git-worktree

Git Worktree Manager

This skill provides a unified interface for managing Git worktrees across your development workflow. Whether you're reviewing PRs in isolation or working on features in parallel, this skill handles all the complexity.

What This Skill Does

• Create worktrees from main branch with clear branch names
• List worktrees with current status
• Switch between worktrees for parallel work
• Clean up completed worktrees automatically
• Interactive confirmations at each step
• Automatic .gitignore management for worktree directory
• Automatic .env file copying from main repo to new worktrees

CRITICAL: Always Use the Manager Script

NEVER call git worktree add directly. Always use the worktree-manager.sh script.

The script handles critical setup that raw git commands don't:

1. Copies .env, .env.local, .env.test, etc. from main repo
2. Ensures .worktrees is in .gitignore
3. Creates consistent directory structure

# ✅ CORRECT - Always use the script
bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh create feature-name

# ❌ WRONG - Never do this directly
git worktree add .worktrees/feature-name -b feature-name main

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill in these scenarios:

1. Code Review (/workflows:review): If NOT already on the PR branch, offer worktree for isolated review
2. Feature Work (/workflows:work): Always ask if user wants parallel worktree or live branch work
3. Parallel Development: When working on multiple features simultaneously
4. Cleanup: After completing work in a worktree

How to Use

In Claude Code Workflows

The skill is automatically called from /workflows:review and /workflows:work commands:

# For review: offers worktree if not on PR branch
# For work: always asks - new branch or worktree?

Manual Usage

You can also invoke the skill directly from bash:

# Create a new worktree (copies .env files automatically)
bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh create feature-login

# List all worktrees
bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh list

# Switch to a worktree
bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh switch feature-login

# Copy .env files to an existing worktree (if they weren't copied)
bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh copy-env feature-login

# Clean up completed worktrees
bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh cleanup

Commands

create <branch-name> [from-branch]

Creates a new worktree with the given branch name.

Options:

• branch-name (required): The name for the new branch and worktree
• from-branch (optional): Base branch to create from (defaults to main)

Example:

bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh create feature-login

What happens:

1. Checks if worktree already exists
2. Updates the base branch from remote
3. Creates new worktree and branch
4. Copies all .env files from main repo (.env, .env.local, .env.test, etc.)
5. Shows path for cd-ing to the worktree

list or ls

Lists all available worktrees with their branches and current status.

Example:

bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh list

Output shows:

• Worktree name
• Branch name
• Which is current (marked with ✓)
• Main repo status

switch <name> or go <name>

Switches to an existing worktree and cd's into it.

Example:

bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh switch feature-login

Optional:

• If name not provided, lists available worktrees and prompts for selection

cleanup or clean

Interactively cleans up inactive worktrees with confirmation.

Example:

bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh cleanup

What happens:

1. Lists all inactive worktrees
2. Asks for confirmation
3. Removes selected worktrees
4. Cleans up empty directories

Workflow Examples

Code Review with Worktree

# Claude Code recognizes you're not on the PR branch
# Offers: "Use worktree for isolated review? (y/n)"

# You respond: yes
# Script runs (copies .env files automatically):
bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh create pr-123-feature-name

# You're now in isolated worktree for review with all env vars
cd .worktrees/pr-123-feature-name

# After review, return to main:
cd ../..
bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh cleanup

Parallel Feature Development

# For first feature (copies .env files):
bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh create feature-login

# Later, start second feature (also copies .env files):
bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh create feature-notifications

# List what you have:
bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh list

# Switch between them as needed:
bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh switch feature-login

# Return to main and cleanup when done:
cd .
bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh cleanup

Key Design Principles

KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid)

• One manager script handles all worktree operations
• Simple commands with sensible defaults
• Interactive prompts prevent accidental operations
• Clear naming using branch names directly

Opinionated Defaults

• Worktrees always created from main (unless specified)
• Worktrees stored in .worktrees/ directory
• Branch name becomes worktree name
• .gitignore automatically managed

Safety First

• Confirms before creating worktrees
• Confirms before cleanup to prevent accidental removal
• Won't remove current worktree
• Clear error messages for issues

Integration with Workflows

/workflows:review

Instead of always creating a worktree:

1. Check current branch
2. If ALREADY on PR branch → stay there, no worktree needed
3. If DIFFERENT branch → offer worktree:
   "Use worktree for isolated review? (y/n)"
   - yes → call git-worktree skill
   - no → proceed with PR diff on current branch

/workflows:work

Always offer choice:

1. Ask: "How do you want to work?
   1. New branch on current worktree (live work)
   2. Worktree (parallel work)"

2. If choice 1 → create new branch normally
3. If choice 2 → call git-worktree skill to create from main

Troubleshooting

"Worktree already exists"

If you see this, the script will ask if you want to switch to it instead.

"Cannot remove worktree: it is the current worktree"

Switch out of the worktree first (to main repo), then cleanup:

cd $(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)
bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh cleanup

Lost in a worktree?

See where you are:

bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh list

.env files missing in worktree?

If a worktree was created without .env files (e.g., via raw git worktree add), copy them:

bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh copy-env feature-name

Navigate back to main:

cd $(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)

Technical Details

Directory Structure

.worktrees/
├── feature-login/          # Worktree 1
│   ├── .git
│   ├── app/
│   └── ...
├── feature-notifications/  # Worktree 2
│   ├── .git
│   ├── app/
│   └── ...
└── ...

.gitignore (updated to include .worktrees)

How It Works

• Uses git worktree add for isolated environments
• Each worktree has its own branch
• Changes in one worktree don't affect others
• Share git history with main repo
• Can push from any worktree

Performance

• Worktrees are lightweight (just file system links)
• No repository duplication
• Shared git objects for efficiency
• Much faster than cloning or stashing/switching