6 git-worktree - Manage multiple working trees
12 'git worktree add' [-f] [--detach] [--checkout] [-b <new-branch>] <path> [<branch>]
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> [<branch>]::
50 Create `<path>` and checkout `<branch>` 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.
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 List details of each worktree. The main worktree is listed first, followed by
61 each of the linked worktrees. The output details include if the worktree is
62 bare, the revision currently checked out, and the branch currently checked out
63 (or 'detached HEAD' if none).
67 If a working tree is on a portable device or network share which
68 is not always mounted, lock it to prevent its administrative
69 files from being pruned automatically. This also prevents it from
70 being moved or deleted. Optionally, specify a reason for the lock
75 Prune working tree information in $GIT_DIR/worktrees.
79 Unlock a working tree, allowing it to be pruned, moved or deleted.
86 By default, `add` refuses to create a new working tree when `<branch>`
87 is already checked out by another working tree. This option overrides
92 With `add`, create a new branch named `<new-branch>` starting at
93 `<branch>`, and check out `<new-branch>` into the new working tree.
94 If `<branch>` is omitted, it defaults to HEAD.
95 By default, `-b` refuses to create a new branch if it already
96 exists. `-B` overrides this safeguard, resetting `<new-branch>` to
100 With `add`, detach HEAD in the new working tree. See "DETACHED HEAD"
101 in linkgit:git-checkout[1].
104 By default, `add` checks out `<branch>`, however, `--no-checkout` can
105 be used to suppress checkout in order to make customizations,
106 such as configuring sparse-checkout. See "Sparse checkout"
107 in linkgit:git-read-tree[1].
111 With `prune`, do not remove anything; just report what it would
115 With `list`, output in an easy-to-parse format for scripts.
116 This format will remain stable across Git versions and regardless of user
117 configuration. See below for details.
121 With `prune`, report all removals.
124 With `prune`, only expire unused working trees older than <time>.
127 With `lock`, an explanation why the working tree is locked.
130 Working trees can be identified by path, either relative or
133 If the last path components in the working tree's path is unique among
134 working trees, it can be used to identify worktrees. For example if
135 you only have two working trees, at "/abc/def/ghi" and "/abc/def/ggg",
136 then "ghi" or "def/ghi" is enough to point to the former working tree.
140 Each linked working tree has a private sub-directory in the repository's
141 $GIT_DIR/worktrees directory. The private sub-directory's name is usually
142 the base name of the linked working tree's path, possibly appended with a
143 number to make it unique. For example, when `$GIT_DIR=/path/main/.git` the
144 command `git worktree add /path/other/test-next next` creates the linked
145 working tree in `/path/other/test-next` and also creates a
146 `$GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next` directory (or `$GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next1`
147 if `test-next` is already taken).
149 Within a linked working tree, $GIT_DIR is set to point to this private
150 directory (e.g. `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next` in the example) and
151 $GIT_COMMON_DIR is set to point back to the main working tree's $GIT_DIR
152 (e.g. `/path/main/.git`). These settings are made in a `.git` file located at
153 the top directory of the linked working tree.
155 Path resolution via `git rev-parse --git-path` uses either
156 $GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR depending on the path. For example, in the
157 linked working tree `git rev-parse --git-path HEAD` returns
158 `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/HEAD` (not
159 `/path/other/test-next/.git/HEAD` or `/path/main/.git/HEAD`) while `git
160 rev-parse --git-path refs/heads/master` uses
161 $GIT_COMMON_DIR and returns `/path/main/.git/refs/heads/master`,
162 since refs are shared across all working trees.
164 See linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] for more information. The rule of
165 thumb is do not make any assumption about whether a path belongs to
166 $GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR when you need to directly access something
167 inside $GIT_DIR. Use `git rev-parse --git-path` to get the final path.
169 If you move a linked working tree, you need to update the 'gitdir' file
170 in the entry's directory. For example, if a linked working tree is moved
171 to `/newpath/test-next` and its `.git` file points to
172 `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next`, then update
173 `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/gitdir` to reference `/newpath/test-next`
176 To prevent a $GIT_DIR/worktrees entry from being pruned (which
177 can be useful in some situations, such as when the
178 entry's working tree is stored on a portable device), use the
179 `git worktree lock` command, which adds a file named
180 'locked' to the entry's directory. The file contains the reason in
181 plain text. For example, if a linked working tree's `.git` file points
182 to `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next` then a file named
183 `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/locked` will prevent the
184 `test-next` entry from being pruned. See
185 linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] for details.
189 The worktree list command has two output formats. The default format shows the
190 details on a single line with columns. For example:
194 /path/to/bare-source (bare)
195 /path/to/linked-worktree abcd1234 [master]
196 /path/to/other-linked-worktree 1234abc (detached HEAD)
201 The porcelain format has a line per attribute. Attributes are listed with a
202 label and value separated by a single space. Boolean attributes (like 'bare'
203 and 'detached') are listed as a label only, and are only present if and only
204 if the value is true. An empty line indicates the end of a worktree. For
208 S git worktree list --porcelain
209 worktree /path/to/bare-source
212 worktree /path/to/linked-worktree
213 HEAD abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234
214 branch refs/heads/master
216 worktree /path/to/other-linked-worktree
217 HEAD 1234abc1234abc1234abc1234abc1234abc1234a
224 You are in the middle of a refactoring session and your boss comes in and
225 demands that you fix something immediately. You might typically use
226 linkgit:git-stash[1] to store your changes away temporarily, however, your
227 working tree is in such a state of disarray (with new, moved, and removed
228 files, and other bits and pieces strewn around) that you don't want to risk
229 disturbing any of it. Instead, you create a temporary linked working tree to
230 make the emergency fix, remove it when done, and then resume your earlier
234 $ git worktree add -b emergency-fix ../temp master
236 # ... hack hack hack ...
237 $ git commit -a -m 'emergency fix for boss'
245 Multiple checkout in general is still experimental, and the support
246 for submodules is incomplete. It is NOT recommended to make multiple
247 checkouts of a superproject.
249 git-worktree could provide more automation for tasks currently
250 performed manually, such as:
252 - `remove` to remove a linked working tree and its administrative files (and
253 warn if the working tree is dirty)
254 - `mv` to move or rename a working tree and update its administrative files
258 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite