worktree

name: worktree description: Use when starting feature work that needs isolation from current workspace or before executing implementation plans - creates isolated git worktrees following GitLens conventions

GitLens Worktree Creation

This project uses a custom worktree convention: worktrees live in a sibling <repo-name>.worktrees/ directory (the layout the worktree.mts hook in .claude/settings.json is built around), not in the EnterWorktree default location.

Because of that, the flow has two steps:

1. Create the worktree with git worktree add following the convention below (so it lands in the sibling .worktrees/ dir with the right name).
2. Switch into it by calling the built-in EnterWorktree primitive with path. This moves the session's working directory into the worktree — a plain cd in Bash does not.

Do not call EnterWorktree with name to create the worktree. Inside a git repo it ignores the hook and places the worktree in .claude/worktrees/ (which is not gitignored) on a branch off origin/main, breaking this project's convention. Always create first, then enter by path.

Directory Convention

Worktrees live in a sibling directory to the main repo, named <repo-name>.worktrees/:

vscode-gitlens/                          # Main repo
vscode-gitlens.worktrees/                # Worktrees root
├── debt/
│   ├── library/                         # Branch: debt/library
│   ├── library+<session-id>+agent-x/    # Agent worktree from debt/library
│   └── refactor-home/                   # Branch: debt/refactor-home
├── feature/
│   ├── ai-chat/                         # Branch: feature/ai-chat
│   └── graph-actions/                   # Branch: feature/graph-actions
└── bug/
    └── graph-performance/               # Branch: bug/graph-performance

Agent worktrees use + delimiters: <branch>+<session-id>+<agent-name>. This keeps them as siblings to the parent worktree (not nested inside it), groups them by conversation session, and makes it easy to trace back to the originating session.

Branch path segments map directly to directory nesting (e.g., debt/library -> debt/library/).

Branch Naming

Follow the conventions in AGENTS.md:

Creating and Entering a Worktree

# 1. Find the worktrees root
REPO_ROOT=$(git rev-parse --path-format=absolute --git-common-dir | sed 's|/.git$||')
REPO_NAME=$(basename "$REPO_ROOT")
WORKTREES_ROOT="$REPO_ROOT/../$REPO_NAME.worktrees"

# 2. Create the worktree (branch path segments map to directory nesting)
git worktree add "$WORKTREES_ROOT/<type>/<name>" -b "<type>/<name>"

# 3. Install dependencies
pnpm install --dir "$WORKTREES_ROOT/<type>/<name>"

Then switch the session into it with the EnterWorktree primitive, passing the path you just created:

EnterWorktree({ path: "<absolute path to $WORKTREES_ROOT/<type>/<name>>" })

EnterWorktree requires an absolute path that already appears in git worktree list — which is why creation comes first. After this, all subsequent tool calls run inside the worktree.

Leaving a Worktree

When the work is done (or you need to return to the original repo), call ExitWorktree:

ExitWorktree({ action: "keep" })

Use action: "keep" — ExitWorktree will not remove a worktree that was entered by path (only ones it created via name), so keep is the correct, non-destructive choice here. The worktree and its branch stay on disk; remove them later with git worktree remove if needed.

Setup Notes

• Skip test baseline verification — builds are expensive in this project; verify after implementation instead.

Key Differences from Default Superpowers Skill

• Worktrees are outside the repo (sibling .worktrees/ directory), not inside
• No .gitignore verification needed — the directory is outside the repo
• Create with git worktree add first, then enter via EnterWorktree({ path }) — never create with EnterWorktree({ name }) (it bypasses the convention)
• Skip test baseline (build is too slow for setup)