Skills using-git-worktrees
📦

using-git-worktrees

Safe ⚙️ External commands📁 Filesystem access

Create Isolated Git Workspaces for Parallel Development

Also available from: Cycleaddict,obra,davila7,Doyajin174,Cygnusfear,DYAI2025,CodingCossack

Git worktrees enable simultaneous branch work without context switching. This skill provides systematic directory selection and safety verification for reliable workspace isolation.

Supports: Claude Codex Code(CC)
🥉 73 Bronze
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Test it

Using "using-git-worktrees". Create worktree for feature/auth branch

Expected outcome:

Worktree ready at /Users/jesse/myproject/.worktrees/auth
Tests passing (47 tests, 0 failures)
Ready to implement auth feature

Using "using-git-worktrees". Set up isolated workspace for code review

Expected outcome:

Found existing .worktrees/ directory (git-ignored)
Created worktree: git worktree add .worktrees/review-pr123 -b review/pr-123
Dependencies installed (npm install)
Baseline verified: 52 tests passing

Security Audit

Safe
v1 • 2/24/2026

Static analyzer flagged 42 patterns but all are false positives. The skill is documentation-only (markdown file) containing bash command examples for teaching git worktrees. No executable code exists - all flagged patterns are code blocks in instructional content. External commands are git/bash examples, filesystem references are documentation paths, and crypto warnings are spurious.

1
Files scanned
218
Lines analyzed
2
findings
1
Total audits

Risk Factors

⚙️ External commands (26)
SKILL.md:22-26 SKILL.md:26-28 SKILL.md:28-32 SKILL.md:32-34 SKILL.md:34-42 SKILL.md:42-49 SKILL.md:49-57 SKILL.md:57-60 SKILL.md:60-79 SKILL.md:79-81 SKILL.md:81-85 SKILL.md:85-99 SKILL.md:99-105 SKILL.md:105-118 SKILL.md:118-124 SKILL.md:124-130 SKILL.md:130-138 SKILL.md:138-142 SKILL.md:142-148 SKILL.md:148-149 SKILL.md:149-150 SKILL.md:150-161 SKILL.md:161-180 SKILL.md:180-192 SKILL.md:80 SKILL.md:79-81
📁 Filesystem access (14)
SKILL.md:46 SKILL.md:71 SKILL.md:91 SKILL.md:92 SKILL.md:46 SKILL.md:71 SKILL.md:91 SKILL.md:92 SKILL.md:189 SKILL.md:24 SKILL.md:25 SKILL.md:33 SKILL.md:59 SKILL.md:59
Audited by: claude

Quality Score

38
Architecture
100
Maintainability
87
Content
50
Community
100
Security
83
Spec Compliance

What You Can Build

Feature Development Isolation

Create isolated workspace for new feature work without disrupting main development branch

Code Review Preparation

Set up clean worktree for reviewing pull requests without affecting current work state

Bug Fix Parallelization

Quickly spin up isolated environment for urgent hotfixes while feature work continues

Try These Prompts

Basic Worktree Creation 
Create a new git worktree for feature branch 'feature/user-auth' using the standard directory selection process
Worktree with Custom Location 
Set up a worktree for 'hotfix/login-bug' in ~/.config/superpowers/worktrees/myproject/ for global access
Worktree Verification and Setup 
Create worktree for 'feature/api-v2', verify it is properly ignored, run project setup, and confirm tests pass before I begin implementation
Existing Worktree Reuse 
Check if worktree 'feature/payment-integration' already exists in .worktrees/, and if so switch to it instead of creating a new one

Best Practices

  • Always verify worktree directory is git-ignored before creation to prevent accidental commits
  • Run baseline tests immediately after worktree creation to distinguish new bugs from pre-existing issues
  • Follow directory priority: existing directories first, then CLAUDE.md config, then ask user

Avoid

  • Creating worktrees without verifying git-ignore status causes repository pollution
  • Skipping baseline test verification makes bug attribution impossible
  • Hardcoding directory paths violates project conventions and team workflows

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a git worktree and why use it?
A git worktree is a linked working directory that shares the same repository .git folder. It allows you to work on multiple branches simultaneously without switching branches in your main directory.
How does this skill choose where to create worktrees?
Priority order: 1) Existing .worktrees/ or worktrees/ directory, 2) CLAUDE.md configuration, 3) Ask user. Project-local directories must be git-ignored before use.
Do worktrees duplicate my repository on disk?
No. Worktrees share the .git directory with the main repository, saving disk space. Only the checked-out files occupy additional space.
What happens if baseline tests fail in a new worktree?
The skill reports failures and asks whether to proceed or investigate. This distinguishes pre-existing test failures from bugs introduced during feature work.
Can I use worktrees with any git repository?
Worktrees require git 2.5 or later. They do not work with bare repositories or shallow clones. Most standard repositories support worktrees.
How do I clean up a worktree when finished?
Use the finishing-a-development-branch skill which handles worktree cleanup, branch merging if needed, and proper git housekeeping.

Developer Details

Author

ZhanlinCui

License

MIT

Repository

https://github.com/ZhanlinCui/Ultimate-Agent-Skills-Collection/tree/main/using-git-worktrees

Ref

main

File structure

📄 SKILL.md