Worktree

A second checkout of the same repository living in its own directory.

git worktree checks out many branches at once

A hotfix need not displace unfinished feature work from its directory. A linked worktree can start from a chosen release commit while the original directory retains its staged changes, unstaged edits, and untracked files. The workflow succeeds when the fix is tested on the correct baseline and the original work remains intact. Merely creating a second folder does not establish either result. ...

A second checkout of one repo parked in its own folder.

A git worktree checks out two branches at once

A linked worktree gives one Git repository another working directory, with its own checked-out state. That lets a feature, release, or review stay open alongside other work without repeatedly replacing the same files. The useful boundary is separate working files and staging, not complete isolation. Objects, many references, and ordinary repository configuration are shared, so operations need to respect both the local workspace and the common repository. ...