Anvil

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Create isolated multi-repository workspaces for engineering tasks.

Installation

uv tool install git+https://github.com/felixscherz/anvil

Getting started

Create a workspace

Provide a target directory and one or more repository specifiers. Each specifier can be a local path to an existing Git repository or any remote URL accepted by git clone.

anvil create --target /tmp/workspaces/feature-abc \
  ~/repos/my-service \
  git@github.com:org/other-service.git

Anvil will:

1. Infer the branch name from the target directory name (feature-abc).
2. For local paths — create a git worktree on a new branch at the tip of the default branch.
3. For remote URLs — clone the repository and check out a new branch.
4. Write a manifest to /tmp/workspaces/feature-abc/.anvil/manifest.json.

Example output:

Creating Anvil workspace: /tmp/workspaces/feature-abc
Branch: feature-abc
  + my-service -> /tmp/workspaces/feature-abc/my-service
  + other-service -> /tmp/workspaces/feature-abc/other-service

Created Anvil workspace: /tmp/workspaces/feature-abc
Branch: feature-abc
  - my-service -> /tmp/workspaces/feature-abc/my-service
  - other-service -> /tmp/workspaces/feature-abc/other-service

Clean up a workspace

anvil clean --target /tmp/workspaces/feature-abc

Anvil reads the manifest, prints a summary, and prompts for confirmation before removing everything.

Anvil workspace: /tmp/workspaces/feature-abc
Branch: feature-abc
Repositories (2):
  - my-service (worktree) -> /tmp/workspaces/feature-abc/my-service
  - other-service (clone) -> /tmp/workspaces/feature-abc/other-service
Remove Anvil workspace at /tmp/workspaces/feature-abc containing 2 repositories? [y/N]

Skip the prompt with --yes:

anvil clean --target /tmp/workspaces/feature-abc --yes

Add a repository to an existing workspace

anvil add --target /tmp/workspaces/feature-abc ~/repos/another-service

Anvil reads the branch name from the existing manifest (feature-abc) and creates the new repository on that same branch. The manifest is updated in place with the new entry appended. Rollback applies only to repos added in the current run — existing workspace members are untouched.

Notes

• The branch name is derived from the basename of --target. /tmp/workspaces/feature-abc → feature-abc.
• anvil add reads the branch name from the existing manifest — the target directory name is irrelevant.
• The same branch name is created in every repository in the workspace — this is expected and correct.
• If any repository fails during create or add, Anvil rolls back only the repos created in that run.
• Anvil will refuse to proceed if the target is non-empty, if a derived branch already exists, or if two repositories share the same derived name.