# Choose a workspace

Put each session in the directory and branch intended for its task. Firehose offers three workspace choices during session creation.

A Git **worktree** is a separate checkout of a repository. It gives a task its own directory and branch while sharing the repository’s Git history.

## Choose the right option

| Option | When to use it | What to check |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Current checkout** | You want the agent to use the project directory already on disk | Its branch and any existing uncommitted work |
| **New worktree** | You want a separate directory and branch for a new task | A clear, unused task or branch name |
| **Existing branch** | You want to continue work on a branch that already exists | The selected result’s branch and checkout information |

## Start a separate task

1. Select **New session**, the **+** button at the top right of the **Sessions** sidebar, and pick the project at **Pick a project**.
2. Select **Next: Choose a workspace**.
3. Select the **New worktree** card, which reads “Branch off *main* in its own directory” with your project's base branch.
4. Enter a **Task or branch name**, such as `greeting-blank-names`.
5. Select **Next: Choose agent**.
6. Review the agent, model, and autonomy settings, then select **Start session**.

<figure class="product-capture">
  <img src="/images/ui/new-session-workspace.png" width="704" height="584" loading="lazy" alt="The Choose a workspace step for hello-firehose with three cards: Current checkout, showing main and the project path; New worktree, reading Branch off main in its own directory; and Existing branch, reading Search local and remote branches.">
  <figcaption>The three workspace choices. Sample project and messages.</figcaption>
</figure>

The task name chooses the workspace; send the actual instructions in chat after the session starts. See [make and review a change](/guides/make-a-change/) for an example.

## Continue an existing branch

In **New session**, pick the project, select **Next: Choose a workspace**, then select the **Existing branch** card. Search in **Search local and remote branches**. The filters are **Checked out**, **Local or remote**, and **All**.

Each result says what it will do: **Open existing checkout · &lt;path&gt;** reuses a directory where the branch is already checked out, and **Create worktree from &lt;ref&gt;** makes a new one. Read it before selecting the result, then choose the agent and start the session.

## Keep parallel work understandable

Use descriptive names and check the branch when switching sessions. Sessions in the same directory share files, so changes from one can affect another.

A worktree separates directories; it does not promise isolation for services, databases, or other resources outside the repository. Include any task-specific setup in the request you give the agent. [Prepare each project workspace](/guides/prepare-project/) before implementation, then use [Coordinate several sessions](/guides/parallel-sessions/) to assign work and review the results.