Git Worktree Workflow

Git Worktree Workflow Skill

Overview

Git worktrees enable working on multiple branches simultaneously by creating separate working directories. In k2-dev, each task gets its own worktree for complete isolation.

Key Benefits: Work on multiple tasks without branch switching, complete isolation prevents conflicts, clean separation of concerns, easy context switching, safe cleanup without losing work.

Reference: See k2-dev-reference.md#git-worktree-basics for core git worktree concepts and commands.

K2-Dev Worktree Pattern

For each task:

1. Create worktree: ../beads-{id}/
2. Branch: feature/beads-{id}
3. Work in isolation
4. PR and merge
5. Remove worktree

Creating Worktrees

Using bd worktree (Recommended)

Beads provides integrated worktree management:

bd worktree create beads-123

This creates:

• Directory: ../beads-123/
• Branch: feature/beads-123
• Links to main repository
• Updates beads context

Location: Worktrees created at ../beads-{id}/ (sibling to main repo) for easy organization and management.

Using Git Directly (Manual Control)

# Create worktree with new branch
git worktree add ../beads-123 -b feature/beads-123

# Create from existing branch
git worktree add ../beads-123 feature/beads-123

Reference: See k2-dev-reference.md#git-worktree-basics for complete git worktree commands.

Multiple Tickets in One Worktree

When /k2:start receives multiple tickets:

# Use first ticket ID for worktree name
bd worktree create beads-123

# Work on beads-123, beads-234, beads-345 in same worktree
# All changes go to feature/beads-123 branch

Working in Worktrees

Switching Context

# Navigate to worktree
cd ../beads-123

# Verify location
pwd
git branch --show-current

# Check status
git status

Making Changes

Work normally in worktree:

# Edit files
vi src/auth/middleware.ts

# Stage and commit
git add src/auth/middleware.ts
git commit -m "Add JWT middleware"

# Push to remote
git push -u origin feature/beads-123

Returning to Main Repo

cd -  # Or use absolute path
cd ~/projects/my-project

Managing Worktrees

Listing Worktrees

# Using bd worktree
bd worktree list

# Using git directly
git worktree list

Output example:

/Users/dev/project           abc1234 [main]
/Users/dev/beads-123         def5678 [feature/beads-123]
/Users/dev/beads-456         ghi9012 [feature/beads-456]

Removing Worktrees

After PR is merged:

# Using bd worktree (recommended)
bd worktree remove beads-123

# Using git directly
git worktree remove ../beads-123

# If worktree directory was manually deleted
git worktree prune

Force remove (if needed):

git worktree remove --force ../beads-123

K2-Dev Workflow Integration

Technical Lead Responsibilities

Creating worktree:

# After validating ticket
bd worktree create beads-123

# Navigate to worktree
cd ../beads-123

# Verify setup
pwd
git branch --show-current
bd show beads-123

Cleanup after merge:

# Return to main repo
cd ~/projects/my-project

# Remove worktree
bd worktree remove beads-123

# Verify removal
git worktree list

Engineer Workflow

Start working:

# Should already be in worktree (Tech Lead created it)
pwd  # Verify: ../beads-123

# Read task context
bd show beads-123
bd comments beads-123

# Start implementation
vi src/feature.ts

During implementation:

# Regular git workflow
git add .
git commit -m "Implement feature X"
git push

Create PR:

# From worktree
gh pr create --title "feat: Add feature X (beads-123)" \
             --body "$(cat PR_TEMPLATE.md)"

Multiple Worktrees Simultaneously

Engineer can work on multiple tasks:

# Terminal 1: Work on beads-123
cd ../beads-123
vi src/auth.ts

# Terminal 2: Work on beads-456
cd ../beads-456
vi src/profile.ts

# Each worktree is independent - no branch switching needed

Branching Strategy

Branch Naming

Standard pattern: feature/beads-{id}

Examples:

feature/beads-123
feature/beads-456
feature/beads-789

Why this pattern:

• Clear association with task
• Easy to identify in PR list
• Consistent and predictable
• Sortable and searchable

Reference: See k2-dev-reference.md#branch-naming

Base Branch

Create worktrees from main/master:

# Ensure main is up to date first
cd ~/projects/my-project
git checkout main
git pull

# Now create worktree
bd worktree create beads-123

Keeping Up to Date

Rebase on main:

cd ../beads-123
git fetch origin
git rebase origin/main

Merge main (if preferred):

cd ../beads-123
git merge origin/main

Best Practices

DO

✅ Create worktree per task - Each beads ticket gets its own worktree for complete isolation

✅ Use consistent naming - ../beads-{id}/ for location, feature/beads-{id} for branch

✅ Clean up after merge - Remove worktree after PR merged to keep workspace tidy

✅ Verify before creating:

git worktree list | grep beads-123  # Check doesn't already exist

✅ Stay in worktree context - Work entirely in worktree until PR merged

DON'T

❌ Don't nest worktrees - Keep flat structure, don't create worktree inside another

❌ Don't manually delete worktree directories:

# Wrong:
rm -rf ../beads-123

# Right:
bd worktree remove beads-123

❌ Don't reuse worktree for different tasks - One worktree = one task, create new for new task

❌ Don't forget to push:

# Before creating PR, push changes
git push -u origin feature/beads-123

Troubleshooting

Worktree Already Exists

Error: fatal: '../beads-123' already exists

Solution:

git worktree list  # Check existing worktrees
git worktree remove ../beads-123  # Remove if stale
git worktree prune  # If directory deleted manually

Branch Already Exists

Error: fatal: a branch named 'feature/beads-123' already exists

Solution:

git worktree list  # Check if worktree exists
git branch -D feature/beads-123  # Delete branch if no worktree
bd worktree create beads-123  # Recreate

Can't Remove Worktree

Error: fatal: validation failed, cannot remove working tree

Solution:

cd ../beads-123
git status  # Check for uncommitted changes
git add . && git commit -m "WIP"  # Commit or stash changes

# Or force remove (caution: loses changes)
git worktree remove --force ../beads-123

Lost Worktree Directory

Scenario: Worktree directory deleted but git still tracks it

Solution:

git worktree prune  # Prune stale entries
git worktree list  # Verify cleanup

Integration with Beads

Beads tracks worktree association:

# Create worktree via beads
bd worktree create beads-123

# Beads knows about the worktree
bd show beads-123  # Shows worktree info

# List task worktrees
bd worktree list

When reading task context, bd show beads-123 may include:

• Worktree location
• Branch name
• Work status

Workflow Summary

Standard k2-dev workflow:

1. Technical Lead: Create worktree

   bd worktree create beads-123
   cd ../beads-123
   

2. Engineer: Work in worktree

   # Already in ../beads-123
   # ... implement feature ...
   git add . && git commit -m "feat: Add feature" && git push -u origin feature/beads-123
   

3. Engineer: Create PR

   gh pr create --title "feat: Feature (beads-123)"
   

4. After merge, Technical Lead: Clean up

   cd ~/projects/my-project
   bd worktree remove beads-123
   bd update beads-123 --status closed
   bd sync
   

Follow this pattern for consistent, isolated task development with clean separation of concerns.

Reference: See k2-dev-reference.md for git worktree commands, branch naming, and common patterns.