checkout: support checking out into a new working directory

"git checkout --to" sets up a new working directory with a .git file
pointing to $GIT_DIR/worktrees/<id>. It then executes "git checkout"
again on the new worktree with the same arguments except "--to" is
taken out. The second checkout execution, which is not contaminated
with any info from the current repository, will actually check out and
everything that normal "git checkout" does.

Helped-by: Marc Branchaud <marcnarc@xiplink.com>
Signed-off-by: Nguyễn Thái Ngọc Duy <pclouds@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>

Documentation/git-checkout.txt

@@ -225,6 +225,13 @@ This means that you can use `git checkout -p` to selectively discard
 edits from your current working tree. See the ``Interactive Mode''
 section of linkgit:git-add[1] to learn how to operate the `--patch` mode.
 
+--to=<path>::
+	Check out a branch in a separate working directory at
+	`<path>`. A new working directory is linked to the current
+	repository, sharing everything except working directory
+	specific files such as HEAD, index... See "MULTIPLE WORKING
+	TREES" section for more information.
+
 <branch>::
 	Branch to checkout; if it refers to a branch (i.e., a name that,
 	when prepended with "refs/heads/", is a valid ref), then that
@@ -388,6 +395,45 @@ $ git reflog -2 HEAD # or
 $ git log -g -2 HEAD
 ------------
 
+MULTIPLE WORKING TREES
+----------------------
+
+A git repository can support multiple working trees, allowing you to check
+out more than one branch at a time.  With `git checkout --to` a new working
+tree is associated with the repository.  This new working tree is called a
+"linked working tree" as opposed to the "main working tree" prepared by "git
+init" or "git clone".  A repository has one main working tree (if it's not a
+bare repository) and zero or more linked working trees.
+
+Each linked working tree has a private sub-directory in the repository's
+$GIT_DIR/worktrees directory.  The private sub-directory's name is usually
+the base name of the linked working tree's path, possibly appended with a
+number to make it unique.  For example, when `$GIT_DIR=/path/main/.git` the
+command `git checkout --to /path/other/test-next next` creates the linked
+working tree in `/path/other/test-next` and also creates a
+`$GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next` directory (or `$GIT_DIR/worktrees/test-next1`
+if `test-next` is already taken).
+
+Within a linked working tree, $GIT_DIR is set to point to this private
+directory (e.g. `/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next` in the example) and
+$GIT_COMMON_DIR is set to point back to the main working tree's $GIT_DIR
+(e.g. `/path/main/.git`). These settings are made in a `.git` file located at
+the top directory of the linked working tree.
+
+Path resolution via `git rev-parse --git-path` uses either
+$GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR depending on the path. For example, in the
+linked working tree `git rev-parse --git-path HEAD` returns
+`/path/main/.git/worktrees/test-next/HEAD` (not
+`/path/other/test-next/.git/HEAD` or `/path/main/.git/HEAD`) while `git
+rev-parse --git-path refs/heads/master` uses
+$GIT_COMMON_DIR and returns `/path/main/.git/refs/heads/master`,
+since refs are shared across all working trees.
+
+See linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] for more information. The rule of
+thumb is do not make any assumption about whether a path belongs to
+$GIT_DIR or $GIT_COMMON_DIR when you need to directly access something
+inside $GIT_DIR. Use `git rev-parse --git-path` to get the final path.
+
 EXAMPLES
 --------
 

Documentation/git.txt

@@ -813,7 +813,8 @@ Git so take care if using Cogito etc.
 	If this variable is set to a path, non-worktree files that are
 	normally in $GIT_DIR will be taken from this path
 	instead. Worktree-specific files such as HEAD or index are
-	taken from $GIT_DIR. See linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] for
+	taken from $GIT_DIR. See linkgit:gitrepository-layout[5] and
+	the section 'MULTIPLE CHECKOUT MODE' in linkgit:checkout[1]
 	details. This variable has lower precedence than other path
 	variables such as GIT_INDEX_FILE, GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY...
 

Documentation/gitrepository-layout.txt

@@ -252,6 +252,13 @@ modules::
 	directory is ignored if $GIT_COMMON_DIR is set and
 	"$GIT_COMMON_DIR/modules" will be used instead.
 
+worktrees::
+	Contains worktree specific information of linked
+	checkouts. Each subdirectory contains the worktree-related
+	part of a linked checkout. This directory is ignored if
+	$GIT_COMMON_DIR is set and "$GIT_COMMON_DIR/worktrees" will be
+	used instead.
+
 SEE ALSO
 --------
 linkgit:git-init[1],

builtin/checkout.c

@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ struct checkout_opts {
 	const char *prefix;
 	struct pathspec pathspec;
 	struct tree *source_tree;
+
+	const char *new_worktree;
+	const char **saved_argv;
+	int new_worktree_mode;
 };
 
 static int post_checkout_hook(struct commit *old, struct commit *new,
@@ -249,6 +253,9 @@ static int checkout_paths(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 		die(_("Cannot update paths and switch to branch '%s' at the same time."),
 		    opts->new_branch);
 
+	if (opts->new_worktree)
+		die(_("'%s' cannot be used with updating paths"), "--to");
+
 	if (opts->patch_mode)
 		return run_add_interactive(revision, "--patch=checkout",
 					   &opts->pathspec);
@@ -484,7 +491,7 @@ static int merge_working_tree(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 			topts.dir->flags |= DIR_SHOW_IGNORED;
 			setup_standard_excludes(topts.dir);
 		}
-		tree = parse_tree_indirect(old->commit ?
+		tree = parse_tree_indirect(old->commit && !opts->new_worktree_mode ?
 					   old->commit->object.sha1 :
 					   EMPTY_TREE_SHA1_BIN);
 		init_tree_desc(&trees[0], tree->buffer, tree->size);
@@ -800,7 +807,8 @@ static int switch_branches(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 		return ret;
 	}
 
-	if (!opts->quiet && !old.path && old.commit && new->commit != old.commit)
+	if (!opts->quiet && !old.path && old.commit &&
+	    new->commit != old.commit && !opts->new_worktree_mode)
 		orphaned_commit_warning(old.commit, new->commit);
 
 	update_refs_for_switch(opts, &old, new);
@@ -810,6 +818,76 @@ static int switch_branches(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 	return ret || writeout_error;
 }
 
+static int prepare_linked_checkout(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
+				   struct branch_info *new)
+{
+	struct strbuf sb_git = STRBUF_INIT, sb_repo = STRBUF_INIT;
+	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
+	const char *path = opts->new_worktree, *name;
+	struct stat st;
+	struct child_process cp;
+	int counter = 0, len;
+
+	if (!new->commit)
+		die(_("no branch specified"));
+	if (file_exists(path))
+		die(_("'%s' already exists"), path);
+
+	len = strlen(path);
+	while (len && is_dir_sep(path[len - 1]))
+		len--;
+
+	for (name = path + len - 1; name > path; name--)
+		if (is_dir_sep(*name)) {
+			name++;
+			break;
+		}
+	strbuf_addstr(&sb_repo,
+		      git_path("worktrees/%.*s", (int)(path + len - name), name));
+	len = sb_repo.len;
+	if (safe_create_leading_directories_const(sb_repo.buf))
+		die_errno(_("could not create leading directories of '%s'"),
+			  sb_repo.buf);
+	while (!stat(sb_repo.buf, &st)) {
+		counter++;
+		strbuf_setlen(&sb_repo, len);
+		strbuf_addf(&sb_repo, "%d", counter);
+	}
+	name = strrchr(sb_repo.buf, '/') + 1;
+	if (mkdir(sb_repo.buf, 0777))
+		die_errno(_("could not create directory of '%s'"), sb_repo.buf);
+
+	strbuf_addf(&sb_git, "%s/.git", path);
+	if (safe_create_leading_directories_const(sb_git.buf))
+		die_errno(_("could not create leading directories of '%s'"),
+			  sb_git.buf);
+
+	write_file(sb_git.buf, 1, "gitdir: %s/worktrees/%s\n",
+		   real_path(get_git_common_dir()), name);
+	/*
+	 * This is to keep resolve_ref() happy. We need a valid HEAD
+	 * or is_git_directory() will reject the directory. Any valid
+	 * value would do because this value will be ignored and
+	 * replaced at the next (real) checkout.
+	 */
+	strbuf_addf(&sb, "%s/HEAD", sb_repo.buf);
+	write_file(sb.buf, 1, "%s\n", sha1_to_hex(new->commit->object.sha1));
+	strbuf_reset(&sb);
+	strbuf_addf(&sb, "%s/commondir", sb_repo.buf);
+	write_file(sb.buf, 1, "../..\n");
+
+	if (!opts->quiet)
+		fprintf_ln(stderr, _("Enter %s (identifier %s)"), path, name);
+
+	setenv("GIT_CHECKOUT_NEW_WORKTREE", "1", 1);
+	setenv(GIT_DIR_ENVIRONMENT, sb_git.buf, 1);
+	setenv(GIT_WORK_TREE_ENVIRONMENT, path, 1);
+	memset(&cp, 0, sizeof(cp));
+	cp.git_cmd = 1;
+	cp.argv = opts->saved_argv;
+	return run_command(&cp);
+}
+
 static int git_checkout_config(const char *var, const char *value, void *cb)
 {
 	if (!strcmp(var, "diff.ignoresubmodules")) {
@@ -1071,6 +1149,9 @@ static int checkout_branch(struct checkout_opts *opts,
 		die(_("Cannot switch branch to a non-commit '%s'"),
 		    new->name);
 
+	if (opts->new_worktree)
+		return prepare_linked_checkout(opts, new);
+
 	if (!new->commit && opts->new_branch) {
 		unsigned char rev[20];
 		int flag;
@@ -1113,6 +1194,8 @@ int cmd_checkout(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			 N_("do not limit pathspecs to sparse entries only")),
 		OPT_HIDDEN_BOOL(0, "guess", &dwim_new_local_branch,
 				N_("second guess 'git checkout no-such-branch'")),
+		OPT_FILENAME(0, "to", &opts.new_worktree,
+			   N_("check a branch out in a separate working directory")),
 		OPT_END(),
 	};
 
@@ -1121,6 +1204,9 @@ int cmd_checkout(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	opts.overwrite_ignore = 1;
 	opts.prefix = prefix;
 
+	opts.saved_argv = xmalloc(sizeof(const char *) * (argc + 2));
+	memcpy(opts.saved_argv, argv, sizeof(const char *) * (argc + 1));
+
 	gitmodules_config();
 	git_config(git_checkout_config, &opts);
 
@@ -1129,6 +1215,11 @@ int cmd_checkout(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, checkout_usage,
 			     PARSE_OPT_KEEP_DASHDASH);
 
+	/* recursive execution from checkout_new_worktree() */
+	opts.new_worktree_mode = getenv("GIT_CHECKOUT_NEW_WORKTREE") != NULL;
+	if (opts.new_worktree_mode)
+		opts.new_worktree = NULL;
+
 	if (conflict_style) {
 		opts.merge = 1; /* implied */
 		git_xmerge_config("merge.conflictstyle", conflict_style, NULL);

path.c

@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ static void replace_dir(struct strbuf *buf, int len, const char *newdir)
 
 static const char *common_list[] = {
 	"/branches", "/hooks", "/info", "/logs", "/lost-found", "/modules",
-	"/objects", "/refs", "/remotes", "/rr-cache", "/svn",
+	"/objects", "/refs", "/remotes", "/worktrees", "/rr-cache", "/svn",
 	"config", "gc.pid", "packed-refs", "shallow",
 	NULL
 };

t/t2025-checkout-to.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+test_description='test git checkout --to'
+
+. ./test-lib.sh
+
+test_expect_success 'setup' '
+	test_commit init
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'checkout --to not updating paths' '
+	test_must_fail git checkout --to -- init.t
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'checkout --to an existing worktree' '
+	mkdir existing &&
+	test_must_fail git checkout --detach --to existing master
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'checkout --to a new worktree' '
+	git checkout --to here master &&
+	(
+		cd here &&
+		test_cmp ../init.t init.t &&
+		git symbolic-ref HEAD >actual &&
+		echo refs/heads/master >expect &&
+		test_cmp expect actual &&
+		git fsck
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'checkout --to a new worktree from a subdir' '
+	(
+		mkdir sub &&
+		cd sub &&
+		git checkout --detach --to here master &&
+		cd here &&
+		test_cmp ../../init.t init.t
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'checkout --to from a linked checkout' '
+	(
+		cd here &&
+		git checkout --to nested-here master &&
+		cd nested-here &&
+		git fsck
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'checkout --to a new worktree creating new branch' '
+	git checkout --to there -b newmaster master &&
+	(
+		cd there &&
+		test_cmp ../init.t init.t &&
+		git symbolic-ref HEAD >actual &&
+		echo refs/heads/newmaster >expect &&
+		test_cmp expect actual &&
+		git fsck
+	)
+'
+
+test_done