Worktree workflow

[Soleone]

I am used to the way herdr handles worktrees. I really like that I just needed Leader key + Shift + g to create a new worktree and then name the branch (e.g. i just call them, 2, 3, ...), and then from the main workspace i can just navigate down through the worktree workspaces. And I can even fold main and hide the other worktree if I'm not actively working in that project.

In tuios it seems to be set up to automatically create sessions? Generally I'm used to only using a single session.

For additional context, I have both in herdr and now tuios assigned Alt + Shift + arrows to move between workspaces, just Alt + arrows to move between panes. In herdr I often have around 8 projects open across 8 workspaces and then some with multiple worktrees so a few more workspaces.

Am I missing something, e.g. that you should use multiple sessions, meaning I need another layer of switching? There it would make sense though to me that one project with multiple worktrees would be in the same session.

[Gaurav-Gosain]

Hey @Soleone, great question, and you're not missing much. The names just line up differently.

In tuios, a session is closest to a herdr workspace, and each git worktree gets its own session. Workspaces 1 to 9 in tuios are a layer inside a session, more like virtual desktops for its panes. So for your setup, one session per project, and one more per worktree, is the intended shape.

The rail's sessions tree already groups worktree sessions under their repository, labelled by branch, and you can fold a repo's group to hide its worktrees. To make one:

• tuios worktree new 2 from inside the repo, or
• right-click the repo's header in the sessions tree and pick New worktree...

To move between them, next_session and prev_session are on Alt+Shift+N and Alt+Shift+P by default. You could bind them to Alt+Shift+Up and Down to match what you have now:

[keybindings.global]
next_session = ["alt+shift+down"]
prev_session = ["alt+shift+up"]

Two gaps compared to herdr, and both are coming:

• Today the repo's main checkout sits outside its group, so you can't walk "down" from main into the worktrees. feat: optional main-checkout grouping in the rail's sessions tree #1157 adds appearance.sidebar.group_main = true, which puts main at the top of the group.
• There's no key yet that makes a worktree and asks for the branch name, the way Leader+Shift+G does in herdr. I'll add one.

Let me know how it feels after that. Running 8 projects plus worktrees is exactly the kind of setup I want this to handle well.

[Gaurav-Gosain]

@Soleone the worktree key is in main now: Ctrl+B U (the action is new_worktree, so you can rebind it). It asks for a branch name, makes the worktree and a session in it for the repo your focused pane is in, groups it under the repo in the sidebar, and switches you over. G was already the go-to picker here, so U it is. Let me know how it feels coming from herdr!

[Soleone]

Awesome, thank you so much for the thoughtful explanation and the speedy implementation of the missing feature for that flow! I tested it and works great. Just re-organizing everything but so far it's looking really good!

[Gaurav-Gosain]

@Soleone so glad it works for you, thanks for trying it so quickly! Main sitting at the top of its worktree group is still in #1157, and I'll ping you here once it lands.

[Gaurav-Gosain]

@Soleone #1157 just landed, so main can now sit at the top of its worktree group (group_main, thanks to @vvicaretti). It will be in the next release, or you can try it from main now.

[Gaurav-Gosain]

Closing this since the whole flow is in: Ctrl+B U makes a worktree and its session, and group_main (thanks to @vvicaretti) keeps main at the top of the repo's group in the rail. Both are in the current release. Thanks @Soleone for trying it so quickly, and open a new thread if anything else from your herdr setup is missing!