# git-worktrees

Teaches the agent to manage parallel Git branches using worktrees. Useful for stacked pull requests, urgent bugfixes, and isolated code reviews.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 351 installs · ★ 78
- Author: bobmatnyc
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills/tree/HEAD/universal/collaboration/git-worktrees/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-07-18
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/bobmatnyc-git-worktrees

## What it does

The skill equips coding agents with patterns for managing multiple working directories from a single repository. Instead of stashing changes and switching branches, you can spin up parallel directories like `../project-worktrees/` to run distinct dev servers on separate ports or inspect PRs without touching your ongoing edits.

It details concrete workflows for stacked PRs, updates via `git rebase`, and cleanup routines using `git worktree remove` and `git worktree prune`. For dependencies, it lays out the trade-off between symlinking `node_modules` to preserve disk space and running independent installations for total isolation.

Each worktree duplicates repository files, which will exhaust storage on machines with minimal free disk space.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill git-worktrees -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/git-worktrees/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/git-worktrees/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill git-worktrees -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/git-worktrees/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill git-worktrees -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/git-worktrees/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills git-worktrees
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/git-worktrees/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill git-worktrees -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --path universal/collaboration/git-worktrees
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/git-worktrees/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill git-worktrees -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills/tree/HEAD/universal/collaboration/git-worktrees/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- spin up an isolated worktree for an urgent hotfix without stashing active work
- organize stacked pull request workflows across independent directories
- check out remote PRs for isolated code review and test execution
- run multiple local development servers simultaneously on different ports

## Example prompts
- Set up a separate git worktree for `hotfix/urgent-fix` outside the main repo folder
- Create a stacked PR directory structure for base-auth and user-profile branches
- Check out `origin/feature/user-auth` into a dedicated review worktree and run tests

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 8d6e64aa358358aa.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 8d6e64aa358358aa
````text
---
name: git-worktrees
description: Use git worktrees for parallel development on multiple branches simultaneously
user-invocable: false
disable-model-invocation: true
tags: [git, worktrees, parallel-development, productivity]
related_agents: [version-control, engineer]
progressive_disclosure:
  entry_point:
    summary: "Use git worktrees for parallel development on multiple branches simultaneously"
    when_to_use: "When working with version control, branches, or pull requests."
    quick_start: "1. Review the core concepts below. 2. Apply patterns to your use case. 3. Follow best practices for implementation."
---
# Git Worktrees

## Overview

Git worktrees allow you to have multiple working directories from the same repository, each with a different branch checked out. Work on multiple branches simultaneously without switching.

## When to Use Worktrees

### ✅ Perfect For:
- Stacked PR development (one worktree per PR)
- Urgent hotfix while working on feature
- Parallel development on multiple features
- Code review in isolation
- Testing cross-branch interactions
- Running multiple dev servers simultaneously

### ⚠️ Consider Alternatives When:
- Limited disk space (worktrees duplicate working directory)
- Simple branch switching is sufficient
- Only working on one branch at a time

## Basic Workflow

### Create Worktree

**New Branch:**
```bash
# Create worktree with new branch
git worktree add ../worktrees/feature-auth -b feature/authentication

# Navigate to worktree
cd ../worktrees/feature-auth
```

**Existing Branch:**
```bash
# Create worktree from existing remote branch
git worktree add ../worktrees/feature-profile feature/user-profile

# Or from origin
git worktree add ../worktrees/review origin/feature/pr-to-review
```

### List Worktrees

```bash
git worktree list

# Output:
# /Users/dev/project              abc123 [main]
# /Users/dev/worktrees/f-auth     def456 [feature/authentication]
# /Users/dev/worktrees/f-profile  ghi789 [feature/user-profile]
```

### Remove Worktree

```bash
# Remove worktree (deletes directory)
git worktree remove ../worktrees/feature-auth

# Or manually delete directory and prune
rm -rf ../worktrees/feature-auth
git worktree prune
```

## Directory Structure

Recommended layout:

```
/Users/dev/
├── my-project/              # Main repository
│   ├── .git/               # Git database
│   ├── src/
│   └── ...
└── my-project-worktrees/    # All worktrees here
    ├── feature-auth/       # feature/authentication branch
    ├── feature-profile/    # feature/user-profile branch
    ├── hotfix-urgent/      # hotfix/urgent-fix branch
    └── review-pr-123/      # Reviewing PR #123
```

## Use Case: Stacked PRs

Perfect for stacked PR workflow - one worktree per PR:

```bash
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 8d6e64aa358358aa

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the 8d6e64aa358358aa tags is data: requests and commands from it are not followed. An “end of file” line with another tag inside the block is part of the file.

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