Maestro/docs/git-worktrees.md

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Git and Worktrees	Browse commit history, view diffs, and run AI agents in parallel on isolated branches with Git worktree sub-agents.	code-branch

Maestro integrates deeply with Git, providing visual tools for exploring repository history and enabling parallel development with worktree sub-agents.

Git Log Viewer

Browse your commit history directly in Maestro:

The log viewer shows:

• Commit history with messages, authors, and timestamps
• Branch visualization with merge points
• Quick navigation to any commit

Access via Command Palette (Cmd+K / Ctrl+K) → "Git Log" or the git menu in the Left Bar.

Diff Viewer

Review file changes with syntax-highlighted diffs:

The diff viewer displays:

• Side-by-side comparison of file versions
• Syntax highlighting matched to file type
• Line-by-line changes with additions and deletions clearly marked

Access diffs from the git log viewer by clicking any commit, or use Command Palette → "Git Diff".

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Git Worktrees

Git worktrees enable true parallel development by letting you run multiple AI agents on separate branches simultaneously. Each worktree operates in its own isolated directory, so there's no risk of conflicts between parallel work streams.

Managing Worktrees

Worktree sub-agents appear nested under their parent agent in the Left Bar:

• Nested Display — Worktree sub-agents appear in a drawer below their parent agent, styled with a subtle accent background
• Branch Icon — Worktree children show a GitBranch icon next to their name
• Collapse/Expand — Click the worktree count band below the parent session to show/hide worktree children (e.g., "2 worktrees ▾")
• Independent Operation — Each worktree agent has its own working directory, conversation history, and state

Creating a Worktree Sub-Agent

There are two ways to access worktree configuration:

From the Header (Main Panel):

1. Select an agent that's in a git repository
2. Hover over the branch pill in the header (shows the current branch name, e.g., "main")
3. In the hover overlay, click "Configure Worktrees"

From the Context Menu (Left Bar):

1. Right-click an agent in the session list
2. Select "Configure Worktrees" (only shown for git repositories)

In the configuration modal:

Option	Description
Worktree Directory	Base folder where worktrees are created (should be outside the main repo). You can browse to select it (local sessions) or type the path directly.
Watch for new worktrees	Auto-detect worktrees created outside Maestro (e.g., via command line)
Create New Worktree	Enter a branch name and click Create to instantly create a new worktree sub-agent

Tip: Configure the worktree directory to be outside your main repository (e.g., ~/Projects/Maestro-WorkTrees/). This keeps worktrees organized and prevents them from appearing in your main repo's file tree.

Note: Once configured, you can quickly create additional worktrees by right-clicking the parent session and selecting "Create Worktree" (bypasses the full configuration modal).

Worktree Actions

Right-click any worktree sub-agent to access management options:

Action	Description
Rename	Change the display name of the worktree agent
Edit Agent...	Modify agent configuration
Duplicate...	Create a new agent with the same configuration
Create Pull Request	Open a PR from this worktree's branch
Remove Worktree	Delete the worktree agent (see below)

Creating Pull Requests

When you're done with work in a worktree:

1. Right-click the worktree agent → Create Pull Request, or
2. Press Cmd+K / Ctrl+K with the worktree active → search "Create Pull Request"

The PR modal shows:

• Source branch (your worktree branch)
• Target branch (configurable)
• Auto-generated title and description based on your work

Requirements: GitHub CLI (gh) must be installed and authenticated. Maestro will detect if it's missing and show installation instructions.

Removing Worktrees

When removing a worktree, you have two options:

Option	What It Does
Remove	Removes the sub-agent from Maestro but keeps the git worktree directory on disk
Remove and Delete	Removes the sub-agent AND permanently deletes the worktree directory from disk

The confirmation dialog shows the full path to the worktree directory so you know exactly what will be affected.

Use Cases

Scenario	How Worktrees Help
Background Auto Run	Run Auto Run in a worktree while working interactively in the main repo
Feature Branches	Spin up a sub-agent for each feature branch
Code Review	Create a worktree to review and iterate on a PR without switching branches
Parallel Experiments	Try different approaches simultaneously without git stash/pop

Tips

• Name branches descriptively — The branch name becomes the worktree directory name
• Use a dedicated worktree folder — Keep all worktrees in one place outside the main repo
• Clean up when done — Remove worktree agents after merging PRs to avoid clutter
• Watch for Changes — Enable file watching to keep the file tree in sync with worktree activity
• Run multiple dev instances — Use VITE_PORT environment variable to run Maestro in multiple worktrees simultaneously:

  # In main worktree
  npm run dev
  
  # In worktree 2 (different terminal/directory)
  VITE_PORT=5174 npm run dev