init-worktrees

Initialize Sibling Worktree Layout

Restructures a project so that all worktrees (including the main one) live as sibling directories under a common parent:

~/projects/my-repo/        # parent container (not a git repo)
  main/                    # primary worktree
  feature-branch/          # linked worktree
  bugfix/                  # linked worktree

Current State

Current directory: !pwd

Git root: !git rev-parse --show-toplevel

Git common dir: !git rev-parse --git-common-dir

Worktree list: !git worktree list

.git type: !test -f .git && echo "file (linked worktree)" || echo "directory (main worktree)"

Workflow

Step 1: Detect Scenario

Determine which scenario applies:

1. Already structured -- The parent directory of the current git root contains at least one sibling directory that is a worktree of the same repo (check sibling .git files pointing to the same git common dir). Report this and stop.
2. Simple clone -- .git is a directory and git worktree list shows only one entry. Needs wrapping in a parent directory.
3. Clone with external worktrees -- .git is a directory and git worktree list shows multiple entries. Needs wrapping plus relocation of linked worktrees.

If the current directory is a linked worktree (.git is a file), resolve the main worktree location from the git common dir and assess from there.

Step 2: Confirm with User

Present the detected scenario and the planned directory moves. For scenarios 2 and 3, list every move that will happen. Warn about:

• IDE/editor workspace paths needing manual update after the restructure
• Submodules (if .gitmodules exists) potentially needing re-initialization

Ask the user to confirm before proceeding. For scenario 1, just report and stop.

Step 3: Execute

First, cd to the parent directory of the repo so that CWD remains valid throughout the moves.

REPO_DIR=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)
REPO_NAME=$(basename "$REPO_DIR")
PARENT_DIR=$(dirname "$REPO_DIR")
TEMP_NAME="${REPO_NAME}__init_worktrees_tmp"

cd "$PARENT_DIR"
mv "$REPO_NAME" "$TEMP_NAME"
mkdir -p "$REPO_NAME"
mv "$TEMP_NAME" "$REPO_NAME/main"

If there are linked worktrees (scenario 3), continue with these additional phases:

Phase A: Record worktree info. Before the moves above, parse git worktree list --porcelain to collect each linked worktree's absolute path and branch.

Phase B: Fix linked worktree references. After moving main, each linked worktree's .git file contains a gitdir: path pointing to the old main location. Update each one:

# For each linked worktree at $LINKED_PATH:
OLD_GITDIR=$(cat "$LINKED_PATH/.git" | sed 's/gitdir: //')
NEW_GITDIR=$(echo "$OLD_GITDIR" | sed "s|$OLD_REPO_DIR/.git|$NEW_MAIN_DIR/.git|")
echo "gitdir: $NEW_GITDIR" > "$LINKED_PATH/.git"

Phase C: Move linked worktrees. From the new main directory, use git worktree move for each linked worktree:

cd "$NEW_MAIN_DIR"
git worktree move "$OLD_LINKED_PATH" "$NEW_PARENT/$DIRNAME"

Directory names use the final segment of the branch name (e.g., feat/login becomes login). Append a numeric suffix if the name collides with an existing directory.

Phase D: Clean up. Remove empty directories left behind by the moves using rmdir (non-recursive, safe to fail).

Step 4: Verify

From the new main directory:

cd "$NEW_MAIN_DIR"
git worktree list
git status

For each linked worktree, verify git status works from within it.

Step 5: Report

Tell the user:

• The new directory structure (list all worktree paths)
• How to navigate to main: cd <new-main-path>
• Reminder to update IDE/editor workspace settings pointing to the old location
• That /create-worktree will now place new worktrees as siblings automatically

Guidelines

• Always confirm with the user before making changes.
• cd to the parent directory before starting moves so CWD stays valid throughout.
• If any mv or git worktree move command fails, stop and report the error. Do not attempt partial rollback.
• Directory names for linked worktrees use the final segment of the branch name. Append a numeric suffix on collision.
• Never run from inside a linked worktree -- resolve to the main worktree first.