What is a parallel workspace?
A parallel workspace is an isolated copy of your repository, created with git worktree, that belongs to a single task. It has its own branch, its own files on disk and its own agent terminals, editor tabs and browser tabs. Tallos is built around this model: instead of branching and stashing on one checkout, each feature or bug gets a workspace.
This is what makes it safe to run AI agents in parallel. Two agents in the same folder will edit the same files and break each other's work. Two agents in two worktrees cannot. If worktrees are new to you, the guide on git worktrees for AI agents covers the git side.
One checkout
- One branch at a time
- Stash, switch, restore to change tasks
- Two agents collide on the same files
- Review is mixed across tasks
A workspace per task
- One branch per task, all open at once
- Switch tasks from the sidebar
- Each agent edits only its own worktree
- Each workspace has its own diff
How do I create a workspace for a task?
Click New workspace in the sidebar, name the task and submit. The dialog closes right away; git fetch and git worktree add keep running in the background while the new workspace shows its setup progress. You can cancel it, or retry if it fails.
- Project: the repository the workspace belongs to.
- Start from: the repo's base branch (the fast path), another local branch to stack on, a specific commit, or an existing remote branch that Tallos fetches.
- Run on: this computer or an SSH host, see remote workspaces.
- Agent: which agent to launch, with Set as default for next time.
- Task link: paste a GitHub PR, GitLab MR, Linear issue or Jira issue. The link shows on the workspace card and names the branch; for Linear, Tallos uses Linear's own suggested branch name.
- Advanced: set an explicit branch name or a parent workspace for sidebar nesting.
Agents can create workspaces too: the tallos worktree create command does the same thing from any terminal, which is how a squad leader gives each member its own child worktree.
How do I run several agents on the same repo?
Create one workspace per agent and start a different agent in each. The classic pattern is to race three agents on the same task:
- 1
Create three workspaces
Start all three from the same branch, for example
fix-bug,fix-bug-2andfix-bug-3. - 2
Launch a different agent in each
Claude Code in one, Codex in another, Gemini CLI or OpenCode in the third.
- 3
Give them the same prompt
Split the panes so you can watch all three work side by side.
- 4
Review each diff
When they finish, compare the results and annotate the winner.
- 5
Ship the winner, delete the rest
Commit, push and open a PR from the winning workspace. Deleting the others removes their folders and branches.
Different agents make different mistakes. Where they agree, the answer is probably right; where they split, you found the hard part. The same setup works for one agent many times over, see running multiple Claude Code sessions.
Download Tallos and give every agent its own workspace.
What is the lifecycle of a workspace?
Every workspace follows the same five stages, and all of them happen inside Tallos:
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Create | Name the task, pick where it starts from, optionally link a GitHub, GitLab, Linear or Jira item. |
| Work | Agent terminals, editor tabs, browser tabs and splits, all scoped to this worktree. |
| Review | A diff against the branch it started from, with line notes you can send back to the agent. |
| Ship | Commit, push, open a pull request and watch its checks, from the Source Control panel. |
| Archive or delete | Archive it, put it to sleep, or delete it. Delete removes the folder and the branch after a confirmation. |
The sidebar groups workspaces by project and shows which agents are working and which need you. You can pin long-running work, filter the list, and select several workspaces to act on them at once.
What about .env files and node_modules in a new worktree?
A new worktree is a clean checkout, so gitignored files like .env or node_modules are missing at first. Tallos fills the gap two ways:
- Worktree Shared Paths in the repository settings: paths from your main checkout that appear in each new worktree, cloned on macOS when possible, otherwise linked.
- `.worktreeinclude` at the repo root: a list of gitignored files or folders to copy into each new worktree, so each one owns its copy of
.envor local editor config.
How do I merge a workspace back into main?
You merge a workspace the same way you merge any branch: through a pull request, or with plain git. Tallos keeps the whole path in one place.
- 1
Review the diff
Open the workspace's diff, read every change and send notes back to the agent until it is clean. See diff review.
- 2
Commit
Stage files and write a message in Source Control, or use Generate with AI to draft one.
- 3
Push
Push sets the upstream the first time. Tallos never force-pushes silently; force push with lease is a separate, explicit action.
- 4
Open the pull request
Create the PR or MR with base branch, title, description and draft state. GitHub, GitLab and Bitbucket Cloud are supported.
- 5
Merge
Merge from the PR view when checks pass, or turn on GitHub auto-merge. Then delete the workspace.
Frequently asked questions
Are Tallos workspaces real git worktrees?
Yes. Each workspace is created with git worktree, has its own branch and folder, and works with any git command you run in its terminal.
Can two AI agents work on the same repository at the same time?
Yes, if each one has its own workspace. Each agent edits only the files in its own worktree, so they cannot overwrite each other's changes.
Does deleting a workspace delete my branch?
Deleting a workspace removes its folder and its branch after a confirmation. If git keeps a branch because it may have unmerged commits, Tallos lists it so you can decide what to delete.
How do I get my .env file into a new worktree?
List it in a .worktreeinclude file at the repo root and Tallos copies it into each new worktree. For large folders like node_modules, use Worktree Shared Paths in the repository settings.
Can I create a workspace from a Linear or Jira issue?
Yes. Paste the issue link, or a GitHub PR or GitLab MR, when you create the workspace. Tallos names the workspace, links the item and shows it on the workspace card.
Can workspaces run on another machine?
Yes. Pick an SSH host under Run on when you create the workspace, and agents run on that machine with the same interface.
