Git Worktree Runner

Git Worktree Runner (gtr)

git-worktree-runner (gtr) is a CLI tool that wraps git worktree with quality-of-life features for modern development workflows including editor and AI tool integration.

Quick Start

# Create a new worktree
git gtr new feature-branch

# Create from a remote branch
git gtr new my-branch --from origin/feature-branch

# Open editor in the worktree
git gtr editor feature-branch

# Start AI tool (claude, codex, etc.) in the worktree
git gtr ai feature-branch

# Remove a worktree
git gtr rm feature-branch

Commands

Creating Worktrees

# Create a new worktree with a new branch
git gtr new feature-name

# Create from a specific ref (remote branch, tag, commit)
git gtr new my-branch --from origin/main
git gtr new hotfix --from v1.2.3

# Create and immediately open in editor
git gtr new feature -e

# Create and immediately start AI tool
git gtr new feature -a

# Create with both editor and AI tool
git gtr new feature -e -a

Opening Editor / AI Tool

# Open the configured editor for a worktree
git gtr editor feature-branch

# Start configured AI tool in a worktree
git gtr ai feature-branch

Running Commands

# Run an arbitrary command in a worktree
git gtr run feature-branch npm test
git gtr run feature-branch pnpm build

Navigation

# Navigate to a worktree directory
cd "$(git gtr go feature-branch)"

Listing and Managing

# List all worktrees
git gtr list

# Remove a worktree
git gtr rm feature-branch

# Rename a worktree
git gtr mv old-name new-name

Configuration

# Set default editor (cursor, vscode, zed, etc.)
git gtr config set gtr.editor.default cursor

# Set default AI tool (claude, codex, opencode, aider, etc.)
git gtr config set gtr.ai.default claude

# Configure files to copy into new worktrees
git gtr config add gtr.copy.include "**/.env"
git gtr config add gtr.copy.include "**/.env.local"
git gtr config add gtr.copy.include "**/.env.example"

# View current configuration
git gtr config list

Example: Parallel AI Development

# Create isolated worktrees for parallel AI agents
git gtr new feature-auth --from origin/main
git gtr new feature-api --from origin/main
git gtr new bugfix-login --from origin/main

# Start AI tools in each worktree
git gtr ai feature-auth
git gtr ai feature-api
git gtr ai bugfix-login

# Check status of all worktrees
git gtr list

# Clean up when done
git gtr rm feature-auth
git gtr rm feature-api
git gtr rm bugfix-login

Example: PR Review in Isolated Worktree

# Create a worktree from PR branch
git gtr new review-pr-123 --from origin/pr-branch

# Open in editor to review
git gtr editor review-pr-123

# Run tests in isolation
git gtr run review-pr-123 pnpm test

# Clean up after review
git gtr rm review-pr-123

Example: Hotfix While Working on Feature

# Current work is on feature-branch, need to do a hotfix
git gtr new hotfix-critical --from origin/main

# Open editor for the hotfix
git gtr new hotfix-critical -e

# After hotfix is done, remove the worktree
git gtr rm hotfix-critical
# Back to feature-branch work without context switching

Example: Checkout a Fork PR into Worktree

For PRs from forked repositories, the branch is not on origin. Use GitHub's refs/pull/<number>/head ref to fetch it.

Procedure

Given a PR number or URL:

1. Get PR metadata

   gh pr view <PR_NUMBER> --json headRefName,isCrossRepository
   

2. Check for existing worktree with the same branch name

   git worktree list
   

   If it exists, remove it first: git gtr rm <branch>

3. Fetch the PR ref into a local branch (use --force to handle diverged history from force-pushes)

   git fetch origin pull/<PR_NUMBER>/head:<BRANCH_NAME> --force
   

4. Create the worktree with --track local since it's a local-only branch

   git gtr new <BRANCH_NAME> --track local
   

5. Verify

   git gtr list
   

Full example (PR #1223 from a fork)

gh pr view 1223 --json headRefName,isCrossRepository
git fetch origin pull/1223/head:fix/comprehensive-file-formats-docs --force
git gtr new fix/comprehensive-file-formats-docs --track local
git gtr list

Shortening long branch names

git fetch origin pull/1223/head:pr-1223 --force
git gtr new pr-1223 --track local

Common errors

• "refusing to fetch into branch checked out at...": A worktree with that branch exists. git gtr rm <branch> first.
• "non-fast-forward" rejected: Local branch diverged. Add --force to the fetch.
• Both errors: Remove the worktree first, then fetch with --force.