GIT-WORKTREE(1) Git Manual GIT-WORKTREE(1)
NAME
git-worktree - Manage multiple working trees
SYNOPSIS
git worktree add [-f] [--detach] [--checkout] [--lock [--reason ]]
[--orphan] [(-b | -B) ] []
git worktree list [-v | --porcelain [-z]]
git worktree lock [--reason ]
git worktree move
git worktree prune [-n] [-v] [--expire ]
git worktree remove [-f]
git worktree repair [...]
git worktree unlock
DESCRIPTION
Manage multiple working trees attached to the same repository.
A git repository can support multiple working trees, allowing you to check out more than one branch
at a time. With git worktree add a new working tree is associated with the repository, along with
additional metadata that differentiates that working tree from others in the same repository. The
working tree, along with this metadata, is called a "worktree".
This new worktree is called a "linked worktree" as opposed to the "main worktree" prepared by git-
init(1) or git-clone(1). A repository has one main worktree (if itâs not a bare repository) and zero
or more linked worktrees. When you are done with a linked worktree, remove it with git worktree
remove.
In its simplest form, git worktree add automatically creates a new branch whose name is the
final component of , which is convenient if you plan to work on a new topic. For instance, git
worktree add ../hotfix creates new branch hotfix and checks it out at path ../hotfix. To instead work
on an existing branch in a new worktree, use git worktree add . On the other hand, if
you just plan to make some experimental changes or do testing without disturbing existing
development, it is often convenient to create a throwaway worktree not associated with any branch.
For instance, git worktree add -d creates a new worktree with a detached HEAD at the same
commit as the current branch.
If a working tree is deleted without using git worktree remove, then its associated administrative
files, which reside in the repository (see "DETAILS" below), will eventually be removed automatically
(see gc.worktreePruneExpire in git-config(1)), or you can run git worktree prune in the main or any
linked worktree to clean up any stale administrative files.
If the working tree for a linked worktree is stored on a portable device or network share which is
not always mounted, you can prevent its administrative files from being pruned by issuing the git
worktree lock command, optionally specifying --reason to explain why the worktree is locked.
COMMANDS
add []
Create a worktree at and checkout into it. The new worktree is linked to the
current repository, sharing everything except per-worktree files such as HEAD, index, etc. As a
convenience, may be a bare "-", which is synonymous with @{-1}.
If is a branch name (call it ) and is not found, and neither -b nor -B nor
--detach are used, but there does exist a tracking branch in exactly one remote (call it
) with a matching name, treat as equivalent to:
$ git worktree add --track -b /
If the branch exists in multiple remotes and one of them is named by the checkout.defaultRemote
configuration variable, weâll use that one for the purposes of disambiguation, even if the
isnât unique across all remotes. Set it to e.g. checkout.defaultRemote=origin to always
checkout remote branches from there if is ambiguous but exists on the origin remote. See
also checkout.defaultRemote in git-config(1).
If is omitted and neither -b nor -B nor --detach used, then, as a convenience, the
new worktree is associated with a branch (call it ) named after $(basename ). If
doesnât exist, a new branch based on HEAD is automatically created as if -b was
given. If does exist, it will be checked out in the new worktree, if itâs not checked
out anywhere else, otherwise the command will refuse to create the worktree (unless --force is
used).
If is omitted, neither --detach, or --orphan is used, and there are no valid local
branches (or remote branches if --guess-remote is specified) then, as a convenience, the new
worktree is associated with a new unborn branch named (after $(basename ) if
neither -b or -B is used) as if --orphan was passed to the command. In the event the repository
has a remote and --guess-remote is used, but no remote or local branches exist, then the command
fails with a warning reminding the user to fetch from their remote first (or override by using
-f/--force).
list
List details of each worktree. The main worktree is listed first, followed by each of the linked
worktrees. The output details include whether the worktree is bare, the revision currently
checked out, the branch currently checked out (or "detached HEAD" if none), "locked" if the
worktree is locked, "prunable" if the worktree can be pruned by the prune command.
lock
If a worktree is on a portable device or network share which is not always mounted, lock it to
prevent its administrative files from being pruned automatically. This also prevents it from
being moved or deleted. Optionally, specify a reason for the lock with --reason.
move
Move a worktree to a new location. Note that the main worktree or linked worktrees containing
submodules cannot be moved with this command. (The git worktree repair command, however, can
reestablish the connection with linked worktrees if you move the main worktree manually.)
prune
Prune worktree information in $GIT_DIR/worktrees.
remove
Remove a worktree. Only clean worktrees (no untracked files and no modification in tracked files)
can be removed. Unclean worktrees or ones with submodules can be removed with --force. The main
worktree cannot be removed.
repair [...]
Repair worktree administrative files, if possible, if they have become corrupted or outdated due
to external factors.
For instance, if the main worktree (or bare repository) is moved, linked worktrees will be unable
to locate it. Running repair in the main worktree will reestablish the connection from linked
worktrees back to the main worktree.
Similarly, if the working tree for a linked worktree is moved without using git worktree move,
the main worktree (or bare repository) will be unable to locate it. Running repair within the
recently-moved worktree will reestablish the connection. If multiple linked worktrees are moved,
running repair from any worktree with each treeâs new as an argument, will reestablish the
connection to all the specified paths.
If both the main worktree and linked worktrees have been moved or copied manually, then running
repair in the main worktree and specifying the new of each linked worktree will
reestablish all connections in both directions.
unlock
Unlock a worktree, allowing it to be pruned, moved or deleted.
OPTIONS
-f, --force
By default, add refuses to create a new worktree when is a branch name and is
already checked out by another worktree, or if is already assigned to some worktree but is
missing (for instance, if was deleted manually). This option overrides these safeguards.
To add a missing but locked worktree path, specify --force twice.
move refuses to move a locked worktree unless --force is specified twice. If the destination is
already assigned to some other worktree but is missing (for instance, if was deleted
manually), then --force allows the move to proceed; use --force twice if the destination is
locked.
remove refuses to remove an unclean worktree unless --force is used. To remove a locked worktree,
specify --force twice.
-b , -B
With add, create a new branch named starting at , and check out
into the new worktree. If is omitted, it defaults to HEAD. By default,
-b refuses to create a new branch if it already exists. -B overrides this safeguard, resetting
to .
-d, --detach
With add, detach HEAD in the new worktree. See "DETACHED HEAD" in git-checkout(1).
--checkout, --no-checkout
By default, add checks out , however, --no-checkout can be used to suppress checkout
in order to make customizations, such as configuring sparse-checkout. See "Sparse checkout" in
git-read-tree(1).
--guess-remote, --no-guess-remote
With worktree add , without , instead of creating a new branch from HEAD, if
there exists a tracking branch in exactly one remote matching the basename of , base the
new branch on the remote-tracking branch, and mark the remote-tracking branch as "upstream" from
the new branch.
This can also be set up as the default behaviour by using the worktree.guessRemote config option.
--relative-paths, --no-relative-paths
Link worktrees using relative paths or absolute paths (default). Overrides the
worktree.useRelativePaths config option, see git-config(1).
With repair, the linking files will be updated if thereâs an absolute/relative mismatch, even if
the links are correct.
--track, --no-track
When creating a new branch, if is a branch, mark it as "upstream" from the new
branch. This is the default if is a remote-tracking branch. See --track in git-
branch(1) for details.
--lock
Keep the worktree locked after creation. This is the equivalent of git worktree lock after git
worktree add, but without a race condition.
-n, --dry-run
With prune, do not remove anything; just report what it would remove.
--orphan
With add, make the new worktree and index empty, associating the worktree with a new unborn
branch named .
--porcelain
With list, output in an easy-to-parse format for scripts. This format will remain stable across
Git versions and regardless of user configuration. It is recommended to combine this with -z. See
below for details.
-z
Terminate each line with a NUL rather than a newline when --porcelain is specified with list.
This makes it possible to parse the output when a worktree path contains a newline character.
-q, --quiet
With add, suppress feedback messages.
-v, --verbose
With prune, report all removals.
With list, output additional information about worktrees (see below).
--expire