Using Git Worktrees

Create an isolated branch workspace with safe defaults.

Required Start

Announce: I'm using the using-git-worktrees skill to set up an isolated workspace.

Directory Selection Priority

Check in order:

ls -d .worktrees 2>/dev/null     # Preferred (hidden)
ls -d worktrees 2>/dev/null      # Alternative

1. If .worktrees/ exists — use it. If both exist, .worktrees/ wins.
2. If worktrees/ exists — use it.
3. Check project guidance file (e.g. CLAUDE.md) for a stated preference:

   grep -i "worktree.*director" CLAUDE.md 2>/dev/null

4. Ask user.

Safety Check

For project-local worktree directories, verify ignore rules before creating:

git check-ignore -q .worktrees 2>/dev/null || git check-ignore -q worktrees 2>/dev/null

If not ignored:

1. Add the appropriate line to .gitignore.
2. Commit the .gitignore change immediately before proceeding — an uncommitted ignore entry is easy to lose and leaves the worktree contents exposed to accidental staging.

Creation Steps

1. Detect project root and branch name

project=$(basename "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)")

Choose a descriptive BRANCH_NAME for the feature being isolated.

2. Create worktree and branch

git worktree add <path> -b <BRANCH_NAME>

Critical: The cd <path> in this step does not persist across separate shell calls. Use the full worktree path — cd <path> && <command> — in every subsequent Bash call rather than assuming the working directory carried over.

3. Run project setup

Auto-detect the project ecosystem and run the appropriate setup:

# Node.js
if [ -f package.json ]; then npm install; fi

# Rust
if [ -f Cargo.toml ]; then cargo build; fi

# Python
if [ -f requirements.txt ]; then pip install -r requirements.txt; fi
if [ -f pyproject.toml ]; then poetry install; fi

# Go
if [ -f go.mod ]; then go mod download; fi

If none of these files exist, skip dependency installation and note it in the output.

4. Run baseline tests

Run the project-appropriate test command to confirm the worktree starts clean:

# Use whichever applies
npm test
cargo test
pytest
go test ./...

Failure Handling

If baseline tests fail, report the failures and ask whether to continue or investigate before proceeding.

Success Output

Report:

• Worktree path (full absolute path)
• Branch name
• Ecosystem detected and setup command(s) run
• Baseline test status (passing count or failure summary)

Integration

Use with:

• writing-plans
• subagent-driven-development — REQUIRED before executing any tasks
• executing-plans — REQUIRED before executing any tasks

Cleanup is handled by finishing-a-development-branch.