git worktree lets you check out multiple branches of one Git repository into separate working directories. Each worktree has its own files and some private state, while sharing repository data such as most refs. It does not combine several independent repositories into one coordinated workspace: each repository remains a separate unit to manage.
What a Git worktree does
Git describes git worktree as a way to “manage multiple working trees attached to the same repository.” A repository can have its main worktree and zero or more linked worktrees. You can use them to work on different branches in separate directories without repeatedly switching a single checkout. See the official git-worktree manual for command details and constraints.
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A linked worktree is not an independent clone. It is connected to the same repository, so the distinction matters: worktrees separate checked-out working files and some worktree-specific state, but they do not create separate copies of all repository data.
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What worktrees share—and what stays separate
Git stores private administrative data for each linked worktree and shared data in a common Git directory. Most refs are shared, subject to documented exceptions. The current manual identifies HEAD and the index as per-worktree state: each worktree can have its own checked-out commit or branch and staging area. The repository configuration is shared by default, though Git supports a worktree-specific configuration mode. Consult the manual for the Git version you use for details.
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- Separate: the worktree’s checked-out files,
HEAD, and index. - Shared: the repository’s common data and most refs.
- Configuration: shared by default, with a worktree-specific mode available.
This combination is useful when parallel tasks need distinct files and indexes but belong to one repository’s history. It is not equivalent to several fully independent clones, nor does every piece of repository state behave identically across worktrees.
When a worktree is a good fit
Use linked worktrees when you need concurrent checkouts of branches in the same repository—for example, keeping a feature branch open while checking a fix on another branch. Compared with repeatedly switching branches in one checkout, separate directories and indexes can reduce disruption between tasks. The trade-off is a little more setup and cleanup, plus the need to keep track of which directory corresponds to which branch. These are workflow implications, not measured performance claims.
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A single checkout with branch switching remains a simpler choice when tasks do not need to be open at the same time. Worktrees are more useful when simultaneous checkouts outweigh the extra directory and lifecycle management.
How to manage linked worktrees
The Git manual documents commands to add, list, move, lock, unlock, repair, prune, and remove worktrees. You can add a worktree for a new branch or an existing branch, or create a detached worktree. Check the manual for your installed Git version before relying on version-specific options or constraints.
- Add: use
git worktree addto create a linked worktree; choose a new or existing branch as appropriate, or use a detached worktree when you do not want a branch checked out. - Inspect: use
git worktree listto see the worktrees associated with the repository. - Clean up: use
git worktree removeto remove a linked worktree. Usegit worktree pruneto prune stale administrative records, following the manual’s guidance. - Relocate or restore: use
git worktree moveto move a linked worktree. If links are disrupted in documented circumstances,git worktree repaircan reestablish them. - Protect portable worktrees: use
git worktree lockandgit worktree unlockwhere appropriate; Git documents locking as a safeguard for worktrees that could otherwise be pruned, including portable or network-mounted cases.
Moving a linked worktree outside Git can leave the main worktree unable to locate it. Moving the main worktree or a bare repository can also disrupt connections; use the documented move and repair procedures rather than assuming the links will follow filesystem changes automatically.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What changes when a task spans repositories
A feature that touches several independent repositories is beyond the scope of one git worktree setup. The command manages multiple working trees attached to the same repository; it does not coordinate branches, compatible revisions, builds, tests, or releases across separate repositories. Treat each repository’s checkout as its own worktree decision, then coordinate the set as a separate workflow.
For cross-repository work, decide how the team will handle:
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- Bootstrapping dependencies: define how contributors obtain and configure the required repositories and dependencies.
- Changes that must land together: establish integration order and what to do if one repository’s change is delayed or rejected.
- Testing and CI: specify which tests span repositories and how their results are coordinated.
- Release sequencing: make clear when dependent changes can be released safely.
- Workflow overhead: decide whether a wrapper or manifest is worthwhile, and who will maintain it.
Those are coordination choices, not features provided by git worktree. The right approach depends on how tightly coupled the repositories are and how much consistency the project needs; no particular orchestration tool is established here as the best choice.
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