| name | ia-git-worktree |
| class | tool |
| description | Manage Git worktrees for isolated parallel development. Use when creating, listing, switching, or cleaning up git worktrees, or when needing isolated branches for concurrent reviews or feature work. |
Git worktree manager
GATE: If the task runs inside an existing worktree (a worktree path is given and no create/remove/switch is requested), none of the creation flow applies — work in place and skip this skill. To check: git rev-parse --show-toplevel appears as a linked entry in git worktree list.
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:
- Copies
.env, .env.local, .env.test, etc. from main repo
- Ensures
.worktrees is in .gitignore
- Creates consistent directory structure
- After creation, install dependencies if detected:
package.json → npm install, composer.json → composer install, pyproject.toml → pip install -e ., go.mod → go mod download
All commands use: bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/ia-git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh <command>. If CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT is unset (non-Claude-Code harness), resolve the script relative to this skill's own directory.
The manager script branches from a fresh origin/<base>; if the prompt is unanswered it defaults to origin/<base> and lists unpushed commits in its output — report them in the change summary. Details: troubleshooting.md.
Commands
| Command | Description | Example |
|---|
create <branch> [from] | Create worktree + branch (default: from main) | ...worktree-manager.sh create feature-login |
list / ls | List all worktrees with status | ...worktree-manager.sh list |
switch <name> / go | Switch to existing worktree | ...worktree-manager.sh switch feature-login |
copy-env <name> | Copy .env files to existing worktree | ...worktree-manager.sh copy-env feature-login |
cleanup / clean | Interactively remove inactive worktrees | ...worktree-manager.sh cleanup |
After cleanup, run git worktree prune to remove any orphaned worktree metadata from manually deleted directories.
Safety Verification
Before creating a worktree, verify the worktree directory is gitignored:
git check-ignore .worktrees || echo "WARNING: .worktrees not in .gitignore"
If not ignored, add it to .gitignore before proceeding.
After creating a worktree, run the project's test suite (or the fastest relevant subset if the full suite exceeds a few minutes) to establish a clean baseline. Pre-existing failures in the worktree should be caught before starting new work -- not discovered mid-implementation.
Environment Detection
Before creating worktrees, detect the execution context:
- Codex/sandbox environment? If
$CODEX_SANDBOX is set or the repo is at a non-standard path (e.g., /tmp/, /workspace/), worktrees may not be supported. Fall back to regular branch switching.
- Bare repo? If
git rev-parse --is-bare-repository returns true, worktrees are the only way to have a working directory. Adjust paths accordingly.
Adapt the workflow to the detected context rather than failing with a generic error.
Integration with Workflows
/ia-review
- Check current branch
- If ALREADY on target branch -> stay there, no worktree needed
- If DIFFERENT branch -> Ask via AskUserQuestion (Claude Code; load with ToolSearch
select:AskUserQuestion if not loaded) or request_user_input (Codex); fall back to numbered options in chat. Options: 1) review in a new worktree 2) switch branch in place
/ia-work
Always offer choice:
- New branch on current worktree (live work)
- Worktree (parallel work)
Branch Completion
When work in a worktree is done, verify tests pass, then present exactly 4 options. Ask via AskUserQuestion (Claude Code; load with ToolSearch select:AskUserQuestion if not loaded) or request_user_input (Codex); fall back to numbered options in chat.
- Merge locally -- merge into base branch, delete worktree branch, clean up worktree
- Push + PR -- push branch, create PR with
gh pr create, keep worktree until merged
- Keep as-is -- leave branch and worktree for later
- Discard -- requires typing "discard" to confirm. Deletes branch and worktree. No silent discards.
Change Summary
When completing work in a worktree (before merge or PR), output a structured summary:
CHANGES MADE:
- src/routes/tasks.ts: Added validation middleware
THINGS I DIDN'T TOUCH (intentionally):
- src/routes/auth.ts: Has similar validation gap but out of scope
POTENTIAL CONCERNS:
- The Zod schema is strict -- rejects extra fields. Confirm this is desired.
The "DIDN'T TOUCH" section prevents reviewers from wondering whether adjacent issues were missed or intentionally deferred.
Hooks and Local Excludes
Before writing any git hook, check git config core.hooksPath — Husky repos ignore .git/hooks/ entirely. Personal tooling excludes go in $(git rev-parse --git-path info/exclude), never the tracked .gitignore. Details: hooks-and-excludes.md
Verify
git worktree list shows the new entry.worktrees directory confirmed in .gitignore- Dependencies installed in the worktree
- Baseline test suite passes in the worktree
References
