vibe start

The start command creates a Git Worktree for the specified branch and changes to that directory.

Usage

vibe start <branch> [options]

Options

Option	Description
`--reuse`	Use an existing branch (don’t create new)
`--base <ref>`	Base branch/commit for new branch
`--track`	Set upstream tracking when using —base
`--no-hooks`	Skip pre-start and post-start hooks	v0.5.0+
`--no-copy`	Skip file and directory copying	v0.5.0+
`-n`, `--dry-run`	Preview operations without executing	v0.8.0+
`-V`, `--verbose`	Show detailed output	v0.8.0+
`-q`, `--quiet`	Suppress non-essential output	v0.8.0+
`--claude-code-worktree-hook`	Claude Code WorktreeCreate hook mode	v0.23.0+

Note: --base only applies when creating a new branch. If the branch already exists, it is ignored. By default, --base does not set up upstream tracking. Use --track to set the upstream.

Note: --claude-code-worktree-hook is used internally by Claude Code’s WorktreeCreate hook. See Claude Code Integration for setup details.

Examples

# Create a worktree with a new branch
vibe start feat/new-feature

# Use an existing branch
vibe start feat/existing-branch

# Create a new branch from a base branch
vibe start feat/from-main --base main

# Quick start without hooks
vibe start feat/quick-fix --no-hooks

# Start without copying files
vibe start feat/clean-slate --no-copy

# Preview what would happen (short option)
vibe start feat/preview -n

# Show detailed output
vibe start feat/debug -V

# Suppress output
vibe start feat/silent -q

Behavior

Idempotent Operation

vibe start is idempotent - running it multiple times with the same branch is safe:

If the worktree already exists with the same branch, vibe navigates to it
No duplicate worktrees are created

Interactive Prompts

vibe start handles various situations interactively:

Branch in use by another worktree

$ vibe start feat/new-feature
Branch 'feat/new-feature' is already in use by worktree '/path/to/repo-feat-new-feature'.
Navigate to the existing worktree? (Y/n)

Directory exists with different branch

You can choose from:

Overwrite: Delete and recreate the worktree
Reuse: Use the existing directory as-is
Cancel: Abort the operation

Worktree Location

By default, worktrees are created as siblings to the main repository:

/path/to/repo/           # Main repository
/path/to/repo-feat-new-feature/  # Worktree

Workflow

When vibe start runs:

Pre-start hooks run in origin repository (if configured)
Worktree creation: Git worktree is created
File copying: Files/directories are copied (if configured)
Post-start hooks run in new worktree (if configured)
Directory change: Terminal switches to the new worktree

clean - Remove the worktree when done
Hooks - Configure automated workflows