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1git-worktree(1)
2===============
3
4NAME
5----
bc483285 6git-worktree - Manage multiple working trees
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7
8
9SYNOPSIS
10--------
11[verse]
c4738aed 12'git worktree add' [-f] [--detach] [--checkout] [--lock] [-b <new-branch>] <path> [<commit-ish>]
bb9c03b8 13'git worktree list' [--porcelain]
58142c09 14'git worktree lock' [--reason <string>] <worktree>
9f792bb4 15'git worktree move' <worktree> <new-path>
7b722d90 16'git worktree prune' [-n] [-v] [--expire <expire>]
d228eea5 17'git worktree remove' [-f] <worktree>
6d308627 18'git worktree unlock' <worktree>
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19
20DESCRIPTION
21-----------
22
bc483285 23Manage multiple working trees attached to the same repository.
df0b6cfb 24
93a36493 25A git repository can support multiple working trees, allowing you to check
4d5a3c58 26out more than one branch at a time. With `git worktree add` a new working
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27tree is associated with the repository. This new working tree is called a
28"linked working tree" as opposed to the "main working tree" prepared by "git
29init" or "git clone". A repository has one main working tree (if it's not a
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30bare repository) and zero or more linked working trees. When you are done
31with a linked working tree, remove it with `git worktree remove`.
93a36493 32
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33If a working tree is deleted without using `git worktree remove`, then
34its associated administrative files, which reside in the repository
35(see "DETAILS" below), will eventually be removed automatically (see
5f5f553f 36`gc.worktreePruneExpire` in linkgit:git-config[1]), or you can run
93a36493 37`git worktree prune` in the main or any linked working tree to
af189b4c 38clean up any stale administrative files.
93a36493 39
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40If a linked working tree is stored on a portable device or network share
41which is not always mounted, you can prevent its administrative files from
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42being pruned by issuing the `git worktree lock` command, optionally
43specifying `--reason` to explain why the working tree is locked.
93a36493 44
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45COMMANDS
46--------
c4738aed 47add <path> [<commit-ish>]::
fc56361f 48
c4738aed 49Create `<path>` and checkout `<commit-ish>` into it. The new working directory
fc56361f 50is linked to the current repository, sharing everything except working
1a450e2f 51directory specific files such as HEAD, index, etc. `-` may also be
c4738aed 52specified as `<commit-ish>`; it is synonymous with `@{-1}`.
1eb07d82 53+
661a5a38 54If <commit-ish> is a branch name (call it `<branch>`) and is not found,
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55and neither `-b` nor `-B` nor `--detach` are used, but there does
56exist a tracking branch in exactly one remote (call it `<remote>`)
661a5a38 57with a matching name, treat as equivalent to:
d023df1e 58+
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59------------
60$ git worktree add --track -b <branch> <path> <remote>/<branch>
61------------
62+
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63If the branch exists in multiple remotes and one of them is named by
64the `checkout.defaultRemote` configuration variable, we'll use that
65one for the purposes of disambiguation, even if the `<branch>` isn't
66unique across all remotes. Set it to
67e.g. `checkout.defaultRemote=origin` to always checkout remote
68branches from there if `<branch>` is ambiguous but exists on the
69'origin' remote. See also `checkout.defaultRemote` in
70linkgit:git-config[1].
71+
c4738aed 72If `<commit-ish>` is omitted and neither `-b` nor `-B` nor `--detach` used,
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73then, as a convenience, the new worktree is associated with a branch
74(call it `<branch>`) named after `$(basename <path>)`. If `<branch>`
75doesn't exist, a new branch based on HEAD is automatically created as
76if `-b <branch>` was given. If `<branch>` does exist, it will be
77checked out in the new worktree, if it's not checked out anywhere
78else, otherwise the command will refuse to create the worktree (unless
79`--force` is used).
fc56361f 80
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81list::
82
83List details of each worktree. The main worktree is listed first, followed by
84each of the linked worktrees. The output details include if the worktree is
85bare, the revision currently checked out, and the branch currently checked out
86(or 'detached HEAD' if none).
87
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88lock::
89
90If a working tree is on a portable device or network share which
91is not always mounted, lock it to prevent its administrative
92files from being pruned automatically. This also prevents it from
93being moved or deleted. Optionally, specify a reason for the lock
94with `--reason`.
95
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96move::
97
98Move a working tree to a new location. Note that the main working tree
78d986b2 99or linked working trees containing submodules cannot be moved.
9f792bb4 100
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101prune::
102
103Prune working tree information in $GIT_DIR/worktrees.
104
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105remove::
106
107Remove a working tree. Only clean working trees (no untracked files
108and no modification in tracked files) can be removed. Unclean working
109trees or ones with submodules can be removed with `--force`. The main
110working tree cannot be removed.
111
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112unlock::
113
114Unlock a working tree, allowing it to be pruned, moved or deleted.
115
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116OPTIONS
117-------
118
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119-f::
120--force::
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121 By default, `add` refuses to create a new working tree when
122 `<commit-ish>` is a branch name and is already checked out by
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123 another working tree, or if `<path>` is already assigned to some
124 working tree but is missing (for instance, if `<path>` was deleted
125 manually). This option overrides these safeguards. To add a missing but
126 locked working tree path, specify `--force` twice.
127+
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128`move` refuses to move a locked working tree unless `--force` is specified
129twice.
130+
e19831c9 131`remove` refuses to remove an unclean working tree unless `--force` is used.
f4143101 132To remove a locked working tree, specify `--force` twice.
f4325444 133
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134-b <new-branch>::
135-B <new-branch>::
136 With `add`, create a new branch named `<new-branch>` starting at
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137 `<commit-ish>`, and check out `<new-branch>` into the new working tree.
138 If `<commit-ish>` is omitted, it defaults to HEAD.
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139 By default, `-b` refuses to create a new branch if it already
140 exists. `-B` overrides this safeguard, resetting `<new-branch>` to
c4738aed 141 `<commit-ish>`.
cbdf60fa 142
39ecb274 143--detach::
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144 With `add`, detach HEAD in the new working tree. See "DETACHED HEAD"
145 in linkgit:git-checkout[1].
39ecb274 146
ef2a0ac9 147--[no-]checkout::
c4738aed 148 By default, `add` checks out `<commit-ish>`, however, `--no-checkout` can
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149 be used to suppress checkout in order to make customizations,
150 such as configuring sparse-checkout. See "Sparse checkout"
151 in linkgit:git-read-tree[1].
152
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153--[no-]guess-remote::
154 With `worktree add <path>`, without `<commit-ish>`, instead
155 of creating a new branch from HEAD, if there exists a tracking
50fdf7b1 156 branch in exactly one remote matching the basename of `<path>`,
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157 base the new branch on the remote-tracking branch, and mark
158 the remote-tracking branch as "upstream" from the new branch.
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159+
160This can also be set up as the default behaviour by using the
161`worktree.guessRemote` config option.
71d6682d 162
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163--[no-]track::
164 When creating a new branch, if `<commit-ish>` is a branch,
165 mark it as "upstream" from the new branch. This is the
166 default if `<commit-ish>` is a remote-tracking branch. See
167 "--track" in linkgit:git-branch[1] for details.
168
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169--lock::
170 Keep the working tree locked after creation. This is the
171 equivalent of `git worktree lock` after `git worktree add`,
172 but without race condition.
173
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174-n::
175--dry-run::
4f09825e 176 With `prune`, do not remove anything; just report what it would
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177 remove.
178
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179--porcelain::
180 With `list`, output in an easy-to-parse format for scripts.
181 This format will remain stable across Git versions and regardless of user
182 configuration. See below for details.
183
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184-q::
185--quiet::
186 With 'add', suppress feedback messages.
187
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188-v::
189--verbose::
4f09825e 190 With `prune`, report all removals.
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191
192--expire <time>::
bc483285 193 With `prune`, only expire unused working trees older than <time>.
df0b6cfb 194
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195--reason <string>::
196 With `lock`, an explanation why the working tree is locked.
197
198<worktree>::
199 Working trees can be identified by path, either relative or
200 absolute.
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201+
202If the last path components in the working tree's path is unique among
203working trees, it can be used to identify worktrees. For example if
2b090822 204you only have two working trees, at "/abc/def/ghi" and "/abc/def/ggg",
080739ba 205then "ghi" or "def/ghi" is enough to point to the former working tree.
58142c09 206
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207DETAILS
208-------
209Each linked working tree has a private sub-directory in the repository's
210$GIT_DIR/worktrees directory. The private sub-directory's name is usually
211the base name of the linked working tree's path, possibly appended with a
212number to make it unique. For example, when `$GIT_DIR=/path/main/.git` the
4d5a3c58 213command `git worktree add /path/other/test-next next` creates the linked
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214working tree in `/path/other/test-next` and also creates a
215`$GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next` directory (or `$GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next1`
216if `test-next` is already taken).
217
218Within a linked working tree, $GIT_DIR is set to point to this private
219directory (e.g. `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next` in the example) and
220$GIT_COMMON_DIR is set to point back to the main working tree's $GIT_DIR
221(e.g. `/path/main/.git`). These settings are made in a `.git` file located at
222the top directory of the linked working tree.
223
224Path resolution via `git rev-parse --git-path` uses either
225$GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR depending on the path. For example, in the
226linked working tree `git rev-parse --git-path HEAD` returns
227`/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/HEAD` (not
228`/path/other/test-next/.git/HEAD` or `/path/main/.git/HEAD`) while `git
229rev-parse --git-path refs/heads/master` uses
230$GIT_COMMON_DIR and returns `/path/main/.git/refs/heads/master`,
231since refs are shared across all working trees.
232
233See linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] for more information. The rule of
234thumb is do not make any assumption about whether a path belongs to
235$GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR when you need to directly access something
236inside $GIT_DIR. Use `git rev-parse --git-path` to get the final path.
237
9f792bb4 238If you manually move a linked working tree, you need to update the 'gitdir' file
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239in the entry's directory. For example, if a linked working tree is moved
240to `/newpath/test-next` and its `.git` file points to
241`/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next`, then update
242`/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/gitdir` to reference `/newpath/test-next`
243instead.
244
65f9b75d 245To prevent a $GIT_DIR/worktrees entry from being pruned (which
a8ba5dd7 246can be useful in some situations, such as when the
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247entry's working tree is stored on a portable device), use the
248`git worktree lock` command, which adds a file named
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249'locked' to the entry's directory. The file contains the reason in
250plain text. For example, if a linked working tree's `.git` file points
251to `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next` then a file named
252`/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/locked` will prevent the
253`test-next` entry from being pruned. See
254linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] for details.
255
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256LIST OUTPUT FORMAT
257------------------
258The worktree list command has two output formats. The default format shows the
259details on a single line with columns. For example:
260
261------------
22d11a6e 262$ git worktree list
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263/path/to/bare-source (bare)
264/path/to/linked-worktree abcd1234 [master]
265/path/to/other-linked-worktree 1234abc (detached HEAD)
266------------
267
268Porcelain Format
269~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
270The porcelain format has a line per attribute. Attributes are listed with a
271label and value separated by a single space. Boolean attributes (like 'bare'
272and 'detached') are listed as a label only, and are only present if and only
273if the value is true. An empty line indicates the end of a worktree. For
274example:
275
276------------
22d11a6e 277$ git worktree list --porcelain
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278worktree /path/to/bare-source
279bare
280
281worktree /path/to/linked-worktree
282HEAD abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234
283branch refs/heads/master
284
285worktree /path/to/other-linked-worktree
286HEAD 1234abc1234abc1234abc1234abc1234abc1234a
287detached
288
289------------
290
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291EXAMPLES
292--------
293You are in the middle of a refactoring session and your boss comes in and
294demands that you fix something immediately. You might typically use
295linkgit:git-stash[1] to store your changes away temporarily, however, your
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296working tree is in such a state of disarray (with new, moved, and removed
297files, and other bits and pieces strewn around) that you don't want to risk
298disturbing any of it. Instead, you create a temporary linked working tree to
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299make the emergency fix, remove it when done, and then resume your earlier
300refactoring session.
301
302------------
cbdf60fa 303$ git worktree add -b emergency-fix ../temp master
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304$ pushd ../temp
305# ... hack hack hack ...
306$ git commit -a -m 'emergency fix for boss'
307$ popd
3f0b42bd 308$ git worktree remove ../temp
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309------------
310
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311BUGS
312----
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313Multiple checkout in general is still experimental, and the support
314for submodules is incomplete. It is NOT recommended to make multiple
315checkouts of a superproject.
6d3824cf 316
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317GIT
318---
319Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite