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 listEach 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