[PATCH 3/3] git-worktree.txt: discuss branch-based vs. throwaway worktrees

From: Eric Sunshine <sunshine@sunshineco.com>
Date: Sep 4, 2020, 07:07 UTC
Message-ID: <20200904070703.47898-4-sunshine@sunshineco.com>
In-Reply-To: <20200904070703.47898-1-sunshine@sunshineco.com>

By default, "git worktree add" creates a new worktree associated with a particular branch (which may have been created automatically if not specified explicitly on the command-line). It is also convenient to create throwaway worktrees not associated with any branch, which can be handy when making experimental changes or doing testing. However, the latter use-case may not be obvious to newcomers since the high-level description of worktrees talks only about checking out "more than one branch at a time". Therefore, enhance the description to to discuss both use-cases.

A secondary goal of highlighting the distinction between branch-based and throwaway worktrees is to help newcomers understand that the simplest form `git worktree add <path>` automatically creates a new branch. Stating this early in the description, may help newcomers avoid creating unwanted new branches without being aware that they are doing so, and later wondering why `git branch --list` shows branches the user did not intentionally create.

Signed-off-by: Eric Sunshine <sunshine@sunshineco.com>
---
 Documentation/git-worktree.txt | 12 ++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+)

diff --git a/Documentation/git-worktree.txt b/Documentation/git-worktree.txt
index d252b6873b..1449491c1b 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-worktree.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-worktree.txt
@@ -31,6 +31,18 @@ A repository has one main working tree (if it's not a
 bare repository) and zero or more linked working trees. When you are done
 with a linked working tree, remove it with `git worktree remove`.
 
+In its simplest form, `git worktree add <path>` automatically creates a
+new branch whose name is the final component of `<path>`, which is
+convenient if you plan to work on a new topic. For instance, `git
+worktree add ../hotfix` creates new branch `hotfix` and checks it out at
+path `../hotfix`. To instead work on an existing branch in a new working
+tree, use `git worktree add <path> <branch>`. On the other hand, if you
+just plan to make some experimental changes or do testing without
+disturbing existing development, it is often convenient to create a
+'throwaway' working tree not associated with any branch. For instance,
+`git worktree add -d <path>` creates a new working tree with a detached
+`HEAD` at the same commit as the current branch.
+
 If a working tree is deleted without using `git worktree remove`, then
 its associated administrative files, which reside in the repository
 (see "DETAILS" below), will eventually be removed automatically (see

-- 
2.28.0.618.gf4bc123cb7