git-worktree(1) =============== NAME ---- git-worktree - Manage multiple worktrees SYNOPSIS -------- [verse] 'git worktree prune' [-n] [-v] [--expire ] DESCRIPTION ----------- Manage multiple worktrees attached to the same repository. These are created by the command `git checkout --to`. A git repository can support multiple working trees, allowing you to check out more than one branch at a time. With `git checkout --to` a new working tree is associated with the repository. This new working tree is called a "linked working tree" as opposed to the "main working tree" prepared by "git init" or "git clone". A repository has one main working tree (if it's not a bare repository) and zero or more linked working trees. Each linked working tree has a private sub-directory in the repository's $GIT_DIR/worktrees directory. The private sub-directory's name is usually the base name of the linked working tree's path, possibly appended with a number to make it unique. For example, when `$GIT_DIR=/path/main/.git` the command `git checkout --to /path/other/test-next next` creates the linked working tree in `/path/other/test-next` and also creates a `$GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next` directory (or `$GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next1` if `test-next` is already taken). Within a linked working tree, $GIT_DIR is set to point to this private directory (e.g. `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next` in the example) and $GIT_COMMON_DIR is set to point back to the main working tree's $GIT_DIR (e.g. `/path/main/.git`). These settings are made in a `.git` file located at the top directory of the linked working tree. Path resolution via `git rev-parse --git-path` uses either $GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR depending on the path. For example, in the linked working tree `git rev-parse --git-path HEAD` returns `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/HEAD` (not `/path/other/test-next/.git/HEAD` or `/path/main/.git/HEAD`) while `git rev-parse --git-path refs/heads/master` uses $GIT_COMMON_DIR and returns `/path/main/.git/refs/heads/master`, since refs are shared across all working trees. See linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] for more information. The rule of thumb is do not make any assumption about whether a path belongs to $GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR when you need to directly access something inside $GIT_DIR. Use `git rev-parse --git-path` to get the final path. When you are done with a linked working tree you can simply delete it. The working tree's entry in the repository's $GIT_DIR/worktrees directory will eventually be removed automatically (see `gc.pruneworktreesexpire` in linkgit::git-config[1]), or you can run `git worktree prune` in the main or any linked working tree to clean up any stale entries in $GIT_DIR/worktrees. If you move a linked working directory to another file system, or within a file system that does not support hard links, you need to run at least one git command inside the linked working directory (e.g. `git status`) in order to update its entry in $GIT_DIR/worktrees so that it does not get automatically removed. To prevent a $GIT_DIR/worktrees entry from from being pruned (which can be useful in some situations, such as when the entry's working tree is stored on a portable device), add a file named 'locked' to the entry's directory. The file contains the reason in plain text. For example, if a linked working tree's `.git` file points to `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next` then a file named `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/locked` will prevent the `test-next` entry from being pruned. See linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] for details. Multiple checkout support for submodules is incomplete. It is NOT recommended to make multiple checkouts of a superproject. COMMANDS -------- prune:: Prune working tree information in $GIT_DIR/worktrees. OPTIONS ------- -n:: --dry-run:: With `prune`, do not remove anything; just report what it would remove. -v:: --verbose:: With `prune`, report all removals. --expire