Running Tasks

A task is a unit of work for an agent. Each task gets its own git branch and worktree, keeping changes isolated until you merge.

Creating a Task

Click Add Task or press ⌘N
Enter a name (or let Emdash auto-generate one)
Select a provider (Claude Code, Codex, Qwen, etc.)
Click Create

The agent spawns in a terminal and starts working.

Worktrees

By default, each task creates a git worktree—a separate copy of your codebase on its own branch. This keeps agent changes isolated from your main branch and other tasks.

Worktrees are created in a sibling worktrees/ directory outside your repo.

You can disable worktrees to work directly on your current branch. A warning appears since changes won't be isolated.

Multi-Agent Mode

Run multiple agents in parallel on the same problem:

Select multiple providers (e.g., Claude Code + Codex)
Or run the same provider multiple times (e.g., 3× Claude Code)

Each agent gets its own worktree. Compare approaches and pick the best result. See Best of N.

Advanced Options

Click Advanced Options when creating a task to access:

Auto-approve: Skip permission prompts for file operations (if provider supports it)
Initial prompt: Give the agent starting instructions
Link an issue: Attach a Linear, Jira, or GitHub issue (see Passing Issues)

After Starting

Once a task starts:

A new branch is created and pushed to your remote
The agent spawns in the terminal
Chat with the agent or let your initial prompt guide it

Terminal state saves automatically. Close and reopen Emdash, and agents resume where they left off.