tiny bash script to quickly spin up a new worktree and open a new ide session

create-worktree

#!/usr/bin/env bash

set -e

help() {
    echo "Usage: create-worktree <branch-name> [--base <base-branch>] [--open [auto|false|<cmd>]]"
    echo ""
    echo "Creates a git worktree with a new branch."
    echo ""
    echo "Options:"
    echo "  --base <branch>  Base branch to create from (default: current branch)"
    echo "  --open [mode]    How to open the worktree folder:"
    echo "                     auto   - detect editor from environment (default)"
    echo "                     false  - don't open"
    echo "                     <cmd>  - use specified command (e.g., 'code', 'cursor')"
    echo "                     (bare) - use 'open .' (Finder on macOS)"
    echo "  --no-setup       Skip running setup commands (npm, uv, make)"
    echo "  -h, --help       Show this help message"
    echo ""
    echo "To delete a worktree later:"
    echo "  git worktree remove <path>  # removes worktree and branch"
    echo "  git worktree list           # list all worktrees"
}

auto_detect_editor() {
    # Check for Positron first, since it is based on VS Code
    if [[ "${POSITRON:-}" == "1" ]]; then
        echo "positron"
        return
    fi

    # Check for Cursor (VS Code fork) - has its own env vars
    if [[ -n "${CURSOR_TRACE_ID:-}" || -n "${CURSOR_SESSION_ID:-}" ]]; then
        echo "cursor"
        return
    fi

    # Check for Windsurf (Codeium's VS Code fork)
    if [[ -n "${WINDSURF:-}" || -n "${CODEIUM_WIND_SURF:-}" ]]; then
        echo "windsurf"
        return
    fi

    # Check for Zed
    if [[ -n "${ZED_SESSION:-}" || "${TERM_PROGRAM:-}" == "zed" ]]; then
        echo "zed"
        return
    fi

    # Check TERM_PROGRAM (set by many terminal-integrated editors)
    # Note: Cursor/Windsurf may report as "vscode", so check them first above
    case "${TERM_PROGRAM:-}" in
        vscode)
            # Could be VS Code or a fork - check for Insiders
            if [[ "${VSCODE_GIT_IPC_HANDLE:-}" == *"Code - Insiders"* ]]; then
                echo "code-insiders"
            else
                echo "code"
            fi
            return
            ;;
    esac

    # Fallback: check for VS Code via other env vars
    if [[ -n "${VSCODE_GIT_IPC_HANDLE:-}" || -n "${VSCODE_PID:-}" ]]; then
        if [[ "${VSCODE_GIT_IPC_HANDLE:-}" == *"Code - Insiders"* ]]; then
            echo "code-insiders"
        else
            echo "code"
        fi
        return
    fi

    # No editor detected
    echo ""
}

# Parse arguments
BRANCH_NAME=""
BASE_BRANCH=""
OPEN_MODE="auto"
RUN_SETUP=true

while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
    case $1 in
        --base)
            BASE_BRANCH="$2"
            shift 2
            ;;
        --no-setup)
            RUN_SETUP=false
            shift
            ;;
        --open)
            # Check if next arg exists and is not a flag
            if [[ -z "${2:-}" || "$2" == -* ]]; then
                # Bare --open flag
                OPEN_MODE="finder"
                shift
            else
                OPEN_MODE="$2"
                shift 2
            fi
            ;;
        -h|--help)
            help
            exit 0
            ;;
        -*)
            echo "Unknown option: $1"
            echo ""
            help
            exit 1
            ;;
        *)
            if [[ -z "$BRANCH_NAME" ]]; then
                BRANCH_NAME="$1"
            else
                echo "Unexpected argument: $1"
                echo ""
                help
                exit 1
            fi
            shift
            ;;
    esac
done

if [[ -z "$BRANCH_NAME" ]]; then
    help
    exit 1
fi

# Get repo root and name
REPO_ROOT=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)
REPO_NAME=$(basename "$REPO_ROOT")

# Default base branch to current branch
if [[ -z "$BASE_BRANCH" ]]; then
    BASE_BRANCH=$(git branch --show-current)
fi

# Calculate worktree path
WORKTREE_DIR="$(dirname "$REPO_ROOT")/${REPO_NAME}.worktrees/${BRANCH_NAME}"

# Create the branch from base (if it doesn't already exist)
if git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/heads/$BRANCH_NAME"; then
    echo "Branch '$BRANCH_NAME' already exists, using existing branch..."
else
    echo "Creating branch '$BRANCH_NAME' from '$BASE_BRANCH'..."
    git branch "$BRANCH_NAME" "$BASE_BRANCH"
fi

# Create the worktree
echo "Creating worktree at '$WORKTREE_DIR'..."
mkdir -p "$(dirname "$WORKTREE_DIR")"
git worktree add "$WORKTREE_DIR" "$BRANCH_NAME"

# Symlink _dev if it exists
if [[ -d "$REPO_ROOT/_dev" ]]; then
    echo "Creating symlink to _dev folder..."
    ln -s "$REPO_ROOT/_dev" "$WORKTREE_DIR/_dev"
fi

# Symlink .claude if it exists in the source repo
if [[ -d "$REPO_ROOT/.claude" ]]; then
    if [[ ! -d "$WORKTREE_DIR/.claude" ]]; then
        # .claude folder doesn't exist in worktree, symlink the entire folder
        echo "Creating symlink to .claude folder..."
        ln -s "$REPO_ROOT/.claude" "$WORKTREE_DIR/.claude"
    else
        # .claude exists in worktree, check for settings.local.json
        if [[ -f "$REPO_ROOT/.claude/settings.local.json" ]] && [[ ! -f "$WORKTREE_DIR/.claude/settings.local.json" ]]; then
            echo "Creating symlink to .claude/settings.local.json..."
            ln -s "$REPO_ROOT/.claude/settings.local.json" "$WORKTREE_DIR/.claude/settings.local.json"
        fi
    fi
fi

echo "Worktree created at: $WORKTREE_DIR"

# Change to worktree directory
cd "$WORKTREE_DIR"

# Run setup commands if applicable
if [[ "$RUN_SETUP" == true ]]; then
    if [[ -f "package.json" ]] && command -v npm &> /dev/null; then
        echo "Running npm install..."
        npm install
    fi

    if [[ -f "pyproject.toml" ]] && command -v uv &> /dev/null; then
        echo "Running uv sync --all-groups..."
        uv sync --all-groups
    fi

    if [[ -f "Makefile" ]] && grep -q '^setup:' Makefile; then
        echo "Running make setup..."
        make setup
    fi
fi

# Determine open command
OPEN_CMD=""
case "$OPEN_MODE" in
    false)
        # Don't open
        ;;
    auto)
        EDITOR=$(auto_detect_editor)
        if [[ -n "$EDITOR" ]]; then
            OPEN_CMD="$EDITOR ."
        fi
        ;;
    finder)
        OPEN_CMD="open ."
        ;;
    *)
        # Custom command
        OPEN_CMD="$OPEN_MODE ."
        ;;
esac

if [[ -n "$OPEN_CMD" ]]; then
    echo "Opening with: $OPEN_CMD"
    $OPEN_CMD
fi

echo ""
echo "To enter the worktree, run:"
echo "  cd \"$WORKTREE_DIR\""
echo ""
echo "To delete this worktree later:"
echo "  git worktree remove \"$WORKTREE_DIR\""

Installation

# Download the script                                                                       
curl -o ~/.local/bin/create-worktree https://gist.githubusercontent.com/gadenbuie/6a9d1b8088
f6bc9154b6c534896bbd25/raw/create-worktree

# Make it executable
chmod +x ~/.local/bin/create-worktree

Make sure ~/.local/bin is in your PATH. Add this to your shell profile if needed:

export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"