gh-cskiro-claudex/skills/devops/git-worktree-setup/examples/sample-workflows.md

Git Worktree Sample Workflows

Real-world examples of using git worktrees with Claude Code for parallel development.

Table of Contents

1. Daily Development Workflows
2. Code Review Workflows
3. Emergency Hotfix Workflows
4. Experimentation Workflows
5. Team Collaboration Workflows
6. Testing and QA Workflows
7. Advanced Workflows

---

Daily Development Workflows

Workflow 1: Parallel Feature Development

Scenario: You're working on feature A when a new urgent feature B request comes in.

Steps:

# Currently working on feature-authentication
cd ~/projects/myapp
git branch  # Shows: * feature-authentication

# New request: add dashboard feature
# Create worktree instead of switching branches

User: "Create a worktree for feature-dashboard"

Claude:
✓ Creating worktree...
  Location: ~/projects/myapp-feature-dashboard
  Branch: feature-dashboard (new)
  Dependencies: Installing...
  ✓ Ready!

# Open new Claude Code session
cd ~/projects/myapp-feature-dashboard
claude

# Now have two parallel sessions:
# Terminal 1: Working on authentication
# Terminal 2: Working on dashboard

Benefits:

• No context switching
• No stashing required
• Independent testing
• Parallel Claude Code sessions

---

Workflow 2: Bug Investigation During Feature Work

Scenario: Mid-feature development, you need to investigate a production bug.

Steps:

# Current state: Working on feature-redesign with uncommitted changes

User: "Create a worktree from main for bugfix-login-error"

Claude:
Checking prerequisites...
⚠️  You have uncommitted changes in current worktree
Continue? (Current work won't be affected)

User: "yes"

Claude:
✓ Creating worktree from main...
  Location: ~/projects/myapp-bugfix-login-error
  Branch: bugfix-login-error (from main)
  ✓ Clean state (no redesign changes)
  ✓ Ready!

# Investigate bug in clean environment
cd ~/projects/myapp-bugfix-login-error
claude

# After fix:
git add .
git commit -m "fix: resolve login redirect issue"
git push

# Create PR for bugfix
gh pr create --title "Fix: Login redirect error"

# Return to feature work
cd ~/projects/myapp-feature-redesign

# Feature work still intact with all uncommitted changes

Key Points:

• Bug investigated in clean environment
• Feature work undisturbed
• Easy context switching
• Independent commits and PRs

---

Code Review Workflows

Workflow 3: PR Review Without Interruption

Scenario: Teammate requests review while you're coding.

Steps:

# Current: Working on feature-payments

# Teammate: "Can you review PR #456?"

User: "Create a worktree for PR 456 review"

Claude:
Fetching PR #456...
PR Branch: feature-user-settings
Author: @teammate

Creating review worktree...
✓ Location: ~/projects/myapp-review-456
✓ Checked out: feature-user-settings
✓ Installing dependencies...
✓ Ready for review!

# Review in fresh environment
cd ~/projects/myapp-review-456
claude

# In Claude Code, review changes:
# - Read code
# - Run tests: npm test
# - Check build: npm run build
# - Test locally: npm run dev

# Leave feedback on GitHub
gh pr review 456 --comment --body "LGTM! Tests pass, code looks good."

# Clean up review worktree
cd ~/projects/myapp
User: "Remove the review-456 worktree"

Claude:
✓ No uncommitted changes
✓ Removed worktree
✓ Disk space freed: ~850MB

# Back to feature work
cd ~/projects/myapp-feature-payments
# Continue where you left off

Benefits:

• Review in pristine environment
• Your work stays untouched
• Run tests without affecting your code
• Quick cleanup after review

---

Workflow 4: Compare Multiple PR Approaches

Scenario: Two PRs propose different solutions to the same problem.

Steps:

User: "Create worktrees for PR 123 and PR 124 to compare"

Claude:
Creating comparison worktrees...

✓ PR #123 (approach-a): ~/projects/myapp-pr-123
✓ PR #124 (approach-b): ~/projects/myapp-pr-124

Installing dependencies in parallel...
✓ Both environments ready!

# Test approach A
cd ~/projects/myapp-pr-123
npm test
npm run benchmark

# Test approach B
cd ~/projects/myapp-pr-124
npm test
npm run benchmark

# Compare results:
# Approach A: 250ms, cleaner code
# Approach B: 180ms, more complex

# Decision: Approve approach B, suggest code cleanup

# Clean up both
User: "Clean up PR worktrees"

Claude:
✓ Removed: myapp-pr-123
✓ Removed: myapp-pr-124

Use Case:

• A/B testing different implementations
• Performance comparison
• Side-by-side code review
• Data-driven decisions

---

Emergency Hotfix Workflows

Workflow 5: Production Hotfix During Feature Development

Scenario: Critical production bug needs immediate fix.

Steps:

# Current: Deep in feature development with many uncommitted changes

# Alert: Production is down!

User: "Create emergency hotfix worktree from production branch"

Claude:
🚨 Creating emergency hotfix...

✓ Source: production branch
✓ Location: ~/projects/myapp-hotfix-critical
✓ Branch: hotfix-api-timeout (from production)
✓ Clean slate (production code)
✓ Dependencies: Installing...
✓ Ready in 15 seconds!

Next: cd ~/projects/myapp-hotfix-critical && claude

# Fix in isolated environment
cd ~/projects/myapp-hotfix-critical
claude

# In Claude Code:
# 1. Identify issue
# 2. Write fix
# 3. Test thoroughly
# 4. Deploy

git add .
git commit -m "hotfix: increase API timeout to 30s"
git push origin hotfix-api-timeout

# Deploy to production
./deploy-hotfix.sh

# Merge to main
git checkout main
git merge hotfix-api-timeout
git push

# Merge to feature branch too (avoid conflicts later)
cd ~/projects/myapp-feature-redesign
git merge main

# Clean up hotfix worktree
User: "Remove hotfix worktree"

Claude:
✓ Hotfix merged to main and feature branch
✓ Production fixed
✓ Removed worktree
✓ Back to feature development

Critical Benefits:

• Instant context switch
• Production code isolated
• No stashing complex changes
• Merge back to all branches easily

---

Workflow 6: Multiple Simultaneous Hotfixes

Scenario: Multiple production issues at once.

Steps:

User: "Create hotfix worktrees for login-bug, payment-error, and api-timeout"

Claude:
Creating 3 hotfix worktrees from production...

✓ hotfix-login-bug → ~/projects/myapp-hotfix-login
✓ hotfix-payment-error → ~/projects/myapp-hotfix-payment
✓ hotfix-api-timeout → ~/projects/myapp-hotfix-api

Installing dependencies in parallel...
All ready!

Assign to team:
  Developer 1: cd ~/projects/myapp-hotfix-login
  Developer 2: cd ~/projects/myapp-hotfix-payment
  Developer 3: cd ~/projects/myapp-hotfix-api

# Each developer works in isolation
# Fixes don't conflict
# Deploy independently
# Merge back when done

Team Benefits:

• Parallel hotfix development
• No branch conflicts
• Independent testing
• Fast resolution

---

Experimentation Workflows

Workflow 7: Test Radical Architecture Change

Scenario: Want to try a major refactor without risking main work.

Steps:

User: "Create an experiment worktree for testing GraphQL migration"

Claude:
Creating experiment worktree...
✓ Location: ~/projects/myapp-experiment-graphql
✓ Branch: experiment-graphql-migration
✓ Based on: main
✓ Ready for experimentation!

cd ~/projects/myapp-experiment-graphql
claude

# Implement radical changes:
# - Replace REST with GraphQL
# - New schema design
# - Different data layer

# Test the experiment
npm test
npm run benchmark

# Results look promising!
# Migrate learnings to feature branch

# Or if experiment fails:
User: "Remove experiment worktree"

Claude:
✓ No harm done to main codebase
✓ Learnings documented
✓ Removed worktree

Experimentation Benefits:

• Safe to fail
• No polluting main branch
• Easy to abandon
• Document learnings

---

Workflow 8: Performance Comparison

Scenario: Test if optimization actually improves performance.

Steps:

User: "Create worktrees for baseline and optimization comparison"

Claude:
Creating comparison environment...

✓ Baseline: ~/projects/myapp-baseline (current main)
✓ Optimization: ~/projects/myapp-optimized (new branch)

# Test baseline
cd ~/projects/myapp-baseline
npm run benchmark > baseline-results.txt

# Implement optimization
cd ~/projects/myapp-optimized
claude
# (Make optimization changes)

npm run benchmark > optimized-results.txt

# Compare results
diff baseline-results.txt optimized-results.txt

# Baseline: 450ms avg
# Optimized: 220ms avg
# Improvement: 51% faster ✓

# Optimization validated - merge it!
git checkout main
git merge experiment-optimized

# Clean up
User: "Remove comparison worktrees"

---

Team Collaboration Workflows

Workflow 9: Pair Programming Setup

Scenario: Pair programming with screen sharing.

Steps:

# Developer 1 (driver)
User: "Create pairing worktree for feature-checkout"

Claude:
✓ Created: ~/projects/myapp-pairing-checkout
✓ Fresh environment
✓ Ready for pairing session

cd ~/projects/myapp-pairing-checkout
claude

# Share screen, develop together
# Commit frequently

git add .
git commit -m "WIP: checkout flow"
git push

# Developer 2 (navigator) checks out same worktree later
git worktree add ~/projects/myapp-pairing-checkout pairing-checkout
cd ~/projects/myapp-pairing-checkout
# Continue from where Dev 1 left off

# After pairing session
User: "Merge pairing work to main feature branch"

Claude:
✓ Merged pairing-checkout → feature-checkout
✓ Removed pairing worktree
✓ Clean state

---

Workflow 10: Integration Testing Multiple Features

Scenario: Test how three features work together before merging.

Steps:

# Current state:
# - feature-auth (ready)
# - feature-dashboard (ready)
# - feature-reports (ready)

User: "Create integration worktree combining auth, dashboard, and reports"

Claude:
Creating integration environment...

✓ Base: main branch
✓ Location: ~/projects/myapp-integration-test
✓ Branch: integration-test

Merging features...
✓ Merged: feature-auth
✓ Merged: feature-dashboard
✓ Merged: feature-reports

Running tests...
⚠️  2 integration test failures detected

# Fix integration issues in integration worktree
cd ~/projects/myapp-integration-test
claude

# Fix conflicts and integration issues
git add .
git commit -m "fix: resolve feature integration conflicts"

# All tests pass!
npm test
# ✓ All 156 tests passing

# Now safe to merge features to main
git checkout main
git merge feature-auth
git merge feature-dashboard
git merge feature-reports

# Clean up
User: "Remove integration test worktree"

---

Testing and QA Workflows

Workflow 11: Test Across Multiple Node Versions

Scenario: Ensure compatibility with Node 16, 18, and 20.

Steps:

User: "Create worktrees for testing Node 16, 18, and 20"

Claude:
Creating test environments...

✓ node16: ~/projects/myapp-test-node16
✓ node18: ~/projects/myapp-test-node18
✓ node20: ~/projects/myapp-test-node20

# Terminal 1: Node 16
cd ~/projects/myapp-test-node16
nvm use 16
npm install
npm test
# Result: 3 failures (deprecated API)

# Terminal 2: Node 18
cd ~/projects/myapp-test-node18
nvm use 18
npm install
npm test
# Result: All pass ✓

# Terminal 3: Node 20
cd ~/projects/myapp-test-node20
nvm use 20
npm install
npm test
# Result: All pass ✓

# Fix Node 16 compatibility in separate worktree
cd ~/projects/myapp-test-node16
claude
# Fix deprecated API usage

# All versions pass!

---

Workflow 12: Regression Testing

Scenario: Test new feature doesn't break existing functionality.

Steps:

# Have feature branch with changes

User: "Create worktrees for regression testing: baseline and feature"

Claude:
Setting up regression test...

✓ Baseline: ~/projects/myapp-baseline (main branch)
✓ Feature: ~/projects/myapp-feature-new-ui

# Run tests in baseline
cd ~/projects/myapp-baseline
npm test -- --coverage > baseline-coverage.txt

# Run tests in feature
cd ~/projects/myapp-feature-new-ui
npm test -- --coverage > feature-coverage.txt

# Compare
diff baseline-coverage.txt feature-coverage.txt

# Baseline: 142/142 tests pass, 87% coverage
# Feature: 156/156 tests pass, 89% coverage
# Added: 14 new tests ✓
# Coverage improved ✓
# No regressions ✓

# Safe to merge!

---

Advanced Workflows

Workflow 13: Dependency Update Testing

Scenario: Test major dependency update before applying to all branches.

Steps:

User: "Create worktree to test React 19 upgrade"

Claude:
✓ Created: ~/projects/myapp-react19-test
✓ Branch: test-react19-upgrade

cd ~/projects/myapp-react19-test
claude

# Upgrade React
npm install react@19 react-dom@19

# Update code for breaking changes
# Run tests
npm test

# Some failures - fix them
# Document migration steps

# Once stable, apply to feature branches
cd ~/projects/myapp-feature-auth
npm install react@19 react-dom@19
# Apply same fixes

# Repeat for other worktrees

---

Workflow 14: Database Migration Testing

Scenario: Test database schema changes safely.

Steps:

User: "Create worktree for testing database migration"

Claude:
✓ Created: ~/projects/myapp-db-migration-test
✓ Using test database

cd ~/projects/myapp-db-migration-test

# Point to test database
echo "DATABASE_URL=postgresql://localhost/myapp_test" > .env

# Run migration
npm run migrate:up

# Test application with new schema
npm test
npm run dev

# Migration successful!

# Apply to staging/production
# Clean up test worktree

---

Complete Real-World Example

Full Development Day with Worktrees

# 9:00 AM - Start day, check tasks
git worktree list
# Just main worktree

# 9:15 AM - Start planned feature
User: "Create worktree for feature-notifications"
# Work on notifications...

# 11:30 AM - Urgent: Review teammate's PR
User: "Create worktree for reviewing PR 234"
# Review, approve, remove worktree

# 1:00 PM - Production bug reported
User: "Create hotfix worktree from production"
# Fix bug, deploy, merge back

# 2:30 PM - Back to notifications feature
cd ~/projects/myapp-feature-notifications
# Continue where I left off

# 3:00 PM - PM requests quick prototype
User: "Create experiment worktree for dashboard prototype"
# Build prototype, demo to PM
# Not approved - remove worktree

# 4:00 PM - Finish notifications feature
git add .
git commit -m "feat: add push notifications"
git push

# Create PR
gh pr create --title "Feature: Push Notifications"

# 4:30 PM - Clean up
User: "Show my worktrees"

Claude:
Current worktrees:
  main (clean)
  feature-notifications (PR created)
  hotfix-production (merged and deployed)

User: "Clean up merged worktrees"

Claude:
✓ Removed: hotfix-production
✓ Kept: feature-notifications (PR pending)

# End of day - organized workspace

---

Summary

Git worktrees enable:

• Parallel development without context switching
• Safe experimentation without risk
• Fast emergency responses without disruption
• Efficient code reviews in isolation
• Comprehensive testing across environments
• Team collaboration with shared workflows

Key Principles:

1. Create worktrees liberally - they're cheap
2. Clean up regularly - avoid clutter
3. Use descriptive names - future you will thank you
4. Document team conventions - consistency matters
5. Automate common patterns - save time

Remember: Worktrees are a tool. Use them when they add value. Don't overcomplicate simple tasks.