Git Worktrees

Advanced Git

Amanda Crawford-Adamo

Software and Data Engineer

What is a Git Worktree?

Git Worktree Command

git worktree

Can "checkout" multiple branches in your workspace.
Similar to a repo checkout, but efficient
No need for stashing changes
No need to switch between branches during development

A fake tree that's composed of circles and lines

Git Worktree versus Git Switch

This tables compares using git worktree vs git switch in a development workflow. $$

Git Worktree	Git Switch
Multiple active branches	One active branch at a time
Separate directories	Single working directory
No need to stash changes	May require stashing

Creating a Git Worktree

Create new work tree from <branch> into directory <path>

git worktree add <path> <branch>

Example

Create a new work tree from the bugfix/data-validation branch into the ../etl-bugfix directory

git worktree add ../etl-bugfix bugfix/data-validation

Listing and Removing Worktrees

Lists all active worktrees: git worktree list

Example Output

$ git worktree list
flight-pipeline            a1b2c3d [main]
flight-pipeline-feature    e4f5g6h [feature]
flight-pipeline-hotfix     i7j8k9l [hotfix]

Removes a worktree from a <path>: git worktree remove <path>

Example Output

$ git worktree remove flight-pipeline-hotfix
flight-pipeline-hotfix: deleted

When to use Git Worktrees

When to use:

Working on multiple features simultaneously
Handling urgent bug fixes without disrupting ongoing work
Running tests on different branches in parallel
Code reviews while continuing development

Reconsider when:

Disk space is limited
Projects with frequent updates and complex merge

Best practices for Git Worktrees

When using Git worktrees, keep these tips in mind:

Use clear naming conventions for worktree directories
Regularly prune unused worktrees to keep the workspace clean
Be mindful of disk space, especially with large projects
Use worktrees for short-lived parallel work to avoid confusion

Let's practice!

Advanced Git