Feature Development in Git Worktree

Feature Development in Git Worktree

Develop features autonomously in isolated git worktrees, allowing you to work on new features without disrupting your current working directory.

Worktree Location Pattern

All worktrees are created in: ../​dungeons-kotlin-worktree/​{feature-name}

Example:

• Feature: authentication-refactor
• Worktree path: ../​dungeons-kotlin-worktree/​authentication-refactor
• Branch: feature/​authentication-refactor

Workflow Instructions

1. Create Worktree

git worktree add ../​dungeons-kotlin-worktree/​{feature-name} {branch-name}

• Use descriptive feature names (e.g., integration-tests, user-auth, dice-rolling)
• Branch names typically follow: feature/​{feature-name}

2. Work in Isolated Environment

Navigate to worktree and work using absolute paths:

• Edit files in /​Users/​lars/​devel/​playground/​dungeons-kotlin-worktree/​{feature-name}/​...
• Run commands with appropriate working directory context

Permission Strategy:

• Request permissions based on the worktree root directory: ../​dungeons-kotlin-worktree/​{feature-name}
• Do NOT request permissions for subdirectories (e.g., src/​main/​kotlin/, src/​test/​kotlin/)
• This is more efficient - one root-level approval covers all work in the worktree
• Example: Ask for permission to work in ../​dungeons-kotlin-worktree/​character-validation not ../​dungeons-kotlin-worktree/​character-validation/​src/​main/​kotlin/​io/​dungeons/​...

3. Implement Feature

1. Make code changes
2. Write/​update tests
3. Follow project conventions from CLAUDE.md
4. Consult doc/​unit_tests.md for testing guidelines
5. Check doc/​decisions.md for architectural patterns

4. Test Iteratively

cd ../​dungeons-kotlin-worktree/​{feature-name}
./​gradlew clean build
./​gradlew test

• Run tests after each significant change
• Fix failures iteratively
• Rely on Gradle output and test results for error detection
• Continue until all tests pass

5. Commit Changes

git add .
git commit -m "feat: {description}

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/​claude-code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <[email protected]>"

6. Push and Create PR (Optional)

git push -u origin {branch-name}
gh pr create --title "{title}" --body "..."

7. Cleanup When Done

# After merging or abandoning feature
git worktree remove ../​dungeons-kotlin-worktree/​{feature-name}

# If branch should be deleted too
git branch -d {branch-name}

Benefits

• Non-disruptive: Main working directory remains untouched
• Parallel work: Multiple worktrees for different features
• Clean testing: Isolated environment for each feature
• Safe experimentation: Easy to abandon without cleanup
• Full autonomy: Complete implementation cycles without interruption

Important Notes

• Always use absolute paths when working in worktrees
• Each worktree has its own working directory and index
• Worktrees share the same repository and branches
• Don't create worktree for same branch twice
• Clean up worktrees when feature is complete/​merged
• CRITICAL: Request permissions at worktree root level only (e.g., ../​dungeons-kotlin-worktree/​{feature-name}), NOT for subdirectories - this is much more efficient

Tool Limitations in Worktrees

CRITICAL: JetBrains MCP tools are NOT available in worktrees because the worktree project is not open in IntelliJ IDEA.

Unavailable Tools (DO NOT USE):

• ❌ mcp__jetbrains__get_file_problems - Not available
• ❌ mcp__jetbrains__get_run_configurations - Not available
• ❌ mcp__jetbrains__execute_run_configuration - Not available
• ❌ mcp__jetbrains__reformat_file - Not available
• ❌ mcp__jetbrains__find_files_by_* - Not available
• ❌ mcp__jetbrains__search_in_files_* - Not available
• ❌ mcp__jetbrains__get_symbol_info - Not available
• ❌ mcp__jetbrains__rename_refactoring - Not available
• ❌ All other mcp__jetbrains__* tools

Available Tools (USE THESE):

• ✅ Read - Read files directly
• ✅ Write - Create new files
• ✅ Edit - Modify existing files
• ✅ Glob - Find files by pattern
• ✅ Grep - Search file contents
• ✅ Bash - Run gradle, git, and other commands
• ✅ WebSearch / WebFetch - Research documentation

Error Detection Strategy

Since JetBrains tools are unavailable, rely on:

1. Gradle output - Compilation errors and warnings
2. Test results - Test failures and stack traces
3. Manual code review - Read files to verify correctness
4. Grep/​Glob - Search for patterns and potential issues

Example Usage

User: "Implement character creation validation in a worktree"

1. Create: git worktree add ../​dungeons-kotlin-worktree/​character-validation feature/​character-validation
2. Implement validation logic with tests
3. Run: ./​gradlew test until passing
4. Commit and push
5. Create PR
6. Cleanup after merge

Troubleshooting

• "Branch already checked out": Use different branch or remove existing worktree
• Tests fail in worktree: Ensure all dependencies are available (check MongoDB, etc.)
• Path not found: Verify parent directory ../​dungeons-kotlin-worktree/ exists (create if needed)