path, either relative or
153 If the last path components in the working tree's path is unique among
154 working trees, it can be used to identify worktrees. For example if
155 you only have two working trees, at "/abc/def/ghi" and "/abc/def/ggg",
156 then "ghi" or "def/ghi" is enough to point to the former working tree.
160 Each linked working tree has a private sub-directory in the repository's
161 $GIT_DIR/worktrees directory. The private sub-directory's name is usually
162 the base name of the linked working tree's path, possibly appended with a
163 number to make it unique. For example, when `$GIT_DIR=/path/main/.git` the
164 command `git worktree add /path/other/test-next next` creates the linked
165 working tree in `/path/other/test-next` and also creates a
166 `$GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next` directory (or `$GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next1`
167 if `test-next` is already taken).
169 Within a linked working tree, $GIT_DIR is set to point to this private
170 directory (e.g. `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next` in the example) and
171 $GIT_COMMON_DIR is set to point back to the main working tree's $GIT_DIR
172 (e.g. `/path/main/.git`). These settings are made in a `.git` file located at
173 the top directory of the linked working tree.
175 Path resolution via `git rev-parse --git-path` uses either
176 $GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR depending on the path. For example, in the
177 linked working tree `git rev-parse --git-path HEAD` returns
178 `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/HEAD` (not
179 `/path/other/test-next/.git/HEAD` or `/path/main/.git/HEAD`) while `git
180 rev-parse --git-path refs/heads/master` uses
181 $GIT_COMMON_DIR and returns `/path/main/.git/refs/heads/master`,
182 since refs are shared across all working trees.
184 See linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] for more information. The rule of
185 thumb is do not make any assumption about whether a path belongs to
186 $GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR when you need to directly access something
187 inside $GIT_DIR. Use `git rev-parse --git-path` to get the final path.
189 If you move a linked working tree, you need to update the 'gitdir' file
190 in the entry's directory. For example, if a linked working tree is moved
191 to `/newpath/test-next` and its `.git` file points to
192 `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next`, then update
193 `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/gitdir` to reference `/newpath/test-next`
196 To prevent a $GIT_DIR/worktrees entry from being pruned (which
197 can be useful in some situations, such as when the
198 entry's working tree is stored on a portable device), use the
199 `git worktree lock` command, which adds a file named
200 'locked' to the entry's directory. The file contains the reason in
201 plain text. For example, if a linked working tree's `.git` file points
202 to `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next` then a file named
203 `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/locked` will prevent the
204 `test-next` entry from being pruned. See
205 linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] for details.
209 The worktree list command has two output formats. The default format shows the
210 details on a single line with columns. For example:
214 /path/to/bare-source (bare)
215 /path/to/linked-worktree abcd1234 [master]
216 /path/to/other-linked-worktree 1234abc (detached HEAD)
221 The porcelain format has a line per attribute. Attributes are listed with a
222 label and value separated by a single space. Boolean attributes (like 'bare'
223 and 'detached') are listed as a label only, and are only present if and only
224 if the value is true. An empty line indicates the end of a worktree. For
228 S git worktree list --porcelain
229 worktree /path/to/bare-source
232 worktree /path/to/linked-worktree
233 HEAD abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234
234 branch refs/heads/master
236 worktree /path/to/other-linked-worktree
237 HEAD 1234abc1234abc1234abc1234abc1234abc1234a
244 You are in the middle of a refactoring session and your boss comes in and
245 demands that you fix something immediately. You might typically use
246 linkgit:git-stash[1] to store your changes away temporarily, however, your
247 working tree is in such a state of disarray (with new, moved, and removed
248 files, and other bits and pieces strewn around) that you don't want to risk
249 disturbing any of it. Instead, you create a temporary linked working tree to
250 make the emergency fix, remove it when done, and then resume your earlier
254 $ git worktree add -b emergency-fix ../temp master
256 # ... hack hack hack ...
257 $ git commit -a -m 'emergency fix for boss'
265 Multiple checkout in general is still experimental, and the support
266 for submodules is incomplete. It is NOT recommended to make multiple
267 checkouts of a superproject.
269 git-worktree could provide more automation for tasks currently
270 performed manually, such as:
272 - `remove` to remove a linked working tree and its administrative files (and
273 warn if the working tree is dirty)
274 - `mv` to move or rename a working tree and update its administrative files
278 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite