summaryrefslogtreecommitdiff
path: root/Documentation/git-worktree.txt
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/git-worktree.txt')
-rw-r--r--Documentation/git-worktree.txt264
1 files changed, 264 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/git-worktree.txt b/Documentation/git-worktree.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b472acc356
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/git-worktree.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,264 @@
+git-worktree(1)
+===============
+
+NAME
+----
+git-worktree - Manage multiple working trees
+
+
+SYNOPSIS
+--------
+[verse]
+'git worktree add' [-f] [--detach] [--checkout] [--lock] [-b <new-branch>] <path> [<branch>]
+'git worktree list' [--porcelain]
+'git worktree lock' [--reason <string>] <worktree>
+'git worktree prune' [-n] [-v] [--expire <expire>]
+'git worktree unlock' <worktree>
+
+DESCRIPTION
+-----------
+
+Manage multiple working trees 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 worktree add` 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.worktreePruneExpire` 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 tree, you need to manually update the
+administrative files so that they do not get pruned automatically. See
+section "DETAILS" for more information.
+
+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 issuing the `git worktree lock` command, optionally
+specifying `--reason` to explain why the working tree is locked.
+
+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. `-` may also be
+specified as `<branch>`; it is synonymous with `@{-1}`.
++
+If `<branch>` is omitted and neither `-b` nor `-B` nor `--detach` used,
+then, as a convenience, a new branch based at HEAD is created automatically,
+as if `-b $(basename <path>)` was specified.
+
+list::
+
+List details of each worktree. The main worktree is listed first, followed by
+each of the linked worktrees. The output details include if the worktree is
+bare, the revision currently checked out, and the branch currently checked out
+(or 'detached HEAD' if none).
+
+lock::
+
+If a working tree is on a portable device or network share which
+is not always mounted, lock it to prevent its administrative
+files from being pruned automatically. This also prevents it from
+being moved or deleted. Optionally, specify a reason for the lock
+with `--reason`.
+
+prune::
+
+Prune working tree information in $GIT_DIR/worktrees.
+
+unlock::
+
+Unlock a working tree, allowing it to be pruned, moved or deleted.
+
+OPTIONS
+-------
+
+-f::
+--force::
+ By default, `add` refuses to create a new working tree when `<branch>`
+ is already checked out by another working tree. 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 working tree.
+ 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 working tree. See "DETACHED HEAD"
+ in linkgit:git-checkout[1].
+
+--[no-]checkout::
+ By default, `add` checks out `<branch>`, however, `--no-checkout` can
+ be used to suppress checkout in order to make customizations,
+ such as configuring sparse-checkout. See "Sparse checkout"
+ in linkgit:git-read-tree[1].
+
+--lock::
+ Keep the working tree locked after creation. This is the
+ equivalent of `git worktree lock` after `git worktree add`,
+ but without race condition.
+
+-n::
+--dry-run::
+ With `prune`, do not remove anything; just report what it would
+ remove.
+
+--porcelain::
+ With `list`, output in an easy-to-parse format for scripts.
+ This format will remain stable across Git versions and regardless of user
+ configuration. See below for details.
+
+-v::
+--verbose::
+ With `prune`, report all removals.
+
+--expire <time>::
+ With `prune`, only expire unused working trees older than <time>.
+
+--reason <string>::
+ With `lock`, an explanation why the working tree is locked.
+
+<worktree>::
+ Working trees can be identified by path, either relative or
+ absolute.
++
+If the last path components in the working tree's path is unique among
+working trees, it can be used to identify worktrees. For example if
+you only have two working trees, at "/abc/def/ghi" and "/abc/def/ggg",
+then "ghi" or "def/ghi" is enough to point to the former working tree.
+
+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 `$GIT_DIR=/path/main/.git` the
+command `git worktree add /path/other/test-next next` creates the linked
+working tree in `/path/other/test-next` and also creates a
+`$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.
+
+If you move a linked working tree, you need to update the 'gitdir' file
+in the entry's directory. For example, if a linked working tree is moved
+to `/newpath/test-next` and its `.git` file points to
+`/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next`, then update
+`/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/gitdir` to reference `/newpath/test-next`
+instead.
+
+To prevent a $GIT_DIR/worktrees entry from being pruned (which
+can be useful in some situations, such as when the
+entry's working tree is stored on a portable device), use the
+`git worktree lock` command, which adds 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.
+
+LIST OUTPUT FORMAT
+------------------
+The worktree list command has two output formats. The default format shows the
+details on a single line with columns. For example:
+
+------------
+S git worktree list
+/path/to/bare-source (bare)
+/path/to/linked-worktree abcd1234 [master]
+/path/to/other-linked-worktree 1234abc (detached HEAD)
+------------
+
+Porcelain Format
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+The porcelain format has a line per attribute. Attributes are listed with a
+label and value separated by a single space. Boolean attributes (like 'bare'
+and 'detached') are listed as a label only, and are only present if and only
+if the value is true. An empty line indicates the end of a worktree. For
+example:
+
+------------
+S git worktree list --porcelain
+worktree /path/to/bare-source
+bare
+
+worktree /path/to/linked-worktree
+HEAD abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234
+branch refs/heads/master
+
+worktree /path/to/other-linked-worktree
+HEAD 1234abc1234abc1234abc1234abc1234abc1234a
+detached
+
+------------
+
+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
+working tree 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 working tree 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 in general is still experimental, and the 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 working tree and its administrative files (and
+ warn if the working tree is dirty)
+- `mv` to move or rename a working tree and update its administrative files
+
+GIT
+---
+Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite