Workspaces

A workspace is an isolated development environment linked to a Git repository. Each workspace gets its own Git worktree, so multiple sessions can run in parallel on the same codebase without file conflicts.

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Creating a Workspace

Press Cmd+N or click Add Workspace in the sidebar. You can import a repository in two ways:

• Remote URL — paste a Git remote URL and Mains clones the repo and creates a worktree
• Local path — select an existing local repository and Mains creates a worktree from it

Mains automatically groups workspaces into projects based on the repository’s remote origin. If no project exists for the remote, one is created automatically.

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Workspace Status

Each workspace has a status that tracks where it is in your development workflow: You can update the status manually from the workspace sidebar. Some transitions happen automatically — for example, starting an agent run moves the workspace to In Progress.

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Workspace Components

Each workspace provides access to:

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Git Worktree Isolation

Each workspace creates a separate Git worktree from the repository. This means:

• Every workspace has its own working directory and branch
• Changes in one workspace don’t affect any other
• All worktrees share Git history and remote connections
• You can run multiple agent sessions on the same repo simultaneously

When worktrees are enabled (the default), Mains manages worktree creation and cleanup automatically. You can disable worktrees in Settings if you prefer to manage branches manually.

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Archiving

When you’re done with a workspace, archive it from the workspace menu. Archiving:

• Hides the workspace from the sidebar
• Cleans up the Git worktree to free disk space
• Preserves all workspace data (runs, diffs, reviews) in the database

Archived workspaces can be restored later if you need to revisit them.

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Deleting

Deleting a workspace permanently removes it along with all associated data. This is irreversible — use archiving if you might need the workspace later.