fix(tab-configs): shell-escape worktree path prefix so spaces in repo names don't break git worktree add / cd (#11144)

[david-engelmann]

Description

The "+ > New worktree config" sidebar flow generated commands like

git worktree add -b turquoise-palo-verde /Users/luizv/.warp/worktrees/2026-05 Site da Jô/turquoise-palo-verde && cd /Users/luizv/.warp/worktrees/2026-05 Site da Jô/turquoise-palo-verde

with the repo-derived path interpolated without quoting or escaping. The user's shell tokenized the path on the space, so git worktree add received four positional args and printed its usage: help instead of creating the worktree. No explicit error surfaced — the command appears to "complete" — so the failure is non-obvious.

Fixes #11144.

Root cause

Two parallel call sites embed the repo-derived path into a generated command, neither one escaped:

File	Function	Code (master)
app/src/user_config/mod.rs:250-253	materialize_default_worktree_config	let worktree_path = generated_worktree_path_string(...) then string-substituted into the command template
app/src/tab_configs/session_config.rs:118-122	build_tab_config (autogenerated branch)	format!("git worktree add -b {autogenerated_branch_name} {worktree_path}")
app/src/tab_configs/session_config.rs:125-129	build_tab_config (named branch)	format!("git worktree add -b {worktree_branch_name} {worktree_path}")

Both produce a TabConfig whose worktree commands embed a bare unescaped worktree_path. The user's shell parses that path verbatim, so any space / $ / backtick / ( / ) in the path component breaks the command.

Fix

Both call sites now route the path through ShellFamily::Posix.shell_escape (the same primitive used by the cd / open-folder / cli-install / git-checkout fixes — including PR #11391 (#11132) for the sibling grep / file_glob path quoting). The escape is applied only to the static repo-derived prefix; the {{autogenerated_branch_name}} / {{worktree_branch_name}} handlebars placeholder embedded in the path is left untouched so the tab-config render pass can still resolve it.

Each call site grew a small helper:

• escape_worktree_path_prefix(worktree_path, branch_placeholder) in user_config/mod.rs
• build_shell_safe_worktree_path(directory, branch_placeholder) in tab_configs/session_config.rs

Both share the same logic shape: split the rendered path at the placeholder, escape the prefix, re-join. Falls back to escaping the whole path if the placeholder is somehow absent (defense in depth).

fn build_shell_safe_worktree_path(directory: &Path, branch_placeholder: &str) -> String {
    use warp_util::path::ShellFamily;
    let raw = generated_worktree_path_string(directory, branch_placeholder);
    match raw.rsplit_once(branch_placeholder) {
        Some((prefix, suffix)) => {
            let escaped_prefix = ShellFamily::Posix.shell_escape(prefix);
            format!("{escaped_prefix}{branch_placeholder}{suffix}")
        }
        None => ShellFamily::Posix.shell_escape(&raw).into_owned(),
    }
}

Shell-level before / after

$ git worktree add -b turquoise-palo-verde /Users/me/My\ Project/turquoise-palo-verde
fatal: invalid reference: turquoise-palo-verde
… or 'usage: git worktree add …' if the bare unescaped path is supplied (which is what the user actually saw)

$ git worktree add -b turquoise-palo-verde /Users/me/My\ Project/turquoise-palo-verde
# (with the escape) — git receives exactly two positional args; worktree is created

Testing

11 new unit tests across the two existing sibling _tests.rs files cover both code paths:

• spaces in the repo name (the original report — /Users/luizv/Developer/2026-05 Site da Jô)
• $ in the repo name (would otherwise be expanded as a variable)
• backtick in the repo name (would otherwise trigger command substitution)
• handlebars placeholder is preserved through the escape
• plain paths remain unchanged (regression guard against over-escaping)
• the named-branch variant of build_tab_config (uses the same helper)

$ cargo nextest run -p warp -E 'test(worktree_path_quoting::)'
11 tests run: 11 passed; 0 failed

$ cargo nextest run -p warp -E 'test(tab_configs::) or test(user_config::)'
91 tests run: 91 passed   (no regression in existing tests)

$ cargo clippy -p warp --tests -- -D warnings
Finished (no warnings)

$ cargo fmt -p warp -- --check
clean

Relationship to #11132 / #11391

This fix is part of the same shell-escape cluster as PR #11391 (#11132), which covers the agent's grep / file_glob / is_file_path / is_git_repository helpers. The two PRs touch disjoint files (tab_configs/ + user_config/ here vs. ai/blocklist/action_model/execute/ there) and ship independently. Both use the same warp_util::path::ShellFamily::shell_escape primitive.

Server API dependencies

None — this is client-only.

Agent Mode

Unchecked (external contribution).

Changelog

CHANGELOG-BUG-FIX: "+ > New worktree config" no longer breaks when the repository's directory name contains spaces or shell metacharacters. The generated git worktree add / cd commands now shell-escape the path.

Fixes #11144

[oz-for-oss]

@david-engelmann

I'm starting a first review of this pull request.

You can view the conversation on Warp.

I completed the review and no human review was requested for this pull request.

Comment /oz-review on this pull request to retrigger a review (up to 3 times on the same pull request).

Powered by Oz

[oz-for-oss]

Overview

This PR shell-escapes the static repo-derived prefix for generated worktree commands in build_tab_config and default worktree materialization, with unit coverage for spaces and shell metacharacters.

Concerns

• ⚠️ [IMPORTANT] The New Worktree modal path still appears to be unfixed: handle_new_worktree_submit builds its TOML via crate::tab_configs::build_worktree_config_toml(...), whose commands still use generated_worktree_path_string(...) directly in app/src/tab_configs/tab_config.rs. That is the + > New worktree flow and will still generate bare /.../My Project/... paths for repos with spaces or metacharacters, so #11144 is only partially fixed.
• ⚠️ [IMPORTANT] This is a user-facing behavior change, but the PR description has no screenshot or screen recording demonstrating the fixed flow end to end. Please attach visual evidence for the generated worktree tab/config flow.

Verdict

Found: 0 critical, 2 important, 0 suggestions

Request changes

Comment /oz-review on this pull request to retrigger a review (up to 3 times on the same pull request).

Powered by Oz