worktrunk

# Worktrunk

Help users work with Worktrunk, a CLI tool for managing git worktrees.

## Available Documentation

Reference files are synced from [worktrunk.dev](https://worktrunk.dev) documentation:

- **reference/config.md**: User and project configuration (LLM, hooks, command defaults)
- **reference/hook.md**: Hook types, timing, and execution order
- **reference/switch.md**, **merge.md**, **list.md**, etc.: Command documentation
- **reference/extending.md**: Aliases, multi-step pipelines, custom subcommands, and template-expansion gotchas (two-pass `{% raw %}` deferral, for-each recipes)
- **reference/llm-commits.md**: LLM commit message generation
- **reference/tips-patterns.md**: Practical recipes — aliases, per-branch variables, dev server per worktree, parallel agent patterns
- **reference/shell-integration.md**: Shell integration debugging
- **reference/troubleshooting.md**: Troubleshooting for LLM and hooks (Claude-specific)

For command-specific options, run `wt <command> --help`. For configuration, follow the workflows below.

## Two Types of Configuration

Worktrunk uses two separate config files with different scopes and behaviors:

### User Config (`~/.config/worktrunk/config.toml`)
- **Scope**: Personal preferences for the individual developer
- **Location**: `~/.config/worktrunk/config.toml` (never checked into git)
- **Contains**: LLM integration, worktree path templates, command settings, user hooks, approved commands
- **Permission model**: Always propose changes and get consent before editing
- **See**: `reference/config.md` for detailed guidance

### Project Config (`.config/wt.toml`)
- **Scope**: Team-wide automation shared by all developers
- **Location**: `<repo>/.config/wt.toml` (checked into git)
- **Contains**: Hooks for worktree lifecycle (pre-start, pre-merge, etc.)
- **Permission model**: Proactive (create directly, changes are reversible via git)
- **See**: `reference/hook.md` for detailed guidance

## Determining Which Config to Use

When a user asks for configuration help, determine which type based on:

**User config indicators**:
- "set up LLM" or "configure commit generation"
- "change where worktrees are created"
- "customize commit message templates"
- Affects only their environment

**Project config indicators**:
- "set up hooks for this project"
- "automate npm install"
- "run tests before merge"
- Affects the entire team

**Both configs may be needed**: For example, setting up commit message generation requires user config, but automating quality checks requires project config.

## Core Workflows

### Setting Up Commit Message Generation (User Config)

Most common request. See `reference/llm-commits.md` for supported tools and exact command syntax.

1. **Detect available tools**
   ```bash
   which claude codex llm aichat 2>/dev/null
   ```

2. **If none installed, recommend Claude Code** (already available in Claude Code sessions)

3. **Propose config change** — Get the exact command from `reference/llm-commits.md`
   ```toml
   [commit.generation]
   command = "..."  # see reference/llm-commits.md for tool-specific commands
   ```
   Ask: "Should I add this to your config?"

4. **After approval, apply**
   - Check if config exists: `wt config show`
   - If not, guide through `wt config create`
   - Read, modify, write preserving structure

5. **Suggest testing**
   ```bash
   wt step commit --show-prompt | head  # verify prompt builds
   wt merge  # in a repo with uncommitted changes
   ```

### Setting Up Project Hooks (Project Config)

Common request for workflow automation. Follow discovery process:

1. **Detect project type**
   ```bash
   ls package.json Cargo.toml pyproject.toml
   ```

2. **Identify available commands**
   - For npm: Read `package.json` scripts
   - For Rust: Common cargo commands
   - For Python: Check pyproject.toml

3. **Design appropriate hooks** (10 hook types: 5 events × pre/post — see `reference/hook.md`)
   - Dependencies (fast, must complete) → `pre-start`
   - Tests/linting (must pass) → `pre-commit` or `pre-merge`
   - Long builds, dev servers → `post-start`
   - Setup before branch resolution → `pre-switch`
   - Terminal/IDE updates → `post-switch`
   - After-commit triggers (CI, notifications) → `post-commit`
   - Deployment → `post-merge`
   - Cleanup before removal → `pre-remove`
   - Cleanup after removal (stop servers, remove containers) → `post-remove`

4. **Validate commands work**
   ```bash
   npm run lint  # verify exists
   which cargo   # verify tool exists
   ```

5. **Create `.config/wt.toml`**
   ```toml
   # Install dependencies when creating worktrees
   pre-start = "npm install"

   # Validate code quality before committing
   [pre-commit]
   lint = "npm run lint"
   typecheck = "npm run typecheck"

   # Run tests before merging
   pre-merge = "npm test"
   ```

6. **Add comments explaining choices**

7. **Suggest testing**
   ```bash
   wt switch --create test-hooks
   ```

**See `reference/hook.md` for complete details.**

### Adding Hooks to Existing Config

When users want to add automation to an existing project:

1. **Read existing config**: `cat .config/wt.toml`

2. **Determine hook type** - When should this run? (10 types: 5 events × pre/post)
   - Creating worktree (blocking) → `pre-start`
   - Creating worktree (background) → `post-start`
   - Before/after a switch → `pre-switch` / `post-switch`
   - Before committing → `pre-commit`
   - After committing (CI, notifications) → `post-commit`
   - Before merging → `pre-merge`
   - After merging → `post-merge`
   - Before/after removal → `pre-remove` / `post-remove`

3. **Handle format conversion if needed**

   Single command to a pipeline of dependent steps:
   ```toml
   # Before
   pre-start = "npm install"

   # After (adding db:migrate, which needs install to finish first)
   [[pre-start]]
   install = "npm install"

   [[pre-start]]
   migrate = "npm run db:migrate"
   ```

   For independent commands, a named table runs them co