wtp (Worktree Plus)

A powerful Git worktree management tool that extends git's worktree functionality with automated setup, branch tracking, and project-specific hooks.

Features - Why wtp Instead of git-worktree?

🚀 No More Path Gymnastics

🧩 Problem: git worktree add ../project-worktrees/feature/auth feature/auth
✨ wtp: wtp add feature/auth

wtp automatically generates sensible paths based on branch names. Your feature/auth branch goes to ../worktrees/feature/auth - no redundant typing, no path errors.

🧹 Clean Branch Management

🧩 Problem: Remove worktree, then manually delete the branch. Forget the second step? Orphaned branches accumulate.
✨ wtp: wtp remove --with-branch feature/done - One command removes both

Keep your repository clean. When a feature is truly done, remove both the worktree and its branch in one atomic operation. No more forgotten branches cluttering your repo.

🛠️ Zero-Setup Development Environments

🧩 Problem: Create worktree → Copy .env → Install deps → Run migrations → Finally start coding
✨ wtp: Configure once in .wtp.yml, then every wtp add runs your setup automatically

hooks:
  post_create:
    # Copy real files from the MAIN worktree into the NEW worktree
    - type: copy
      from: ".env" # Allowed even if gitignored. 'from' is always relative to the MAIN worktree
      to: ".env" # Destination is relative to the NEW worktree
# Share directories between the MAIN and NEW worktree
- type: symlink
  from: ".bin"
  to: ".bin"

# Prefer explicit, single-step setup commands
- type: command
  command: "npm ci" # Example for Node.js (replace with your build/deps tool)
- type: command
  command: "npm run db:setup"
# Alternative: using make or a task runner
# - type: command
#   command: "make bootstrap"

Perfect for microservices, monorepos, or any project with complex setup requirements.

📍 Instant Worktree Navigation

🧩 Problem: cd ../../../worktrees/feature/auth (if you remember the path)
✨ wtp: wtp cd feature/auth with tab completion

Jump between worktrees instantly. Use wtp cd @ to return to your main worktree (or just wtp cd). No more terminal tab confusion.

Requirements

• Git 2.17 or later (for worktree support)
• One of the following operating systems:
  • Linux (x86_64 or ARM64)
  • macOS (Apple Silicon M1/M2/M3)
• One of the following shells (for completion support):
  • Bash (4+/5.x) with bash-completion v2
  • Zsh
  • Fish

Releases

View all releases and changelogs: GitHub Releases

Latest stable version: See releases

Installation

Using Homebrew (macOS/Linux)

brew install satococoa/tap/wtp

Using Go

go install github.com/satococoa/wtp/v2/cmd/wtp@latest

Download Binary

Download the latest binary from GitHub Releases:

# macOS (Apple Silicon)
curl -L https://github.com/satococoa/wtp/releases/latest/download/wtp_Darwin_arm64.tar.gz | tar xz
sudo mv wtp /usr/local/bin/
Linux (x86_64)
curl -L https://github.com/satococoa/wtp/releases/latest/download/wtp_Linux_x86_64.tar.gz | tar xz
sudo mv wtp /usr/local/bin/
Linux (ARM64)
curl -L https://github.com/satococoa/wtp/releases/latest/download/wtp_Linux_arm64.tar.gz | tar xz
sudo mv wtp /usr/local/bin/

From Source

git clone https://github.com/satococoa/wtp.git
cd wtp
go build -o wtp ./cmd/wtp
sudo mv wtp /usr/local/bin/  # or add to PATH

Quick Start

Automatic Path Generation (Recommended)

# Create worktree from existing branch (local or remote)
# → Creates worktree at ../worktrees/feature/auth
# Automatically tracks remote branch if not found locally
wtp add feature/auth
Create worktree with new branch
→ Creates worktree at ../worktrees/feature/new-feature
wtp add -b feature/new-feature
Create new branch from specific commit
→ Creates worktree at ../worktrees/hotfix/urgent
wtp add -b hotfix/urgent abc1234
Create worktree and run a command inside it after hooks
→ Useful for bootstrap steps (supports interactive commands when TTY is available)
wtp add -b feature/new-feature --exec "npm test"
Script-friendly output: print only the created absolute path
wtp add -b feature/new-feature --quiet
Create new branch tracking a different remote branch
→ Creates worktree at ../worktrees/feature/test with branch tracking origin/main
wtp add -b feature/test origin/main
Remote branch handling examples:
Automatically tracks remote branch if not found locally
→ Creates worktree tracking origin/feature/remote-only
wtp add feature/remote-only
If branch exists in multiple remotes, shows helpful error:
Error: branch 'feature/shared' exists in multiple remotes: origin, upstream
Create a local branch for the remote you want, then run wtp add again
wtp add feature/shared
Example manual disambiguation:
git branch --track feature/shared upstream/feature/shared
wtp add feature/shared

Management Commands

# List all worktrees
wtp list
Example output:
PATH                      BRANCH           HEAD
----                      ------           ----
@ (main worktree)*        main             c72c7800
feature/auth              feature/auth     def45678
../project-hotfix         hotfix/urgent    abc12345
Remove worktree only (by worktree name)
wtp remove feature/auth
wtp remove --force feature/auth  # Force removal even if dirty
Remove worktree and its branch
wtp remove --with-branch feature/auth              # Only if branch is merged
wtp remove --with-branch --force-branch feature/auth  # Force branch deletion
Execute a command in an existing worktree (uses same target resolution as wtp cd)
wtp exec feature/auth -- go test ./...
wtp exec @ -- pwd

Configuration

wtp uses .wtp.yml for project-specific configuration:

version: "1.0"
defaults:
  # Base directory for worktrees (relative to project root)
  base_dir: "../worktrees"
hooks:
post_create:
# Copy gitignored files from main worktree to new worktree
# Note: 'from' is relative to main worktree, 'to' is relative to new worktree
# If 'to' is omitted, it defaults to the same value as 'from' (relative paths only)
- type: copy
from: ".env" # Copy actual .env file (gitignored)
to: ".env"
- type: copy
  from: ".claude" # Copy AI context file (gitignored)

# Share directories between the main and new worktree
- type: symlink
  from: ".bin"
  to: ".bin"

# Execute commands in the new worktree
- type: command
  command: "npm install"
  env:
    NODE_ENV: "development"

- type: command
  command: "make db:setup"
  work_dir: "."

Copy Hooks: Main Worktree Reference

Copy hooks are designed to help you bootstrap new worktrees using files from your main worktree (even if they are gitignored):

• from: path is always resolved relative to the main worktree.
• to: path is resolved relative to the newly created worktree (defaults to from if omitted; absolute from requires explicit to).
• Supports files and directories, including entries ignored by Git (e.g., .env, .claude, .cursor/).

Examples:

hooks:
  post_create:
    # Copy local env and AI context from MAIN worktree into the new worktree
    - type: copy
      from: ".env"
      to: ".env"
- type: copy
  from: ".claude"

# Directory copy also works
- type: copy
  from: ".cursor/"
  to: ".cursor/"

This behavior applies regardless of where you run wtp add from (main worktree or any other worktree).

Symlink Hooks: Shared Assets

Symlink hooks are useful for sharing large or mutable directories from the main worktree (e.g. .bin, .cache, node_modules).

• from: path is resolved relative to the main worktree (or absolute).
• to: path is resolved relative to the newly created worktree (or absolute).

Example:

hooks:
  post_create:
    - type: symlink
      from: ".bin"
      to: ".bin"

Shell Integration

Tab Completion Setup

If installed via Homebrew

No manual setup required. Homebrew installs a tiny bootstrapper that runs wtp shell-init <shell> the first time you press TAB after typing wtp. That lazy call gives you tab completion plus shell navigation hooks (wtp cd and interactive wtp add auto-switch) for the rest of the session—no rc edits needed.

Need to refresh inside an existing shell? Just run wtp shell-init <shell> yourself.

If installed via go install

Add a single line to your shell configuration file to enable both completion and shell integration:

# Bash: Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile
eval "$(wtp shell-init bash)"
Zsh: Add to ~/.zshrc
eval "$(wtp shell-init zsh)"
Fish: Add to ~/.config/fish/config.fish
wtp shell-init fish | source

Note: Bash completion requires bash-completion v2. On macOS, install Homebrew’s Bash 5.x and bash-completion@2, then source /opt/homebrew/etc/profile.d/bash_completion.sh (or the path shown after installation) before enabling the one-liner above.

After reloading your shell you get the same experience as Homebrew users.

Navigation with wtp cd

The wtp cd command outputs the absolute path to a worktree. You can use it in two ways:

Direct Usage

# Change to a worktree using command substitution
cd "$(wtp cd feature/auth)"
Change to the main worktree
cd "$(wtp cd)"
Or explicitly:
cd "$(wtp cd @)"

With Shell Hook (Recommended)

For a more seamless experience, enable the shell hook. wtp shell-init <shell> already bundles it, so Homebrew users get the hook automatically and go install users get it from the one-liner above. If you only want the hook without completions, you can still run wtp hook <shell> manually.

Then use the simplified syntax:

# Change to a worktree by its name
wtp cd feature/auth
Go to the main worktree (same as @)
wtp cd
Change to the root worktree using the '@' shorthand
wtp cd @
Tab completion works!
wtp cd <TAB>
Create a worktree and switch to it automatically (interactive shell only)
wtp add -b feature/payment

When stdout is not a TTY (for example command substitution or pipes), wtp add keeps standard CLI behavior and does not auto-switch directories.

Complete Setup (Lazy Loading for Homebrew Users)

Homebrew ships a lightweight bootstrapper. Press TAB after typing wtp and it evaluates wtp shell-init <shell> once for your session—tab completion and shell navigation hooks (wtp cd, interactive wtp add) just work.

Worktree Structure

With the default configuration (base_dir: "../worktrees"):

<project-root>/
├── .git/
├── .wtp.yml
└── src/
../worktrees/
├── main/
├── feature/
│   ├── auth/          # wtp add feature/auth
│   └── payment/       # wtp add feature/payment
└── hotfix/
└── bug-123/       # wtp add hotfix/bug-123

Branch names with slashes are preserved as directory structure, automatically organizing worktrees by type/category.

Error Handling

wtp provides clear error messages:

# Branch not found
Error: branch 'nonexistent' not found in local or remote branches
Multiple remotes have same branch
Error: branch 'feature' exists in multiple remotes: origin, upstream
Solution: Create a local tracking branch for the remote you want without checking it out, then run wtp add again.
• git branch --track feature origin/feature
• git branch --track feature upstream/feature
• wtp add feature
Worktree already exists
Error: failed to create worktree: exit status 128
Uncommitted changes
Error: Cannot remove worktree with uncommitted changes. Use --force to override

Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please see our Contributing Guide for details.

Development Setup

# Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/satococoa/wtp.git
cd wtp
Install dependencies
go mod download
Run tests
go tool task test
Build
go tool task build
Run locally
./wtp --help

Formatting

Run go tool task fmt before sending changes. The formatter uses golangci-lint fmt (gofmt + goimports) and automatically derives the goimports -local prefix from go list -m, so forks and renamed modules stay grouped correctly. go tool golangci-lint fmt ./... still works for one-off runs, but the task is the authoritative workflow.

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

Inspired by git-worktree and the need for better multi-branch development workflows.