@@ -9,39 +9,166 @@ git-worktree - Manage multiple worktrees
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SYNOPSIS
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--------
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[verse]
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+ 'git worktree add' [-f] [--detach] [-b <new-branch>] <path> [<branch>]
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'git worktree prune' [-n] [-v] [--expire <expire>]
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DESCRIPTION
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-----------
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- Manage multiple worktrees attached to the same repository. These are
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- created by the command `git checkout --to`.
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+ Manage multiple worktrees attached to the same repository.
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+
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+ A git repository can support multiple working trees, allowing you to check
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+ out more than one branch at a time. With `git checkout --to` a new working
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+ tree is associated with the repository. This new working tree is called a
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+ "linked working tree" as opposed to the "main working tree" prepared by "git
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+ init" or "git clone". A repository has one main working tree (if it's not a
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+ bare repository) and zero or more linked working trees.
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+
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+ When you are done with a linked working tree you can simply delete it.
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+ The working tree's administrative files in the repository (see
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+ "DETAILS" below) will eventually be removed automatically (see
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+ `gc.pruneworktreesexpire` in linkgit::git-config[1]), or you can run
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+ `git worktree prune` in the main or any linked working tree to
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+ clean up any stale administrative files.
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+
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+ If you move a linked working directory to another file system, or
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+ within a file system that does not support hard links, you need to run
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+ at least one git command inside the linked working directory
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+ (e.g. `git status`) in order to update its administrative files in the
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+ repository so that they do not get automatically pruned.
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+
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+ If a linked working tree is stored on a portable device or network share
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+ which is not always mounted, you can prevent its administrative files from
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+ being pruned by creating a file named 'lock' alongside the other
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+ administrative files, optionally containing a plain text reason that
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+ pruning should be suppressed. See section "DETAILS" for more information.
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COMMANDS
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--------
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+ add <path> [<branch>]::
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+
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+ Create `<path>` and checkout `<branch>` into it. The new working directory
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+ is linked to the current repository, sharing everything except working
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+ directory specific files such as HEAD, index, etc.
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+ +
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+ If `<branch>` is omitted and neither `-b` nor `-B` is used, then, as a
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+ convenience, a new branch based at HEAD is created automatically, as if
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+ `-b $(basename <path>)` was specified.
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+
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prune::
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Prune working tree information in $GIT_DIR/worktrees.
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OPTIONS
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-------
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+ -f::
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+ --force::
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+ By default, `add` refuses to create a new worktree when `<branch>`
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+ is already checked out by another worktree. This option overrides
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+ that safeguard.
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+
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+ -b <new-branch>::
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+ -B <new-branch>::
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+ With `add`, create a new branch named `<new-branch>` starting at
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+ `<branch>`, and check out `<new-branch>` into the new worktree.
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+ If `<branch>` is omitted, it defaults to HEAD.
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+ By default, `-b` refuses to create a new branch if it already
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+ exists. `-B` overrides this safeguard, resetting `<new-branch>` to
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+ `<branch>`.
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+
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+ --detach::
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+ With `add`, detach HEAD in the new worktree. See "DETACHED HEAD" in
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+ linkgit:git-checkout[1].
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+
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-n::
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--dry-run::
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- Do not remove anything; just report what it would
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+ With `prune`, do not remove anything; just report what it would
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remove.
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-v::
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--verbose::
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- Report all removals.
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+ With `prune`, report all removals.
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--expire <time>::
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- Only expire unused worktrees older than <time>.
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+ With `prune`, only expire unused worktrees older than <time>.
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- SEE ALSO
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+ DETAILS
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+ -------
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+ Each linked working tree has a private sub-directory in the repository's
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+ $GIT_DIR/worktrees directory. The private sub-directory's name is usually
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+ the base name of the linked working tree's path, possibly appended with a
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+ number to make it unique. For example, when `$GIT_DIR=/path/main/.git` the
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+ command `git checkout --to /path/other/test-next next` creates the linked
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+ working tree in `/path/other/test-next` and also creates a
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+ `$GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next` directory (or `$GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next1`
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+ if `test-next` is already taken).
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+
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+ Within a linked working tree, $GIT_DIR is set to point to this private
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+ directory (e.g. `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next` in the example) and
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+ $GIT_COMMON_DIR is set to point back to the main working tree's $GIT_DIR
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+ (e.g. `/path/main/.git`). These settings are made in a `.git` file located at
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+ the top directory of the linked working tree.
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+
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+ Path resolution via `git rev-parse --git-path` uses either
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+ $GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR depending on the path. For example, in the
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+ linked working tree `git rev-parse --git-path HEAD` returns
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+ `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/HEAD` (not
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+ `/path/other/test-next/.git/HEAD` or `/path/main/.git/HEAD`) while `git
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+ rev-parse --git-path refs/heads/master` uses
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+ $GIT_COMMON_DIR and returns `/path/main/.git/refs/heads/master`,
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+ since refs are shared across all working trees.
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+
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+ See linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] for more information. The rule of
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+ thumb is do not make any assumption about whether a path belongs to
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+ $GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR when you need to directly access something
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+ inside $GIT_DIR. Use `git rev-parse --git-path` to get the final path.
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+
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+ To prevent a $GIT_DIR/worktrees entry from from being pruned (which
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+ can be useful in some situations, such as when the
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+ entry's working tree is stored on a portable device), add a file named
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+ 'locked' to the entry's directory. The file contains the reason in
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+ plain text. For example, if a linked working tree's `.git` file points
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+ to `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next` then a file named
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+ `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/locked` will prevent the
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+ `test-next` entry from being pruned. See
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+ linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] for details.
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+
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+ EXAMPLES
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--------
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+ You are in the middle of a refactoring session and your boss comes in and
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+ demands that you fix something immediately. You might typically use
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+ linkgit:git-stash[1] to store your changes away temporarily, however, your
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+ worktree is in such a state of disarray (with new, moved, and removed files,
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+ and other bits and pieces strewn around) that you don't want to risk
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+ disturbing any of it. Instead, you create a temporary linked worktree to
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+ make the emergency fix, remove it when done, and then resume your earlier
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+ refactoring session.
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+
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+ ------------
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+ $ git worktree add -b emergency-fix ../temp master
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+ $ pushd ../temp
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+ # ... hack hack hack ...
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+ $ git commit -a -m 'emergency fix for boss'
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+ $ popd
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+ $ rm -rf ../temp
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+ $ git worktree prune
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+ ------------
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+
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+ BUGS
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+ ----
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+ Multiple checkout support for submodules is incomplete. It is NOT
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+ recommended to make multiple checkouts of a superproject.
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+
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+ git-worktree could provide more automation for tasks currently
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+ performed manually, such as:
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- linkgit:git-checkout[1]
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+ - `remove` to remove a linked worktree and its administrative files (and
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+ warn if the worktree is dirty)
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+ - `mv` to move or rename a worktree and update its administrative files
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+ - `list` to list linked worktrees
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+ - `lock` to prevent automatic pruning of administrative files (for instance,
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+ for a worktree on a portable device)
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GIT
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---
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