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[PATCH v4 3/4] ref-filter: name the worktree of a branch being rebased or bisected

From
JMJasper Mayone <me@jaspermayone.com>
Date
Nov 2, 2026, 18:29 UTC
Message-ID
<20261102182930.3511-4-me@jaspermayone.com>
In-Reply-To
<20261102182930.3511-1-me@jaspermayone.com>

%(worktreepath) gives the worktree that has a branch checked out, and "git branch" uses it to mark such branches with "+". It only looks at the HEAD of each worktree, so while a worktree is rebasing or bisecting a branch, its HEAD is detached and the branch shows no worktree at all.

The rest of Git already treats that branch as checked out: "git worktree add" and "git branch -d" refuse it, because finishing the rebase or bisect will check it out again. But no command shows which worktree is working on the branch: "git worktree list" shows such a worktree as "(detached HEAD)", and %(worktreepath) is empty.

branch.c already knows the answer, as prepare_checked_out_branches() records the branch that each worktree has checked out, is rebasing or is bisecting. Add branch_checked_out_worktree() to look a branch up in that list, and use it for %(worktreepath) in place of the map that ref-filter.c builds from the HEAD of each worktree.

The new function skips the branches that "rebase --update-refs" will update. branch_checked_out() includes them, so that they cannot be checked out or deleted during the rebase, but the worktree that runs the rebase has not checked them out. %(worktreepath) therefore stays empty for them, unlike branch_checked_out().

This also changes the result for a bare repository: its HEAD names a branch, and %(worktreepath) used to give the path of the bare repository for that branch. "git branch" in a linked worktree marked the branch with "+", although no worktree has it checked out and "git worktree add" lets you check it out. prepare_checked_out_branches() skips bare repositories, so %(worktreepath) is now empty for that branch and "git branch" no longer marks it.

Reported-by: Kristoffer Haugsbakk <kristofferhaugsbakk@fastmail.com>
Helped-by: Phillip Wood <phillip.wood123@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Jasper Mayone <me@jaspermayone.com>
---
 Documentation/git-branch.adoc       |  6 ++-
 Documentation/git-for-each-ref.adoc |  5 +-
 branch.c                            | 13 +++++
 branch.h                            |  9 ++++
 ref-filter.c                        | 74 ++--------------------------
 t/t3203-branch-output.sh            | 29 +++++++++++
 t/t6302-for-each-ref-filter.sh      | 76 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 7 files changed, 138 insertions(+), 74 deletions(-)
diff --git a/Documentation/git-branch.adoc b/Documentation/git-branch.adoc
index bfdf459329..510b0afc74 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-branch.adoc
+++ b/Documentation/git-branch.adoc
@@ -33,8 +33,10 @@ DESCRIPTION
 If `--list` is given, or if there are no non-option arguments, existing
 branches are listed; the current branch will be highlighted in green and
 marked with an asterisk.  Any branches checked out in linked worktrees will
-be highlighted in cyan and marked with a plus sign. Option `-r` causes the
-remote-tracking branches to be listed,
+be highlighted in cyan and marked with a plus sign. A branch that a
+worktree is rebasing or bisecting counts as checked out in that
+worktree, so the other worktrees mark it in the same way. Option `-r`
+causes the remote-tracking branches to be listed,
 and option `-a` shows both local and remote branches.
 
 If a `<pattern>`
diff --git a/Documentation/git-for-each-ref.adoc b/Documentation/git-for-each-ref.adoc
index 9247737aa7..4456b4809a 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-for-each-ref.adoc
+++ b/Documentation/git-for-each-ref.adoc
@@ -182,7 +182,10 @@ but if used together the last option is selected.
 
 `worktreepath`::
 	The absolute path to the worktree in which the ref is checked
-	out, if it is checked out in any linked worktree. Empty string
+	out, if it is checked out in any linked worktree. A branch that
+	a worktree is rebasing or bisecting counts as checked out there,
+	although that worktree's `HEAD` is detached. A branch that
+	`git rebase --update-refs` will update does not. Empty string
 	otherwise. If the ref is checked out in more than one worktree,
 	only one of them is shown. The path can contain a newline, so
 	use one of the quoting options such as `--shell`, or follow
diff --git a/branch.c b/branch.c
index 5bb1c28915..8dab72d857 100644
--- a/branch.c
+++ b/branch.c
@@ -485,6 +485,19 @@ const char *branch_checked_out(const char *refname)
 	return strmap_get(&current_checked_out_branches, refname);
 }
 
+const char *branch_checked_out_worktree(const char *refname)
+{
+	const char *path = NULL;
+
+	prepare_checked_out_branches();
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < checked_out_branches_nr; i++) {
+		if (checked_out_branches[i].kind != BRANCH_CHECKOUT_KIND_UPDATE_REF &&
+		    !strcmp(refname, checked_out_branches[i].refname))
+			path = checked_out_branches[i].path;
+	}
+	return path;
+}
+
 const char *branch_bisecting(const char *refname)
 {
 	prepare_checked_out_branches();
diff --git a/branch.h b/branch.h
index 95b2431f24..60cb92a3e4 100644
--- a/branch.h
+++ b/branch.h
@@ -106,6 +106,15 @@ void create_branches_recursively(struct repository *r, const char *name,
  */
 const char *branch_checked_out(const char *refname);
 
+/*
+ * If a worktree has the branch 'refname' checked out, or is rebasing or
+ * bisecting it, return the path of that worktree, or of the last one if
+ * there are more. Otherwise return NULL. Unlike branch_checked_out(),
+ * this ignores the branches that "git rebase --update-refs" will
+ * update, because no worktree has them checked out.
+ */
+const char *branch_checked_out_worktree(const char *refname);
+
 /*
  * If the branch at 'refname' is currently used for bisecting in a
  * worktree, then return the path to that worktree.
diff --git a/ref-filter.c b/ref-filter.c
index bdf54f6f59..b636e56199 100644
--- a/ref-filter.c
+++ b/ref-filter.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define DISABLE_SIGN_COMPARE_WARNINGS
 
 #include "git-compat-util.h"
+#include "branch.h"
 #include "environment.h"
 #include "gettext.h"
 #include "config.h"
@@ -95,30 +96,6 @@ static struct expand_data {
 	struct object_info info;
 } oi, oi_deref;
 
-struct ref_to_worktree_entry {
-	struct hashmap_entry ent;
-	struct worktree *wt; /* key is wt->head_ref */
-};
-
-static int ref_to_worktree_map_cmpfnc(const void *lookupdata UNUSED,
-				      const struct hashmap_entry *eptr,
-				      const struct hashmap_entry *kptr,
-				      const void *keydata_aka_refname)
-{
-	const struct ref_to_worktree_entry *e, *k;
-
-	e = container_of(eptr, const struct ref_to_worktree_entry, ent);
-	k = container_of(kptr, const struct ref_to_worktree_entry, ent);
-
-	return strcmp(e->wt->head_ref,
-		keydata_aka_refname ? keydata_aka_refname : k->wt->head_ref);
-}
-
-static struct ref_to_worktree_map {
-	struct hashmap map;
-	struct worktree **worktrees;
-} ref_to_worktree_map;
-
 /*
  * The enum atom_type is used as the index of valid_atom array.
  * In the atom parsing stage, it will be passed to used_atom.atom_type
@@ -2380,49 +2357,11 @@ static int get_object(struct ref_array_item *ref, int deref,
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static void populate_worktree_map(struct hashmap *map, struct worktree **worktrees)
-{
-	int i;
-
-	for (i = 0; worktrees[i]; i++) {
-		if (worktrees[i]->head_ref) {
-			struct ref_to_worktree_entry *entry;
-			entry = xmalloc(sizeof(*entry));
-			entry->wt = worktrees[i];
-			hashmap_entry_init(&entry->ent,
-					strhash(worktrees[i]->head_ref));
-
-			hashmap_add(map, &entry->ent);
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-static void lazy_init_worktree_map(void)
-{
-	if (ref_to_worktree_map.worktrees)
-		return;
-
-	ref_to_worktree_map.worktrees = get_worktrees(the_repository);
-	hashmap_init(&(ref_to_worktree_map.map), ref_to_worktree_map_cmpfnc, NULL, 0);
-	populate_worktree_map(&(ref_to_worktree_map.map), ref_to_worktree_map.worktrees);
-}
-
 static char *get_worktree_path(const struct ref_array_item *ref)
 {
-	struct hashmap_entry entry, *e;
-	struct ref_to_worktree_entry *lookup_result;
+	const char *path = branch_checked_out_worktree(ref->refname);
 
-	lazy_init_worktree_map();
-
-	hashmap_entry_init(&entry, strhash(ref->refname));
-	e = hashmap_get(&(ref_to_worktree_map.map), &entry, ref->refname);
-
-	if (!e)
-		return xstrdup("");
-
-	lookup_result = container_of(e, struct ref_to_worktree_entry, ent);
-
-	return xstrdup(lookup_result->wt->path);
+	return xstrdup(path ? path : "");
 }
 
 /*
@@ -3195,13 +3134,6 @@ void ref_array_clear(struct ref_array *array)
 	FREE_AND_NULL(used_atom);
 	used_atom_cnt = 0;
 
-	if (ref_to_worktree_map.worktrees) {
-		hashmap_clear_and_free(&(ref_to_worktree_map.map),
-					struct ref_to_worktree_entry, ent);
-		free_worktrees(ref_to_worktree_map.worktrees);
-		ref_to_worktree_map.worktrees = NULL;
-	}
-
 	FREE_AND_NULL(array->counts);
 }
 
diff --git a/t/t3203-branch-output.sh b/t/t3203-branch-output.sh
index 7c44186341..debfac5f26 100755
--- a/t/t3203-branch-output.sh
+++ b/t/t3203-branch-output.sh
@@ -442,6 +442,35 @@ test_expect_success 'worktree colors correct' '
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'branch being rebased in a worktree is marked' '
+	test_when_finished "git -C rebase_dir rebase --abort; rm -rf rebase_dir; git worktree prune; git branch -D rebasing" &&
+	git worktree add -b rebasing rebase_dir branch-two &&
+	(
+		cd rebase_dir &&
+		git commit --allow-empty -m rebase-me &&
+		test_must_fail git rebase -f -x false HEAD~1 &&
+		test_must_fail git symbolic-ref -q HEAD
+	) &&
+	git branch --list rebasing >actual &&
+	echo "+ rebasing" >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'branch being bisected in a worktree is marked' '
+	test_when_finished "git -C bisect_dir bisect reset; rm -rf bisect_dir; git worktree prune; git branch -D bisecting" &&
+	git worktree add -b bisecting bisect_dir branch-two &&
+	(
+		cd bisect_dir &&
+		git commit --allow-empty -m bisect-one &&
+		git commit --allow-empty -m bisect-two &&
+		git bisect start HEAD HEAD~2 &&
+		test_must_fail git symbolic-ref -q HEAD
+	) &&
+	git branch --list bisecting >actual &&
+	echo "+ bisecting" >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
 test_expect_success "set up color tests" '
 	echo "<RED>main<RESET>" >expect.color &&
 	echo "main" >expect.bare &&
diff --git a/t/t6302-for-each-ref-filter.sh b/t/t6302-for-each-ref-filter.sh
index 7f060d97bf..317ed6f6cd 100755
--- a/t/t6302-for-each-ref-filter.sh
+++ b/t/t6302-for-each-ref-filter.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 test_description='test for-each-refs usage of ref-filter APIs'
 
 . ./test-lib.sh
+. "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/lib-rebase.sh
 . "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/lib-gpg.sh
 
 test_expect_success 'setup some history and refs' '
@@ -541,6 +542,81 @@ test_expect_success 'validate worktree atom' '
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'worktree atom names a worktree rebasing the branch' '
+	test_when_finished "git -C rebasing rebase --abort; rm -rf rebasing; git worktree prune; git branch -D rebasing" &&
+	git worktree add -b rebasing rebasing main &&
+	git -C rebasing commit --allow-empty -m rebase-me &&
+	test_must_fail git -C rebasing rebase -f -x false main &&
+	test_must_fail git -C rebasing symbolic-ref -q HEAD &&
+	echo "$(pwd)/rebasing" >expect &&
+	git for-each-ref --format="%(worktreepath)" refs/heads/rebasing >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'worktree atom names a worktree bisecting the branch' '
+	test_when_finished "git -C bisecting bisect reset; rm -rf bisecting; git worktree prune; git branch -D bisecting" &&
+	git worktree add -b bisecting bisecting main &&
+	git -C bisecting commit --allow-empty -m bisect-one &&
+	git -C bisecting commit --allow-empty -m bisect-two &&
+	git -C bisecting bisect start HEAD main &&
+	test_must_fail git -C bisecting symbolic-ref -q HEAD &&
+	echo "$(pwd)/bisecting" >expect &&
+	git for-each-ref --format="%(worktreepath)" refs/heads/bisecting >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'worktree atom with an interactive rebase stopped at edit' '
+	test_when_finished "git -C editing rebase --abort; rm -rf editing; git worktree prune; git branch -D editing" &&
+	git worktree add -b editing editing main &&
+	git -C editing commit --allow-empty -m edit-me &&
+	(
+		set_fake_editor &&
+		FAKE_LINES="edit 1" git -C editing rebase -i --keep-empty HEAD~1
+	) &&
+	test_must_fail git -C editing symbolic-ref -q HEAD &&
+	echo "$(pwd)/editing" >expect &&
+	git for-each-ref --format="%(worktreepath)" refs/heads/editing >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'worktree atom ignores branches rebase --update-refs will move' '
+	test_when_finished "git -C updating rebase --abort; rm -rf updating; git worktree prune; git branch -D updating mid" &&
+	git worktree add -b updating updating main &&
+	git -C updating commit --allow-empty -m one &&
+	git -C updating branch mid &&
+	git -C updating commit --allow-empty -m two &&
+	test_must_fail git -C updating rebase -f --update-refs -x false main &&
+	git for-each-ref --format="%(refname:short) [%(worktreepath)]" \
+		refs/heads/updating refs/heads/mid >actual &&
+	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
+	mid []
+	updating [$(pwd)/updating]
+	EOF
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'worktree atom ignores a rebase of a detached HEAD' '
+	test_when_finished "git -C detached-rebase rebase --abort; rm -rf detached-rebase; git worktree prune" &&
+	git worktree add --detach detached-rebase main &&
+	git -C detached-rebase commit --allow-empty -m detached &&
+	test_must_fail git -C detached-rebase rebase -f -x false main &&
+	git for-each-ref --format="%(worktreepath)" refs/heads/ >actual &&
+	test_grep ! detached-rebase actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'worktree atom ignores the HEAD of a bare repository' '
+	test_when_finished "rm -rf bare.git bare-wt" &&
+	git clone --bare . bare.git &&
+	git -C bare.git symbolic-ref HEAD refs/heads/main &&
+	git -C bare.git worktree add --detach ../bare-wt main &&
+	git -C bare.git for-each-ref --format="%(worktreepath)" refs/heads/main >actual &&
+	echo >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect actual &&
+	git -C bare-wt branch --list main >actual &&
+	echo "  main" >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'start after with empty value' '
 	cat >expect <<-\EOF &&
 	refs/heads/main
-- 
2.56.0
Previous: Jasper MayoneNext: Jasper Mayone
Message 28 of 33 in “worktree list: add --merged and --no-merged”
  1. 0/1 worktree list: add --merged and --no-mergedJasper Mayone, Oct 21, 2026
  2. 1/1 worktree list: add --merged and --no-mergedJasper Mayone, Oct 21, 2026
  3. Junio C HamanoOct 23, 2026
  4. Eric SunshineOct 24, 2026
  5. worktree list: add --branch to select worktrees by branchJasper Mayone, Oct 24, 2026
  6. Phillip WoodOct 25, 2026
  7. Phillip WoodOct 26, 2026
  8. Eric SunshineOct 28, 2026
  9. Junio C HamanoOct 28, 2026
  10. Kristoffer HaugsbakkOct 28, 2026
  11. Jasper MayoneOct 29, 2026
  12. Eric SunshineOct 29, 2026
  13. Phillip WoodOct 29, 2026
  14. Ben KnobleOct 29, 2026
  15. Phillip WoodOct 29, 2026
  16. 0/2 worktree: treat a branch being rebased or bisected as checked outJasper Mayone, Oct 30, 2026
  17. 1/2 worktree remove: refuse a worktree in the middle of a rebase or bisectJasper Mayone, Oct 30, 2026
  18. Phillip WoodNov 2, 2026
  19. Jasper MayoneNov 2, 2026
  20. 2/2 ref-filter: name the worktree of a branch being rebased or bisectedJasper Mayone, Oct 30, 2026
  21. Phillip WoodNov 2, 2026
  22. Jasper MayoneNov 2, 2026
  23. Junio C HamanoOct 30, 2026
  24. Jasper MayoneOct 30, 2026
  25. 0/4 worktree: treat a branch being rebased or bisected as checked outJasper Mayone, Nov 2, 2026
  26. 1/4 worktree remove: refuse a worktree in the middle of an operationJasper Mayone, Nov 2, 2026
  27. 2/4 doc: for-each-ref: say how to read %(worktreepath) safelyJasper Mayone, Nov 2, 2026
  28. 3/4 ref-filter: name the worktree of a branch being rebased or bisectedJasper Mayone, Nov 2, 2026
  29. 4/4 branch: do not mark the branch the current worktree is rebasingJasper Mayone, Nov 2, 2026
  30. Harald NordgrenOct 21, 2026
  31. Junio C HamanoOct 21, 2026
  32. Harald NordgrenOct 22, 2026
  33. Kristoffer HaugsbakkOct 22, 2026

Read the whole thread, see it on lore, or plain text.

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