create-worktree

Create or reuse a git worktree for a pull request or branch so reviews and work happen in isolation

5,182 stars

bydlt-hub

View on GitHub Installation ↓

Best use case

create-worktree is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.

Create or reuse a git worktree for a pull request or branch so reviews and work happen in isolation

Teams using create-worktree should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.

When to use this skill

You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.

When not to use this skill

You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.

Installation

Claude Code / Cursor / Codex

$curl -o ~/.claude/skills/create-worktree/SKILL.md --create-dirs "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dlt-hub/dlt/main/.claude/skills/create-worktree/SKILL.md"

Manual Installation

Download SKILL.md from GitHub
Place it in .claude/skills/create-worktree/SKILL.md inside your project
Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill

How create-worktree Compares

Feature / Agent	create-worktree	Standard Approach
Platform Support	Not specified	Limited / Varies
Context Awareness	High	Baseline
Installation Complexity	Unknown	N/A

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this skill do?

Create or reuse a git worktree for a pull request or branch so reviews and work happen in isolation

Where can I find the source code?

You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.

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SKILL.md Source

# Git Worktree

Set up an isolated git worktree.

Parse `$ARGUMENTS` to extract:
- The worktree name (required) — used as the directory name under `.worktrees/`
- `--pr <number>` (optional) — checkout a GitHub PR into the worktree using `gh pr checkout`
- `--branch <ref>` (optional) — create the worktree from a specific branch or ref

## Steps

### 1. Determine worktree path

The worktree path is: `<repo-root>/.worktrees/<name>`

For example, if the repo root is `/home/user/src/dlt` and the name is `review-pr-3584`, the worktree path is `/home/user/src/dlt/.worktrees/review-pr-3584`.

Create the `.worktrees` directory if it does not exist:

```
mkdir -p <repo-root>/.worktrees
```

### 2. Create or reuse the worktree

Check if a worktree already exists at that path:

```
git worktree list
```

- **If a worktree already exists** at the target path, reuse it.
  - If `--pr` was given, run `cd <worktree-path> && gh pr checkout <number>` to make sure it is up to date.
  - If `--branch` was given, run `git -C <worktree-path> checkout <ref>`.
- **If no worktree exists** at the target path, create one:
  - If `--pr` was given, first resolve the PR's branch name: `gh pr view <number> --json headRefName -q .headRefName`
  - If `--pr` or `--branch` was given, check `git worktree list` output for any **other** worktree that already has the same branch checked out. If found:
    - Use `AskUserQuestion` to ask the user: "Branch `<branch>` is already checked out in worktree `<existing-path>`. Use that worktree instead?"
    - If the user says yes, use the existing worktree path (skip creation, proceed to step 3 with the existing path).
    - If the user says no, **STOP** — do not create a new worktree. Print a message explaining that the branch is already checked out elsewhere and exit.
  - If no conflict, create the worktree:
    - If `--branch` was given: `git worktree add .worktrees/<name> <ref>`
    - Otherwise: `git worktree add .worktrees/<name> --detach`
    - If `--pr` was given, then also: `cd <worktree-path> && gh pr checkout <number>`
- `gh pr checkout` handles fetching, fork tracking, and branch setup automatically.

### 3. Switch cwd

```
cd <worktree-path>
```

Then verify the switch took effect:

```
pwd
```

If `pwd` does not show the worktree path, stop with an error — the cwd did not persist.

### 4. Report

```
Worktree ready: <worktree-path>
```