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Git Worktree Isolation

Sets up a separate git workspace so an agent's changes don't touch your main checkout.

Stars
25,850
Licence
MIT
Files
1 file

What it does

Coding agents often edit code directly in your main project folder. This skill makes the agent first check whether it is already working in an isolated copy of the project (a git worktree, which is a second working folder linked to the same repository). If not, it creates a new one on a fresh, meaningfully named branch, or attaches one to an existing branch, pull request, or commit, and then reports where it is working. It prefers the coding tool's built-in worktree feature and only falls back to plain git commands.

Great for

  • Developers who want an AI agent's work kept separate from their main checkout
  • Teams running several agent tasks or code reviews on the same repository at once
  • People reviewing or fixing an existing pull request without disturbing their current branch

Skip it if

  • Projects that are not git repositories, since worktrees require git
  • Situations where you want the agent to edit your current branch in place, because this skill deliberately avoids that
  • Users unfamiliar with git who might be confused by new branches and folders appearing in the project

Try asking

  • “Start a new feature in an isolated worktree on a fresh branch”
  • “Check out pull request 42 in a separate worktree so I can push fixes to it”
  • “Set up an isolated workspace for fixing the email validation bug”
Step-by-step guide: how to use Git Worktree IsolationInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs

Install in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Download the skill

    The ZIP contains the 1 original files, the MIT licence and an attribution note.

    ce-worktree.zip
  2. 2

    Add it to your agent

    Claude Code (all projects)

    mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && unzip ce-worktree.zip -d ~/.claude/skills/

    Claude Code / Agent SDK (this project only)

    mkdir -p .claude/skills && unzip ce-worktree.zip -d .claude/skills/

    Claude apps (web/desktop): Settings → Capabilities → Skills → Upload skill, and choose the ZIP.

  3. 3

    Ask for the task

    No special command needed — the agent reads the skill's description and loads it when your request matches. Try one of the prompts above.

Get better results

  • Run it from inside the repository you want to work on; the skill itself moves to the repo root, but starting in the right project avoids confusion
  • Check the branch name and base branch it proposes before the agent proceeds, especially when attaching to a pull request
  • If you already use a tool-provided worktree feature, the skill will defer to it rather than create a duplicate

What's inside

  • SKILL.md

Redistributed unmodified from EveryInc/compound-engineering-plugin under the MIT licence. The assessment was drafted with AI from the skill's files on 2026-10-29. Skills can instruct your agent to run code — read SKILL.md and any scripts before installing.