using-git-worktrees

Git worktrees create isolated workspaces for each branch, letting you develop multiple features simultaneously without disturbing your main branch or current work. This skill automates worktree setup, safety checks, and dependency installation across Node.js, Rust, Python, and Go projects.

Yes. Worktrees isolate feature work into separate directories, preventing accidental commits to your main branch. This skill ensures `.gitignore` is updated to exclude worktree contents and verifies safety before creation.

This skill creates an isolated worktree for your feature branch, then auto-detects and runs your project's setup commands—npm install, cargo build, pip install, poetry install, or go mod download—and runs baseline tests to confirm readiness.

The skill handles existing directories intelligently by checking `.gitignore` preferences and using prompt-based decisions to locate or create the worktree at the appropriate path, preventing conflicts and maintaining project structure.

Yes. This skill detects your project type and runs the correct dependency setup command for each: npm install for Node.js, pip or poetry install for Python, cargo build for Rust, and go mod download for Go.

Worktrees enable parallel branch work without context switching, reduce merge conflicts by keeping work isolated, and prevent accidental interference with your current workspace or main development line.