Devspace

CLI tool to create and manage git worktrees.

Workflow • Installation • Usage • Contribution • Roadmap

Workflow

It simplifies working in multiple git repositories, and multiple PRs in each repository. Where each PR has a separate git worktree for ease of switching between the PRs.

The idea is to simplify context switching between open PRs by having all the git worktrees visible and manageable in single place.

Devspace assumes repositories are stored under a single directory (DEVSPACE_REPOS_DIR), and there is a separate directory (DEVSPACE_WORKTREES_DIR) for storing the worktrees.

.
├── repositories_dir
│   ├── backend-repo
│   ├── frontend-repo
│   └── infra-repo
└── worktrees_dir

The repositories directories should contain the updated trunk branch (could be main or master, or staging). When a new worktree is created in devspace, it will be based on the trunk branch checked out in the git repository directory.

Assume, there is a new feature to add a button in the UI, and that button requires a new endpoint in the backend. Worktrees can be created as below:

• In the frontend-repo, create new wortkree with a branch named add-new-button-to-the-ui.
• and, in the backend-repo, create new wortkree with a branch named add-backend-api-for-the-new-button.

When these worktrees are created by devspace they will be stored under the worktrees_dir as below:

└── worktrees_dir
    ├── backend-repo
    │   └── add-backend-api-for-the-new-button
    └── frontend-repo
        └── add-new-button-to-the-ui

To switch between the worktrees, from devspace select the worktree, and the full path for the worktree will be copied to the clipboard.

Installation

Clone the repo and inside the root directory run: cargo install --path . --locked

This command should install the binary in $HOME/.cargo/bin/devspace.

Usage

Run devspace from any directory with the below CLI options, or define the environment variables and just run it without any CLI option:

• --repos-dir: the directory where the repositories are stored (or set DEVSPACE_REPOS_DIR env variable)
• --worktrees-dir: the directory where the worktrees will be stored (or set DEVSPACE_WORKTREES_DIR env variable).

Keybindings

Each screen is treated as a separate mode. By default, devspace starts in the Worktrees Mode.

Worktrees Mode

Lists the worktrees that exist under the worktrees directory.

Keybinding	Description
Ctrl + N or Down Arrow	Move down in the list
Ctrl + P or Up Arrow	Move up in the list
Ctrl + D	Switch to Repositories Mode
Enter	Copy the full path of the selected worktree to the clipboard and exit

Repositories Mode

Lists the repositories that exist under the repositories directory.

Keybinding	Description
Ctrl + N or Down Arrow	Move down in the list
Ctrl + P or Up Arrow	Move up in the list
Enter	Select the current repository and switch to the New Worktree Mode

New Worktree Mode

Creates new worktree in the selected repository.

Keybinding	Description
Enter	Create new worktree with the provided branch name in the selected repository and switch to Worktrees Mode

Contribution

So far there are no specific rules for contributions. Pull requests are very welcome. Feel free to checkout the repo and submit new PRs for fixes or new feature requests.

Roadmap

• Create new worktrees.
• Delete worktrees.
• Show the status of worktrees (e.g. stale, active ...etc.).
• Add metadata to worktrees, e.g. JIRA links, PR links ...etc.

More features might be added in the future.