worktrunk 0.35.0

---
source: tests/integration_tests/help.rs
info:
  program: wt
  args:
    - switch
    - "--help"
  env:
    CLICOLOR_FORCE: "1"
    COLUMNS: "500"
    GIT_EDITOR: ""
    LANG: C
    LC_ALL: C
    NO_COLOR: ""
    PSModulePath: ""
    RUST_LOG: warn
    SHELL: ""
    TERM: alacritty
    WORKTRUNK_APPROVALS_PATH: /nonexistent/test/approvals.toml
    WORKTRUNK_CONFIG_PATH: /nonexistent/test/config.toml
    WORKTRUNK_SYSTEM_CONFIG_PATH: /etc/xdg/worktrunk/config.toml
    WORKTRUNK_TEST_CLAUDE_INSTALLED: "0"
    WORKTRUNK_TEST_DELAYED_STREAM_MS: "-1"
    WORKTRUNK_TEST_EPOCH: "1735776000"
    WORKTRUNK_TEST_NUSHELL_ENV: "0"
    WORKTRUNK_TEST_OPENCODE_INSTALLED: "0"
    WORKTRUNK_TEST_POWERSHELL_ENV: "0"
    WORKTRUNK_TEST_SKIP_URL_HEALTH_CHECK: "1"
---
success: true
exit_code: 0
----- stdout -----

----- stderr -----
wt switch - Switch to a worktree; create if needed

Usage: wt switch [OPTIONS] [BRANCH] [-- <EXECUTE_ARGS>...]

Arguments:
  [BRANCH]
          Branch name or shortcut
          
          Opens interactive picker if omitted. Shortcuts: '^' (default branch), '-' (previous), '@' (current), 'pr:{N}' (GitHub PR), 'mr:{N}' (GitLab MR)

  [EXECUTE_ARGS]...
          Additional arguments for --execute command (after --)
          
          Arguments after -- are appended to the execute command. Each argument is expanded for templates, then POSIX shell-escaped.

Options:
  -c, --create
          Create a new branch

  -b, --base <BASE>
          Base branch
          
          Defaults to default branch.

  -x, --execute <EXECUTE>
          Command to run after switch
          
          Replaces the wt process with the command after switching, giving it full terminal control. Useful for launching editors, AI agents, or other interactive tools.
          
          Supports ]8;;@/hook.md#template-variables\hook template variables]8;;\ ({{ branch }}, {{ worktree_path }}, etc.) and filters. {{ base }} and {{ base_worktree_path }} require --create.
          
          Especially useful with shell aliases:
          
            alias wsc='wt switch --create -x claude'
            wsc feature-branch -- 'Fix GH #322'
          
          Then wsc feature-branch creates the worktree and launches Claude Code. Arguments after -- are passed to the command, so wsc feature -- 'Fix GH #322' runs claude 'Fix GH #322', starting Claude with a prompt.
          
          Template example: -x 'code {{ worktree_path }}' opens VS Code at the worktree, -x 'tmux new -s {{ branch | sanitize }}' starts a tmux session named after the branch.

      --clobber
          Remove stale paths at target

      --no-cd
          Skip directory change after switching
          
          Hooks still run normally. Useful when hooks handle navigation (e.g., tmux workflows) or for CI/automation. Use --cd to override.
          
          In picker mode (no branch argument), prints the selected branch name and exits without switching. Useful for scripting.

  -h, --help
          Print help (see a summary with '-h')

Picker Options:
      --branches
          Include branches without worktrees

      --remotes
          Include remote branches

Automation:
  -y, --yes
          Skip approval prompts

      --no-hooks
          Skip hooks

      --format <FORMAT>
          Output format
          
          JSON prints structured result to stdout. Designed for tool integration (e.g., Claude Code WorktreeCreate hooks).

          Possible values:
          - text: Human-readable text output
          - json: JSON output
          
          [default: text]

Global Options:
  -C <path>
          Working directory for this command

      --config <path>
          User config file path

  -v, --verbose...
          Verbose output (-v: hooks, templates; -vv: debug report)

Worktrees are addressed by branch name; paths are computed from a configurable template. Unlike git switch, this navigates between worktrees rather than changing branches in place.

Examples

  wt switch feature-auth           # Switch to worktree
  wt switch -                      # Previous worktree (like cd -)
  wt switch --create new-feature   # Create new branch and worktree
  wt switch --create hotfix --base production
  wt switch pr:123                 # Switch to PR #123's branch

Creating a branch

The --create flag creates a new branch from --base — the default branch unless specified. Without --create, the branch must already exist. Switching to a remote branch (e.g., wt switch feature when only origin/feature exists) creates a local tracking branch.

Creating worktrees

If the branch already has a worktree, wt switch changes directories to it. Otherwise, it creates one:

1. Runs pre-switch hooks, blocking until complete
2. Creates worktree at configured path
3. Switches to new directory
4. Runs pre-start hooks, blocking until complete
5. Spawns post-start and post-switch hooks in the background

  wt switch feature                        # Existing branch → creates worktree
  wt switch --create feature               # New branch and worktree
  wt switch --create fix --base release    # New branch from release
  wt switch --create temp --no-hooks       # Skip hooks

Shortcuts

 Shortcut            Meaning            
 ──────── ───────────────────────────── 
 ^        Default branch (main/master)  
 @        Current branch/worktree       
 -        Previous worktree (like cd -) 
 pr:{N}   GitHub PR #N's branch         
 mr:{N}   GitLab MR !N's branch         

  wt switch -                      # Back to previous
  wt switch ^                      # Default branch worktree
  wt switch --create fix --base=@  # Branch from current HEAD
  wt switch pr:123                 # PR #123's branch
  wt switch mr:101                 # MR !101's branch

Interactive picker

When called without arguments, wt switch opens an interactive picker to browse and select worktrees with live preview.

Keybindings:

      Key                       Action                   
 ───────────── ───────────────────────────────────────── 
 ↑/↓           Navigate worktree list                    
 (type)        Filter worktrees                          
 Enter         Switch to selected worktree               
 Alt-c         Create new worktree named as entered text 
 Esc           Cancel                                    
 1–5           Switch preview tab                        
 Alt-p         Toggle preview panel                      
 Ctrl-u/Ctrl-d Scroll preview up/down                    

Preview tabs — toggle with number keys:

1. HEAD± — Diff of uncommitted changes
2. log — Recent commits; commits already on the default branch have dimmed hashes
3. main…± — Diff of changes since the merge-base with the default branch
4. remote⇅ — Ahead/behind diff vs upstream tracking branch
5. summary — LLM-generated branch summary; requires [list] summary = true and [commit.generation]

Pager configuration: The preview panel pipes diff output through git's pager. Override in user config:

  [switch.picker]
  pager = "delta --paging=never --width=$COLUMNS"

Available on Unix only (macOS, Linux). On Windows, use wt list or wt switch <branch> directly.

Pull requests and merge requests

The pr:<number> and mr:<number> shortcuts resolve a GitHub PR or GitLab MR to its branch. For same-repo PRs/MRs, worktrunk switches to the branch directly. For fork PRs/MRs, it fetches the ref (refs/pull/N/head or refs/merge-requests/N/head) and configures pushRemote to the fork URL.

  wt switch pr:101                 # GitHub PR #101
  wt switch mr:101                 # GitLab MR !101

Requires gh (GitHub) or glab (GitLab) CLI to be installed and authenticated. The --create flag cannot be used with pr:/mr: syntax since the branch already exists.

Forks: The local branch uses the PR/MR's branch name directly (e.g., feature-fix), so git push works normally. If a local branch with that name already exists tracking something else, rename it first.

When wt switch fails

- Branch doesn't exist — Use --create, or check wt list --branches
- Path occupied — Another worktree is at the target path; switch to it or remove it
- Stale directory — Use --clobber to remove a non-worktree directory at the target path

To change which branch a worktree is on, use git switch inside that worktree.

See also

- wt list — View all worktrees
- wt remove — Delete worktrees when done
- wt merge — Integrate changes back to the default branch