Git Worktrees - Parallel Development Workflow

Enable parallel feature development by creating isolated git worktree directories, then executing the same plan across multiple workspaces simultaneously.

Workflow Overview

Phase 1: Prepare Worktrees

Create N isolated worktrees for parallel development:

Create worktree directory

mkdir -p trees

Create worktrees (example: 3 parallel workspaces)

git worktree add -b feature-1 ./trees/feature-1 git worktree add -b feature-2 ./trees/feature-2 git worktree add -b feature-3 ./trees/feature-3

Verify worktrees

git worktree list

Each worktree is a complete, isolated copy of the codebase. All worktrees share git history but have independent working directories.

Phase 2: Execute Tasks in Parallel

Launch N subagents (one per worktree) using the Task tool:

• Each agent independently implements the plan in their workspace

• Agents produce RESULTS.md summarising their changes

• Compare results and cherry-pick the best implementation

Example Task invocation:

Use the Task tool to launch a general-purpose agent with:

• prompt: "Working in trees/feature-1, implement [plan]. Write a RESULTS.md summarising changes."
• run_in_background: true (for parallel execution)

When to Use

• Experimental implementations - Compare different approaches

• A/B testing code changes - Try multiple solutions simultaneously

• Reducing iteration time - Run multiple attempts in parallel

• Complex refactoring - Test different strategies concurrently

Best Practices

• Keep worktree count reasonable (2-4) to manage cognitive load

• Focus on code changes only - No tests during parallel execution

• Clean up worktrees after selecting the winning implementation: git worktree remove ./trees/feature-1 git worktree prune

• Cherry-pick the winner to your main branch: git cherry-pick feature-2

or merge the branch

git merge feature-2

Directory Structure

project/ ├── trees/ │ ├── feature-1/ # Worktree 1 (full codebase copy) │ │ └── RESULTS.md │ ├── feature-2/ # Worktree 2 (full codebase copy) │ │ └── RESULTS.md │ └── feature-3/ # Worktree 3 (full codebase copy) │ └── RESULTS.md └── (main working directory)

RESULTS.md Template

Each agent should produce a summary in this format:

Results - [Feature Name]

Changes Made

• List of files modified/created
• Summary of approach taken

Key Decisions

• Design choices made
• Trade-offs considered

Testing Notes

• How to verify the implementation
• Known limitations