Listing worktrees in Git - Commands & Configuration

Introduction

Sometimes you want to work on different branches of a project at the same time without switching back and forth. Git worktrees let you have multiple working folders for the same repository. Listing worktrees shows you all these folders and their details.

When you want to see all the active worktrees linked to your repository.

When you need to check which branches are checked out in different worktrees.

When you want to clean up unused worktrees by identifying them first.

When you are collaborating and want to verify your local work environments.

When you want to confirm the paths of your worktrees before running commands on them.

Commands

This command shows all the worktrees connected to your current Git repository, including their paths and the branches checked out there.

Terminal

git worktree list

Expected Output

/home/user/myrepo               123abc4 [main]

/home/user/myrepo-feature       456def7 [feature-branch]

This command lists worktrees in a machine-readable format, useful for scripts or detailed inspection.

Terminal

git worktree list --porcelain

Expected Output

worktree /home/user/myrepo

HEAD 123abc4

branch refs/heads/main



worktree /home/user/myrepo-feature

HEAD 456def7

branch refs/heads/feature-branch

→

--porcelain - Outputs the list in a stable, parseable format for scripts.

Key Concept

If you remember nothing else from this pattern, remember: git worktree list shows all your active work folders and their branches so you can manage multiple workspaces easily.

Common Mistakes

Running git worktree list outside a Git repository folder.

Git cannot find the repository to list worktrees, so it shows an error.

Run git worktree list inside a folder that is part of a Git repository.

Confusing git worktree list output with git branch output.

git branch shows branches but not their worktree paths; git worktree list shows paths and branches.

Use git worktree list to see worktree paths and branches together.

Summary

Use git worktree list to see all active worktrees and their branches.

The --porcelain flag gives a script-friendly output format.

Listing worktrees helps manage multiple working folders for the same project.

Practice

1. What does the command git worktree list do?

easy

A. Deletes all existing worktrees

B. Shows the commit history of the current branch

C. Creates a new worktree

D. Shows all the linked worktrees with their paths and branches

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of git worktree list

   This command lists all worktrees connected to the repository, showing their folder paths and branches.

2. Step 2: Compare with other options

   Options A and C describe deleting or creating worktrees, which are done by different commands. Shows the commit history of the current branch shows commit history, unrelated to worktrees.

3. Final Answer:

   Shows all the linked worktrees with their paths and branches -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   List worktrees = B [OK]

Hint: Remember: 'list' shows all worktrees and their details [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing 'list' with 'add' or 'remove' commands
• Thinking it shows commit history
• Assuming it deletes worktrees

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to list all git worktrees?

easy

A. git worktree show

B. git worktree ls

C. git worktree list

D. git worktree status

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall the exact command for listing worktrees

   The correct command is git worktree list to display all worktrees.

2. Step 2: Verify other options

   Options A, B, and D are invalid or do not exist in git worktree commands.

3. Final Answer:

   git worktree list -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Correct syntax for listing = C [OK]

Hint: Use full command 'git worktree list' to avoid errors [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using 'show' or 'status' instead of 'list'
• Shortening 'list' to 'ls' which is invalid
• Confusing with other git commands

3. Given the output of git worktree list below, what branch is checked out in the worktree at /projects/myrepo/feature?

/projects/myrepo  123abc [main]
/projects/myrepo/feature  456def [feature-branch]

medium

A. main

B. feature-branch

C. 123abc

D. 456def

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the worktree path in the output

   The path /projects/myrepo/feature corresponds to the second line in the output.

2. Step 2: Read the branch name in brackets

   The branch checked out there is feature-branch, shown in square brackets.

3. Final Answer:

   feature-branch -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Branch at /feature = feature-branch [OK]

Hint: Branch name is always in brackets after path [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing commit hashes with branch names
• Picking the wrong line for the path
• Ignoring the brackets around branch names

4. You ran git worktree list but got an error: fatal: 'worktree' is not a git command. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. Your git version is too old and does not support worktrees

B. You typed 'worktree' instead of 'worktrees'

C. You are not inside a git repository

D. You need to initialize worktrees with a special command first

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the error message

   The error means git does not recognize the 'worktree' command, likely due to version.

2. Step 2: Check git version support

   Worktrees were introduced in git 2.5+. Older versions lack this command.

3. Final Answer:

   Your git version is too old and does not support worktrees -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Unsupported git version = A [OK]

Hint: Check git version if 'worktree' command not found [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming typo in command name
• Thinking worktrees need special init
• Not verifying git version

5. You have multiple worktrees for your project. You want to list all worktrees and filter only those on the branch named 'release'. Which command combination will achieve this?

hard

A. git worktree list | grep release

B. git worktree list --branch release

C. git worktree show release

D. git worktree list --filter=branch=release

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand git worktree list filtering options

   Git worktree list does not have built-in branch filtering options like --branch or --filter.

2. Step 2: Use shell tools to filter output

   Using grep release after listing worktrees filters lines containing 'release', showing only those branches.

3. Final Answer:

   git worktree list | grep release -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Filter branches by grep after list = D [OK]

Hint: Use shell grep to filter worktree list output by branch [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming git worktree list supports --branch or --filter
• Using 'show' instead of 'list'
• Expecting git to filter output internally