Skip to content

SKILL.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
238 lines (164 loc) · 6.7 KB

SKILL.md

File metadata and controls

238 lines (164 loc) · 6.7 KB
name description
using-git-worktrees
Use when starting feature work that needs isolation from current workspace or before executing implementation plans - creates isolated git worktrees with smart directory selection and safety verification

Using Git Worktrees

Overview

Git worktrees create isolated workspaces sharing the same repository, allowing work on multiple branches simultaneously without switching.

Core principle: Systematic directory selection + safety verification = reliable isolation.

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

Important: Prefer global worktree locations by default to avoid nested-worktree CLAUDE.md double-loading.

Directory Selection Process

Follow this priority order:

1. Check CLAUDE.md Preference First

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

If preference specified: Use it without asking.

2. Reuse Existing Directory Convention

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

# Check existing locations
ls -d "$HOME/.config/superpowers/worktrees/$project" 2>/dev/null  # Preferred (global)
ls -d .worktrees 2>/dev/null                                        # Project-local (hidden)
ls -d worktrees 2>/dev/null                                         # Project-local (visible)

If found: Reuse that location to keep consistency. If both project-local directories exist, .worktrees wins.

3. Default to Global Location (Recommended)

If no directory exists and no CLAUDE.md preference, default to:

~/.config/superpowers/worktrees/<project-name>/

Why default global: Project-local worktrees can cause parent CLAUDE.md files to be loaded in nested worktrees, creating conflicting instructions.

4. Ask User If They Need Project-Local

If the user has a strong preference for project-local worktrees, ask explicitly:

No existing worktree directory found. I recommend the global location to avoid duplicate CLAUDE.md loading:

1. ~/.config/superpowers/worktrees/<project-name>/ (recommended)
2. .worktrees/ (project-local, hidden)

Which would you prefer?

If user has no preference, use option 1.

Safety Verification

For Project-Local Directories (.worktrees or worktrees)

MUST verify directory is ignored before creating worktree:

# Check if directory is ignored (respects local, global, and system gitignore)
git check-ignore -q .worktrees 2>/dev/null || git check-ignore -q worktrees 2>/dev/null

If NOT ignored:

Per Jesse's rule "Fix broken things immediately":

  1. Add appropriate line to .gitignore
  2. Commit the change
  3. Proceed with worktree creation

Why critical: Prevents accidentally committing worktree contents to repository.

For Global Directory (~/.config/superpowers/worktrees)

No .gitignore verification needed - outside project entirely.

Creation Steps

1. Detect Project Name

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

2. Create Worktree

# Determine full path
case $LOCATION in
  .worktrees|worktrees)
    path="$LOCATION/$BRANCH_NAME"
    ;;
  ~/.config/superpowers/worktrees/*)
    path="~/.config/superpowers/worktrees/$project/$BRANCH_NAME"
    ;;
esac

# Create worktree with new branch
git worktree add "$path" -b "$BRANCH_NAME"
cd "$path"

3. Run Project Setup

Auto-detect and run 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

4. Verify Clean Baseline

Run tests to ensure worktree starts clean:

# Examples - use project-appropriate command
npm test
cargo test
pytest
go test ./...

If tests fail: Report failures, ask whether to proceed or investigate.

If tests pass: Report ready.

5. Report Location

Worktree ready at <full-path>
Tests passing (<N> tests, 0 failures)
Ready to implement <feature-name>

Quick Reference

Situation Action
CLAUDE.md specifies location Use that location
Global worktree dir exists Reuse global location
.worktrees/ exists Reuse it (verify ignored)
worktrees/ exists Reuse it (verify ignored)
Neither exists Default to global location
User requests project-local Use .worktrees/ (verify ignored)
Directory not ignored Add to .gitignore + commit
Tests fail during baseline Report failures + ask
No package.json/Cargo.toml Skip dependency install

Common Mistakes

Skipping ignore verification

  • Problem: Worktree contents get tracked, pollute git status
  • Fix: Always use git check-ignore before creating project-local worktree

Assuming directory location

  • Problem: Creates inconsistency, violates project conventions
  • Fix: Follow priority: CLAUDE.md preference > existing convention > global default > ask if needed

Proceeding with failing tests

  • Problem: Can't distinguish new bugs from pre-existing issues
  • Fix: Report failures, get explicit permission to proceed

Hardcoding setup commands

  • Problem: Breaks on projects using different tools
  • Fix: Auto-detect from project files (package.json, etc.)

Example Workflow

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

[Check CLAUDE.md - no preference]
[No existing worktree dir found]
[Use global default: ~/.config/superpowers/worktrees/myproject/feature-auth]
[Create worktree: git worktree add ~/.config/superpowers/worktrees/myproject/feature-auth -b feature/auth]
[Run npm install]
[Run npm test - 47 passing]

Worktree ready at /Users/jesse/.config/superpowers/worktrees/myproject/feature-auth
Tests passing (47 tests, 0 failures)
Ready to implement auth feature

Red Flags

Never:

  • Create worktree without verifying it's ignored (project-local)
  • Skip baseline test verification
  • Proceed with failing tests without asking
  • Assume directory location when ambiguous
  • Skip CLAUDE.md check

Always:

  • Follow directory priority: CLAUDE.md preference > existing convention > global default
  • Verify directory is ignored for project-local
  • Auto-detect and run project setup
  • Verify clean test baseline

Integration

Called by:

  • brainstorming (Phase 4) - REQUIRED when design is approved and implementation follows
  • subagent-driven-development - REQUIRED before executing any tasks
  • executing-plans - REQUIRED before executing any tasks
  • Any skill needing isolated workspace

Pairs with:

  • finishing-a-development-branch - REQUIRED for cleanup after work complete