The context-switching tax

You're knee-deep in a new feature – state management wired up, widgets looking good, tests passing. Then Slack pings: "Production bug. Needs a hotfix NOW."

You know the drill:

git stash git checkout main git checkout -b hotfix/critical-issue # fix the bug, test it, push it git checkout feature/new-feature git stash pop # pray your IDE catches up

By the time you're back, your IDE is re-indexing, the emulator needs a fresh run, and you've lost your train of thought. The context switch costs 15 minutes minimum.

Worktrees: multiple branches, zero stashing

Git worktrees let you check out different branches in separate directories from the same repo. No stashing, no branch switching, no waiting for IDE re-indexing.

Here's the setup:

# Your main working directory ~/Code/my_app/ # Create a worktree for the hotfix in a parallel directory git worktree add ../my_app-hotfix main

Now you have:

~/Code/my_app/ # Your feature branch (untouched) ~/Code/my_app-hotfix/ # Fresh main branch checkout

Open the hotfix directory in a new IDE window, fix the bug, commit, push. Your feature branch keeps running in the original window. Zero interruption.

Real-world Flutter scenarios

Scenario 1: Code review while working

PM needs you to review a PR but you're mid-refactor with uncommitted changes everywhere.

git worktree add ../my_app-review feature/teammate-pr

Open it, review the code, run the app, leave comments. Your main work stays untouched.

Scenario 2: Compare behavior across branches

"This button worked on main but broke on my branch."

git worktree add ../my_app-main main

Run both apps side-by-side. Instant comparison. No guessing, no stashing.

Scenario 3: Long-running experiments

You want to try a new architecture pattern but don't want to commit to it yet.

git worktree add ../my_app-experiment -b experiment/new-arch

Work on it for days. If it works, merge it. If not, delete the worktree. Your main branch never saw the chaos.

Commands you'll actually use

# Create a new worktree from an existing branch git worktree add <path> <branch> # Create a worktree with a new branch git worktree add <path> -b <new-branch> # List all worktrees git worktree list # Remove a worktree when you're done git worktree remove <path> # or just delete the directory and run git worktree prune

Things to know

• Shared commits: All worktrees share the same repository. A commit in one worktree is visible in all others after a git fetch.
• One branch per worktree: You can't check out the same branch in multiple worktrees. Git prevents this to avoid conflicts.
• IDE quirks: VS Code and Android Studio handle worktrees fine – just open each as a separate window. IntelliJ IDEA might complain about duplicate projects; ignore it.
• pub get runs independently: Each worktree needs its own flutter pub get. They don't share build or .dart_tool folders.

Clean-up

When you're done with a worktree:

git worktree remove ../my_app-hotfix

Or just delete the folder and prune:

rm -rf ../my_app-hotfix git worktree prune

Why this matters

Before worktrees I avoided urgent fixes because the mental overhead of stashing and switching was too high. Now I keep 2-3 worktrees active:

• my_app – main feature work
• my_app-hotfix – quick fixes and reviews
• my_app-experiment – risky ideas

I bounce between them instantly. No stashing. No waiting. No lost context.

If you frequently switch branches or need to compare behavior across branches, worktrees are a game-changer. Try it once and you won't go back.

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For suggestions and queries, just contact me.