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[PATCH v9 0/4] worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch name

From
Yoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget <gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
Date
Aug 26, 2026, 10:45 UTC
Message-ID
<pull.2197.v9.git.1787741111.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To
<pull.2197.git.1786177301832.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>

'git worktree add ../foo-dir bar-topic' fails to dwim when there are multiple remote branches with name `bar-topic'. But it doesn't display meaningful message as 'git checkout bar-topic' does under the same situation.

We improve this by adding advice and modify the error message for worktree add.

By Junio's suggestion, we include matched remote names in the advice. It is applied to checkout, too.

We also fix the behavior of --guess-remote when there are multiple matches.
Changes from the previous patch:
 * move advise_disambiguating_remotes() definition upper in the 3rd commit
Yoichi NAKAYAMA (4):
  checkout: extract function to display advice for ambiguous remotes
  checkout: improve message for ambiguous remote branch name
  worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch name
  worktree add: treat multiple matches with --guess-remote as an error
 Documentation/config/worktree.adoc |  5 +-
 Documentation/git-worktree.adoc    |  4 +-
 builtin/checkout.c                 | 76 ++++++++++++++++++------------
 builtin/worktree.c                 | 57 +++++++++++++++++++---
 checkout.c                         | 14 +++++-
 checkout.h                         |  5 +-
 t/t2400-worktree-add.sh            | 17 ++++++-
 7 files changed, 134 insertions(+), 44 deletions(-)
base-commit: dea0ea3582e6980ddbc1173cc8e3e9f9db91cde0
Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-2197%2Fyoichi%2Fimprove-worktree-add-error-message-v9
Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-2197/yoichi/improve-worktree-add-error-message-v9
Pull-Request: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/pull/2197
Range-diff vs v8:
 1:  e3f7d88520 = 1:  e3f7d88520 checkout: extract function to display advice for ambiguous remotes
 2:  89c0f4d303 = 2:  89c0f4d303 checkout: improve message for ambiguous remote branch name
 3:  095a5796d4 ! 3:  1010ac3295 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch name
     @@ Commit message
          Signed-off-by: Yoichi NAKAYAMA <yoichi.nakayama@gmail.com>
      
       ## builtin/worktree.c ##
     -@@ builtin/worktree.c: static char *dwim_branch(const char *path, char **new_branch)
     - 	return NULL;
     +@@ builtin/worktree.c: static int dwim_orphan(const struct add_opts *opts, int opt_track, int remote)
     + 	return 1;
       }
       
      +static void advise_disambiguating_remotes(const char *path, const char *branch,
     @@ builtin/worktree.c: static char *dwim_branch(const char *path, char **new_branch
      +	       branch, path, branch);
      +}
      +
     - static int add(int ac, const char **av, const char *prefix,
     - 	       struct repository *repo UNUSED)
     + static char *dwim_branch(const char *path, char **new_branch)
       {
     + 	int n;
      @@ builtin/worktree.c: static int add(int ac, const char **av, const char *prefix,
       		/* DWIM: Infer --orphan when repo has no refs. */
       		opts.orphan = (!s) && dwim_orphan(&opts, !!opt_track, 1);
 4:  927856e0a0 ! 4:  edb88b658a worktree add: treat multiple matches with --guess-remote as an error
     @@ Documentation/git-worktree.adoc: To remove a locked worktree, specify `--force`
       `worktree.guessRemote` config option.
      
       ## builtin/worktree.c ##
     -@@ builtin/worktree.c: static int dwim_orphan(const struct add_opts *opts, int opt_track, int remote)
     - 	return 1;
     +@@ builtin/worktree.c: static void advise_disambiguating_remotes(const char *path, const char *branch,
     + 	       branch, path, branch);
       }
       
      -static char *dwim_branch(const char *path, char **new_branch)
     -+static void advise_disambiguating_remotes(const char *path, const char *branch,
     -+					  const struct string_list *matched_remote_names)
     -+{
     -+	struct string_list_item *item;
     -+
     -+	advise(_("Branch name '%s' appears in multiple remotes:"), branch);
     -+	for_each_string_list_item(item, matched_remote_names) {
     -+		advise(_("  %s"), item->string);
     -+	}
     -+	advise(_("If you meant to create a worktree from a remote tracking branch on\n"
     -+		 "<remote>, you can do so by:\n"
     -+		 "\n"
     -+		 "    git worktree add -b %s %s <remote>/%s\n"
     -+		 "\n"
     -+		 "If you'd like to always prefer some remote, e.g. 'origin',\n"
     -+		 "consider setting checkout.defaultRemote=origin in your config."),
     -+	       branch, path, branch);
     -+}
     -+
      +static char *dwim_branch(const struct add_opts *opts, const char *path, char **new_branch)
       {
       	int n;
     @@ builtin/worktree.c: static char *dwim_branch(const char *path, char **new_branch
       		return remote;
       	}
       	return NULL;
     - }
     - 
     --static void advise_disambiguating_remotes(const char *path, const char *branch,
     --					  const struct string_list *matched_remote_names)
     --{
     --	struct string_list_item *item;
     --
     --	advise(_("Branch name '%s' appears in multiple remotes:"), branch);
     --	for_each_string_list_item(item, matched_remote_names) {
     --		advise(_("  %s"), item->string);
     --	}
     --	advise(_("If you meant to create a worktree from a remote tracking branch on\n"
     --		 "<remote>, you can do so by:\n"
     --		 "\n"
     --		 "    git worktree add -b %s %s <remote>/%s\n"
     --		 "\n"
     --		 "If you'd like to always prefer some remote, e.g. 'origin',\n"
     --		 "consider setting checkout.defaultRemote=origin in your config."),
     --	       branch, path, branch);
     --}
     --
     - static int add(int ac, const char **av, const char *prefix,
     - 	       struct repository *repo UNUSED)
     - {
      @@ builtin/worktree.c: static int add(int ac, const char **av, const char *prefix,
       		opts.orphan = dwim_orphan(&opts, !!opt_track, 0);
       	} else if (ac < 2) {
-- 
gitgitgadget
Previous: Junio C HamanoNext: Yoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget
Message 50 of 62 in “worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch name”
  1. worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 8, 2026
  2. Junio C HamanoAug 8, 2026
  3. Junio C HamanoAug 8, 2026
  4. Harald NordgrenAug 9, 2026
  5. Junio C HamanoAug 9, 2026
  6. Harald NordgrenAug 10, 2026
  7. Junio C HamanoAug 9, 2026
  8. Yoichi NakayamaAug 10, 2026
  9. Yoichi NakayamaAug 10, 2026
  10. D. Ben KnobleAug 10, 2026
  11. Yoichi NakayamaAug 10, 2026
  12. Junio C HamanoAug 10, 2026
  13. Yoichi NakayamaAug 10, 2026
  14. Ben KnobleAug 11, 2026
  15. Yoichi NakayamaAug 12, 2026
  16. worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 10, 2026
  17. worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 10, 2026
  18. Junio C HamanoAug 11, 2026
  19. Yoichi NakayamaAug 11, 2026
  20. Junio C HamanoAug 12, 2026
  21. Yoichi NakayamaAug 15, 2026
  22. worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 11, 2026
  23. 0/2 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 19, 2026
  24. 1/2 checkout: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 19, 2026
  25. D. Ben KnobleAug 19, 2026
  26. Junio C HamanoAug 20, 2026
  27. Yoichi NakayamaAug 20, 2026
  28. 2/2 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 19, 2026
  29. 0/3 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 20, 2026
  30. 1/3 checkout: extract function to display advice for ambiguous remotesYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 20, 2026
  31. 2/3 checkout: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 20, 2026
  32. 3/3 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 20, 2026
  33. Junio C HamanoAug 21, 2026
  34. Yoichi NakayamaAug 21, 2026
  35. Junio C HamanoAug 21, 2026
  36. Yoichi NakayamaAug 22, 2026
  37. Junio C HamanoAug 22, 2026
  38. Yoichi NakayamaAug 24, 2026
  39. 0/3 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 22, 2026
  40. 1/3 checkout: extract function to display advice for ambiguous remotesYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 22, 2026
  41. 2/3 checkout: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 22, 2026
  42. 3/3 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 22, 2026
  43. Junio C HamanoAug 22, 2026
  44. 0/4 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2026
  45. 1/4 checkout: extract function to display advice for ambiguous remotesYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2026
  46. 2/4 checkout: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2026
  47. 3/4 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2026
  48. 4/4 worktree add: treat multiple matches with --guess-remote as an errorYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 25, 2026
  49. Junio C HamanoAug 25, 2026
  50. 0/4 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 26, 2026
  51. 1/4 checkout: extract function to display advice for ambiguous remotesYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 26, 2026
  52. Junio C HamanoAug 26, 2026
  53. 2/4 checkout: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 26, 2026
  54. Junio C HamanoAug 26, 2026
  55. 3/4 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 26, 2026
  56. 4/4 worktree add: treat multiple matches with --guess-remote as an errorYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 26, 2026
  57. 0/4 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 27, 2026
  58. 1/4 checkout: extract function to display advice for ambiguous remotesYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 27, 2026
  59. 2/4 checkout: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 27, 2026
  60. 3/4 worktree add: improve message for ambiguous remote branch nameYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 27, 2026
  61. 4/4 worktree add: treat multiple matches with --guess-remote as an errorYoichi NAKAYAMA via GitGitGadget, Aug 27, 2026
  62. Junio C HamanoAug 27, 2026

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