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diff --git a/Documentation/git-worktree.txt b/Documentation/git-worktree.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..da71f508b1 --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/git-worktree.txt @@ -0,0 +1,175 @@ +git-worktree(1) +=============== + +NAME +---- +git-worktree - Manage multiple worktrees + + +SYNOPSIS +-------- +[verse] +'git worktree add' [-f] [--detach] [-b <new-branch>] <path> [<branch>] +'git worktree prune' [-n] [-v] [--expire <expire>] + +DESCRIPTION +----------- + +Manage multiple worktrees attached to the same repository. + +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. + +When you are done with a linked working tree you can simply delete it. +The working tree's administrative files in the repository (see +"DETAILS" below) 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 administrative files. + +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 administrative files in the +repository so that they do not get automatically pruned. + +If a linked working tree is stored on a portable device or network share +which is not always mounted, you can prevent its administrative files from +being pruned by creating a file named 'lock' alongside the other +administrative files, optionally containing a plain text reason that +pruning should be suppressed. See section "DETAILS" for more information. + +COMMANDS +-------- +add <path> [<branch>]:: + +Create `<path>` and checkout `<branch>` into it. The new working directory +is linked to the current repository, sharing everything except working +directory specific files such as HEAD, index, etc. ++ +If `<branch>` is omitted and neither `-b` nor `-B` is used, then, as a +convenience, a new branch based at HEAD is created automatically, as if +`-b $(basename <path>)` was specified. + +prune:: + +Prune working tree information in $GIT_DIR/worktrees. + +OPTIONS +------- + +-f:: +--force:: + By default, `add` refuses to create a new worktree when `<branch>` + is already checked out by another worktree. This option overrides + that safeguard. + +-b <new-branch>:: +-B <new-branch>:: + With `add`, create a new branch named `<new-branch>` starting at + `<branch>`, and check out `<new-branch>` into the new worktree. + If `<branch>` is omitted, it defaults to HEAD. + By default, `-b` refuses to create a new branch if it already + exists. `-B` overrides this safeguard, resetting `<new-branch>` to + `<branch>`. + +--detach:: + With `add`, detach HEAD in the new worktree. See "DETACHED HEAD" in + linkgit:git-checkout[1]. + +-n:: +--dry-run:: + With `prune`, do not remove anything; just report what it would + remove. + +-v:: +--verbose:: + With `prune`, report all removals. + +--expire <time>:: + With `prune`, only expire unused worktrees older than <time>. + +DETAILS +------- +Each linked working tree has a private sub-directory in the repository's +$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. + +To prevent a $GIT_DIR/worktrees entry from from being pruned (which +can be useful in some situations, such as when the +entry's working tree is stored on a portable device), add a file named +'locked' to the entry's directory. The file contains the reason in +plain text. For example, if a linked working tree's `.git` file points +to `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next` then a file named +`/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/locked` will prevent the +`test-next` entry from being pruned. See +linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] for details. + +EXAMPLES +-------- +You are in the middle of a refactoring session and your boss comes in and +demands that you fix something immediately. You might typically use +linkgit:git-stash[1] to store your changes away temporarily, however, your +worktree is in such a state of disarray (with new, moved, and removed files, +and other bits and pieces strewn around) that you don't want to risk +disturbing any of it. Instead, you create a temporary linked worktree to +make the emergency fix, remove it when done, and then resume your earlier +refactoring session. + +------------ +$ git worktree add -b emergency-fix ../temp master +$ pushd ../temp +# ... hack hack hack ... +$ git commit -a -m 'emergency fix for boss' +$ popd +$ rm -rf ../temp +$ git worktree prune +------------ + +BUGS +---- +Multiple checkout support for submodules is incomplete. It is NOT +recommended to make multiple checkouts of a superproject. + +git-worktree could provide more automation for tasks currently +performed manually, such as: + +- `remove` to remove a linked worktree and its administrative files (and + warn if the worktree is dirty) +- `mv` to move or rename a worktree and update its administrative files +- `list` to list linked worktrees +- `lock` to prevent automatic pruning of administrative files (for instance, + for a worktree on a portable device) + +GIT +--- +Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite |