> git worktree

multiple working trees on one repository — check out several branches at once, give every AI coding agent its own isolated directory, and merge the results back

basics ai agents & parallel sessions maintenance & cleanup internals & scripting

// basics

8 commands

Check out an existing branch in a new worktree

$ git worktree add ../myapp-hotfix hotfix

Create a worktree with a new branch

$ git worktree add -b feature-auth ../myapp-auth main

Create a worktree and branch from just a path

$ git worktree add ../hotfix

Create a worktree from a remote branch

$ git fetch origin

Create a throwaway worktree with a detached HEAD

$ git worktree add -d ../scratch

List all worktrees and see what is checked out where

$ git worktree list

Check out the same branch in two worktrees

$ git worktree add --force ../myapp-copy feature-x

Create a worktree without checking out files

$ git worktree add --no-checkout -b agent-docs ../myapp-docs main

// ai agents & parallel sessions

9 commands

Run multiple AI coding agents in parallel on one repo

$ git worktree add -b agent/auth ../myapp-agent-auth main

Let Claude Code manage the worktree for you

$ claude --worktree feature-auth

Batch-create worktrees for a fleet of agents

$ for t in auth search billing; do git worktree add -b agent/$t ../myapp-agents/$t main; done

Copy .env and untracked files into a new worktree

$ cp .env .env.local ../myapp-agent-auth/ 2>/dev/null

Install dependencies in each worktree

$ pnpm install --dir ../myapp-agent-auth

Run each agent in its own tmux window

$ tmux new-session -d -s agents -n auth -c ../myapp-agents/auth

Compare what two agents produced

$ git diff main...agent/auth

Merge the winning agent branch back to main

$ git merge agent/auth

Tear down an agent worktree when the task is done

$ git worktree remove --force ../myapp-agents/auth

// maintenance & cleanup

6 commands

Remove a worktree safely

$ git worktree remove ../myapp-hotfix

Clean up after deleting a worktree folder manually

$ git worktree prune --dry-run -v

Move a worktree to a new location

$ git worktree move ../myapp-hotfix ~/work/hotfix

Repair worktrees after moving the repository

$ git worktree repair

Lock a worktree so it cannot be pruned or removed

$ git worktree lock --reason "on portable SSD" ../myapp-usb

Fix cannot delete branch checked out at errors

$ git worktree remove ../myapp-agents/auth

// internals & scripting

6 commands

Understand where worktree metadata lives

$ cat ../myapp-hotfix/.git

Give one worktree its own git config

$ git config extensions.worktreeConfig true

Keep a worktree small with sparse-checkout

$ git worktree add --no-checkout -b agent-web ../myapp-web main

Read the HEAD of another worktree from anywhere

$ git rev-parse worktrees/auth/HEAD

Script against the worktree list in CI

$ git worktree list --porcelain

Start an empty orphan branch in a new worktree

$ git worktree add --orphan -b gh-pages ../myapp-pages