Git Worktree Management

Create, list, and manage git worktrees for isolated development environments.

When to Use This Skill

• User asks to "create an isolated workspace" or "work on multiple branches"
• User wants to "set up a worktree" or "parallel development"
• User asks to "list worktrees" or "clean up worktrees"
• Before running parallel tasks that might conflict

Configuration

Worktree directory location is configurable per-project via CLAUDE.md.

Config Format (in CLAUDE.md)

<daplug_config>
worktree_dir: /absolute/path/to/worktrees
# OR
worktree_dir: .worktrees/
</daplug_config>

Get Worktree Directory

This is the canonical way to resolve the worktree directory. All operations should use this lookup.

REPO_ROOT=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)
PLUGIN_ROOT=$(jq -r '.plugins."daplug@cruzanstx"[0].installPath' ~/.claude/plugins/installed_plugins.json)
CONFIG_READER="$PLUGIN_ROOT/skills/config-reader/scripts/config.py"

# 1. Check for worktree_dir in CLAUDE.md
CONFIGURED_DIR=$(python3 "$CONFIG_READER" get worktree_dir --repo-root "$REPO_ROOT")

if [ -n "$CONFIGURED_DIR" ]; then
    # 2a. Expand relative paths (starts with . or no leading /)
    if [[ "$CONFIGURED_DIR" == .* ]] || [[ "$CONFIGURED_DIR" != /* ]]; then
        WORKTREES_DIR=$(realpath "${REPO_ROOT}/${CONFIGURED_DIR}")
    else
        WORKTREES_DIR="$CONFIGURED_DIR"
    fi
else
    # 2b. No config found - STOP and prompt user (see below)
    echo "NO_CONFIG"
fi

IMPORTANT: If no config exists (CONFIGURED_DIR is empty), you MUST prompt the user before proceeding. Do NOT silently fall back to a default. Use the "Configure Worktree Directory (Interactive)" section below to ask the user their preference and store it.

Configure Worktree Directory (Interactive)

When no configuration exists and user needs to set one up:

1. Ask user for preference using AskUserQuestion:

   • "Sibling directory (../worktrees/)" - default, outside repo
   • "Inside project (.worktrees/)" - local, will be gitignored
   • "Custom path" - let them specify absolute path

2. Store the preference in CLAUDE.md:

REPO_ROOT=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)
PLUGIN_ROOT=$(jq -r '.plugins."daplug@cruzanstx"[0].installPath' ~/.claude/plugins/installed_plugins.json)
CONFIG_READER="$PLUGIN_ROOT/skills/config-reader/scripts/config.py"

# Add config to CLAUDE.md under <daplug_config>
python3 "$CONFIG_READER" set worktree_dir "${CHOSEN_PATH}" --scope project

3. If path is inside project (relative path chosen), ensure gitignore:

# Add to .gitignore if not present
if [ -f "${REPO_ROOT}/.gitignore" ]; then
    if ! grep -qxF "${CONFIGURED_DIR}" "${REPO_ROOT}/.gitignore" && \
       ! grep -qxF "${CONFIGURED_DIR}/" "${REPO_ROOT}/.gitignore"; then
        echo "" >> "${REPO_ROOT}/.gitignore"
        echo "# Worktrees directory (local development)" >> "${REPO_ROOT}/.gitignore"
        echo "${CONFIGURED_DIR}/" >> "${REPO_ROOT}/.gitignore"
    fi
else
    echo "# Worktrees directory (local development)" > "${REPO_ROOT}/.gitignore"
    echo "${CONFIGURED_DIR}/" >> "${REPO_ROOT}/.gitignore"
fi

# Add to .dockerignore if not present
if [ -f "${REPO_ROOT}/.dockerignore" ]; then
    if ! grep -qxF "${CONFIGURED_DIR}" "${REPO_ROOT}/.dockerignore" && \
       ! grep -qxF "${CONFIGURED_DIR}/" "${REPO_ROOT}/.dockerignore"; then
        echo "" >> "${REPO_ROOT}/.dockerignore"
        echo "# Worktrees directory" >> "${REPO_ROOT}/.dockerignore"
        echo "${CONFIGURED_DIR}/" >> "${REPO_ROOT}/.dockerignore"
    fi
fi

4. Update Claude permissions for the resolved absolute path:
   • Add Read(/absolute/path/**), Edit(/absolute/path/**), Write(/absolute/path/**)
   • Add to additionalDirectories

Core Operations

Create a Worktree

# Get repo info
REPO_ROOT=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)
REPO_NAME=$(basename "$REPO_ROOT")
CURRENT_BRANCH=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
PLUGIN_ROOT=$(jq -r '.plugins."daplug@cruzanstx"[0].installPath' ~/.claude/plugins/installed_plugins.json)
CONFIG_READER="$PLUGIN_ROOT/skills/config-reader/scripts/config.py"

# Get configured worktree directory (see Configuration section)
CONFIGURED_DIR=$(python3 "$CONFIG_READER" get worktree_dir --repo-root "$REPO_ROOT")
if [ -n "$CONFIGURED_DIR" ]; then
    if [[ "$CONFIGURED_DIR" == .* ]] || [[ "$CONFIGURED_DIR" != /* ]]; then
        WORKTREES_DIR=$(realpath "${REPO_ROOT}/${CONFIGURED_DIR}")
    else
        WORKTREES_DIR="$CONFIGURED_DIR"
    fi
else
    WORKTREES_DIR=$(realpath "${REPO_ROOT}/../worktrees")
fi

# Generate unique identifier
RUN_ID="$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)"

# Create worktree with new branch
BRANCH_NAME="feature/${PURPOSE}-${RUN_ID}"
WORKTREE_PATH="${WORKTREES_DIR}/${REPO_NAME}-${PURPOSE}-${RUN_ID}"

mkdir -p "$WORKTREES_DIR"
git worktree add -b "$BRANCH_NAME" "$WORKTREE_PATH" "$CURRENT_BRANCH"

echo "Created worktree:"
echo "  Path: $WORKTREE_PATH"
echo "  Branch: $BRANCH_NAME"
echo "  Based on: $CURRENT_BRANCH"

List Worktrees

git worktree list

Check Worktree Status

# For each worktree, show branch and commit count
CURRENT_BRANCH=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
for worktree in $(git worktree list --porcelain | grep "^worktree" | cut -d' ' -f2); do
    branch=$(git -C "$worktree" rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null)
    if [ "$branch" != "$CURRENT_BRANCH" ]; then
        commits=$(git rev-list --count "$CURRENT_BRANCH".."$branch" 2>/dev/null || echo "0")
        echo "$worktree ($branch): $commits commits ahead"
    fi
done

Remove a Worktree

CRITICAL: Ensure your CWD is NOT the worktree you're deleting!

If your shell's current working directory is the worktree being deleted, the shell will break and all subsequent bash commands will fail with "No such file or directory".

# FIRST: Ensure you're in the main repo, not the worktree
REPO_ROOT=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null) || REPO_ROOT="/path/to/main/repo"
cd "$REPO_ROOT"

# Verify we're not in a worktree path
if [[ "$(pwd)" == *"/worktrees/"* ]]; then
    echo "ERROR: Cannot remove worktree while inside it!"
    exit 1
fi

# Remove specific worktree by path (use subshell for safety)
(cd "$REPO_ROOT" && git worktree remove /path/to/worktree)

# Or force remove if there are changes
(cd "$REPO_ROOT" && git worktree remove --force /path/to/worktree)

# Clean up stale references
git worktree prune

# Delete the branch after worktree is removed
git branch -D branch-name

Cleanup Old Worktrees

# Get configured worktree directory (see Configuration section)
REPO_ROOT=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)
PLUGIN_ROOT=$(jq -r '.plugins."daplug@cruzanstx"[0].installPath' ~/.claude/plugins/installed_plugins.json)
CONFIG_READER="$PLUGIN_ROOT/skills/config-reader/scripts/config.py"
CONFIGURED_DIR=$(python3 "$CONFIG_READER" get worktree_dir --repo-root "$REPO_ROOT")
if [ -n "$CONFIGURED_DIR" ]; then
    if [[ "$CONFIGURED_DIR" == .* ]] || [[ "$CONFIGURED_DIR" != /* ]]; then
        WORKTREES_DIR=$(realpath "${REPO_ROOT}/${CONFIGURED_DIR}")
    else
        WORKTREES_DIR="$CONFIGURED_DIR"
    fi
else
    WORKTREES_DIR=$(realpath "${REPO_ROOT}/../worktrees")
fi

# Find worktrees older than 7 days
find "$WORKTREES_DIR" -maxdepth 1 -type d -mtime +7 | while read dir; do
    echo "Removing old worktree: $dir"
    git worktree remove "$dir" 2>/dev/null || true
done
git worktree prune

Merge Worktree Branch

WORKTREE_PATH="/path/to/worktree"
BRANCH_NAME=$(git -C "$WORKTREE_PATH" rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
CURRENT_BRANCH=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)

# First, remove the worktree
git worktree remove "$WORKTREE_PATH"

# Then merge the branch
git merge --no-ff "$BRANCH_NAME" -m "Merge $BRANCH_NAME"

# Optionally delete the branch
git branch -d "$BRANCH_NAME"

Permission Setup

Worktrees require file permissions for the worktrees directory. Check/add to ~/.claude/settings.json:

{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": [
      "Read(/path/to/worktrees/**)",
      "Edit(/path/to/worktrees/**)",
      "Write(/path/to/worktrees/**)"
    ],
    "additionalDirectories": [
      "/path/to/worktrees"
    ]
  }
}

Best Practices

1. Use RUN_ID timestamps - Prevents naming collisions on reruns
2. Track what you create - Store paths/branches in arrays for cleanup
3. Configure worktree location - Set worktree_dir under <daplug_config> in CLAUDE.md for consistency
   • Sibling directory (../worktrees/) - default, avoids git conflicts
   • Inside project (.worktrees/) - self-contained, must be gitignored
4. Prune regularly - Run git worktree prune to clean stale references
5. Check for dirty state - Ensure no uncommitted changes before creating worktrees

Troubleshooting

"Branch already checked out"

git worktree list  # Find conflicting worktree
git worktree remove /path/to/conflicting

"Dirty working directory"

git stash
# Create worktree...
git stash pop

Stale worktree references

git worktree prune

Shell breaks after deleting worktree (all bash commands fail)

This happens when your CWD was the worktree you deleted. The shell can't resolve . anymore.

Symptoms:

• All bash commands return exit code 1
• Error: "fatal: Unable to read current working directory: No such file or directory"
• Even simple commands like echo test fail

Solutions:

1. Start a new terminal/session - cleanest fix
2. Use file tools instead of bash - Read/Write/Glob still work
3. Prevention: Always cd to repo root before cleanup:

   cd "$REPO_ROOT"  # Do this BEFORE removing worktree
   git worktree remove /path/to/worktree