// Manage Git worktrees for parallel development workflows without switching branches
| name | git-worktree |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| description | Manage Git worktrees for parallel development workflows without switching branches |
Efficiently work on multiple branches simultaneously using Git worktrees.
Use this skill when:
Git worktrees allow you to checkout multiple branches at the same time in different directories.
main project/
├── .git (repository)
├── src/ (main branch)
└── ...
../project-feature-a/ (worktree for feature-a branch)
├── .git (file pointing to main repo)
├── src/
└── ...
../project-hotfix/ (worktree for hotfix branch)
├── .git (file pointing to main repo)
├── src/
└── ...
Benefits:
# Create worktree for new branch
git worktree add ../project-feature-a -b feature-a
# Create worktree for existing branch
git worktree add ../project-hotfix hotfix-branch
# Create worktree at specific commit
git worktree add ../project-debug abc123
# Create worktree with detached HEAD
git worktree add --detach ../project-temp
# List all worktrees
git worktree list
# Output:
# /path/to/main abc123 [main]
# /path/to/feature-a def456 [feature-a]
# /path/to/hotfix ghi789 [hotfix-branch]
# Remove worktree after merging branch
git worktree remove ../project-feature-a
# Force remove (if untracked files exist)
git worktree remove --force ../project-feature-a
# Prune deleted worktrees from .git/worktrees
git worktree prune
# Move worktree to new location
git worktree move ../project-feature-a ../new-location
# Start working on main branch
cd ~/projects/myproject
git checkout main
# Need to start feature-a while main build is running
git worktree add ../myproject-feature-a -b feature-a
# Work on feature-a
cd ../myproject-feature-a
# Make changes, commit, test...
# Meanwhile, go back to main for something else
cd ~/projects/myproject
# Main branch is exactly as you left it
# When feature-a is done
cd ../myproject-feature-a
git push origin feature-a
# Create PR, get approved, merge
# Clean up
cd ~/projects/myproject
git pull
git worktree remove ../myproject-feature-a
# Working on feature branch
cd ~/projects/myproject-feature-a
# Need to review PR #123
git worktree add ../myproject-pr-123 pr-123
# Review and test
cd ../myproject-pr-123
# Run tests, check code...
# Post review
cd ~/projects/myproject-feature-a
# Clean up after PR merged
git worktree remove ../myproject-pr-123
# Working on long-running feature
cd ~/projects/myproject-feature-complex
# Production issue! Need to hotfix
git worktree add ../myproject-hotfix -b hotfix-urgent origin/main
# Fix and test
cd ../myproject-hotfix
# Fix the issue...
git commit -m "Fix critical production issue"
git push origin hotfix-urgent
# Deploy hotfix, continue feature work
cd ~/projects/myproject-feature-complex
# Feature work still intact, no stashing needed
# After hotfix merged
git worktree remove ../myproject-hotfix
# Create worktrees for comparison
git worktree add ../myproject-v1 v1.0
git worktree add ../myproject-v2 v2.0
# Run both versions side-by-side
cd ../myproject-v1
./run-server.sh --port 8001 &
cd ../myproject-v2
./run-server.sh --port 8002 &
# Compare behavior...
# Clean up
git worktree remove ../myproject-v1
git worktree remove ../myproject-v2
Worktrees share the same .git directory, which means:
✅ Shared:
❌ Not Shared:
Each worktree can have its own IDE instance:
# VSCode
cd ../myproject-feature-a
code . --user-data-dir=/tmp/vscode-feature-a
# JetBrains IDEs
cd ../myproject-feature-a
idea . # Opens separate instance
Build artifacts don't conflict:
# Main worktree
cd ~/projects/myproject
cargo build --release
ls target/release/myproject # Main build
# Feature worktree
cd ../myproject-feature-a
cargo build --release
ls target/release/myproject # Feature build (different!)
# Both builds can exist simultaneously
Add to .gitignore:
# Ignore other worktree directories
../project-*/*.log
../project-*/target/
../project-*/node_modules/
# Good: Descriptive names
git worktree add ../myproject-feature-auth -b feature/auth
git worktree add ../myproject-fix-logging -b fix/logging
git worktree add ../myproject-review-pr-456 origin/pr/456
# Bad: Cryptic names
git worktree add ../temp1 -b x
git worktree add ../test -b y
# Option 1: Sibling directories (recommended)
~/projects/
├── myproject/ # main worktree
├── myproject-feature-a/ # feature worktree
└── myproject-hotfix/ # hotfix worktree
# Option 2: Subdirectory in main project
~/projects/myproject/
├── .git/
├── src/
├── worktrees/
│ ├── feature-a/
│ └── hotfix/
└── ...
# Option 3: Centralized worktree directory
~/worktrees/
├── myproject-main/
├── myproject-feature-a/
└── myproject-hotfix/
# Regularly prune deleted worktrees
git worktree prune
# List worktrees with details
git worktree list --porcelain
# Script to clean up old worktrees
#!/bin/bash
for wt in $(git worktree list --porcelain | grep '^worktree' | cut -d' ' -f2); do
if [ ! -d "$wt" ]; then
echo "Pruning deleted worktree: $wt"
git worktree prune
break
fi
done
# Feature A in progress
git worktree add ../project-feature-a -b feature-a
# Feature B needs to start
git worktree add ../project-feature-b -b feature-b
# Feature C hotfix for A
git worktree add ../project-fix-a -b fix/feature-a-a-issue
# Work on all three
cd ../project-feature-a # Work on A
cd ../project-feature-b # Work on B
cd ../project-fix-a # Fix A's issue
# Merge order: fix-a → feature-a → main
cd ../project-feature-a
git merge fix/feature-a-a-issue
git push
# Clean up
git worktree remove ../project-fix-a
git worktree remove ../project-feature-a # After merge
# Create worktrees for old and new versions
git worktree add ../project-baseline v1.0
git worktree add ../project-optimized optimized-branch
# Run benchmarks
cd ../project-baseline
cargo bench --bench my_benchmark > baseline.txt
cd ../project-optimized
cargo bench --bench my_benchmark > optimized.txt
# Compare
diff baseline.txt optimized.txt
# Clean up
git worktree remove ../project-baseline
git worktree remove ../project-optimized
# Error: 'feature-a' is already checked out
git worktree add ../project-feature-a feature-a
# Solution: Remove existing worktree first
git worktree list
git worktree remove /path/to/existing/worktree
# OR just cd to it and continue working there
# Error: cannot remove worktree: untracked files present
# Option 1: Commit or stash files
cd ../project-feature-a
git add .
git stash
# Option 2: Force remove
git worktree remove --force ../project-feature-a
# Error: a branch named 'feature-a' already exists
# Create worktree from existing branch
git worktree add ../project-feature-a feature-a
# OR use different branch name
git worktree add ../project-feature-a-v2 -b feature-a-v2
# Worktree is in detached HEAD state
cd ../project-temp
git status
# HEAD detached at abc123
# Create branch from current state
git checkout -b new-branch-name
# OR reset to a branch
git checkout main
This skill integrates with Kilo's workflow:
Use with other skills:
# Create
git worktree add <path> <branch>
git worktree add <path> -b <new-branch>
# List
git worktree list
git worktree list --porcelain
# Remove
git worktree remove <path>
git worktree remove --force <path>
git worktree prune
# Move
git worktree move <old-path> <new-path>
# Lock (prevent pruning)
git worktree lock <path>
git worktree unlock <path>
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