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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.whim.run/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Every Whim task runs on its own dedicated Git branch. You can launch dozens of tasks in parallel — each writes to its own branch with no merge conflicts or race conditions. When a task starts, Whim:
  1. Clones your repository from a local mirror into an isolated container
  2. Checks out the remote base branch you specified (or the repo’s default branch)
  3. Creates a new task branch and switches to it
  4. Hands control to the AI agent, which commits to the task branch

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Branch naming

Task branches follow a deterministic pattern: 
whim-{display-id}
The display ID is derived from your workspace name with an auto-incrementing counter:
Workspace namePrefixExample branch
whimWWwhim-ww-12
my-appMAwhim-ma-5
acme/billingBIwhim-bi-31
Even tasks created simultaneously get distinct branch names via atomic counter increments.

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Base branch selection

By default, tasks branch off your repository’s default branch (usually main, meaning origin/main). Override this by setting a remote base branch when creating a task.
The remote base branch is the starting point. The agent commits to the task’s own branch, not the base.
Common use cases:
  • Feature branches — continue work on an in-progress branch
  • Release branches — target a specific release for hotfixes
  • Task chaining — use one task’s branch as the base for another
You can also set a default remote base branch in workspace settings.

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Parallel work

Because each task has its own branch in its own container:
  • No file locking — multiple tasks can modify the same files
  • No conflicts during execution — conflicts only surface when merging branches
  • Independent commit histories — each task builds a linear history on its branch

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Branch cleanup

When a task completes, its branch remains in your repository. Whim does not auto-delete branches — this preserves commit history and keeps associated PRs intact. Clean up old branches through GitHub (UI, CLI, or auto-delete on PR merge).

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Forking and branch inheritance

When you fork a task, the new task inherits the original’s branch as its source, starting from where the original left off.

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Mirroring and sync

Whim keeps a cached mirror of your repository on its infrastructure. When a task starts, the container clones from this mirror instead of GitHub, which significantly reduces startup time for large repos.

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How mirroring works

1

Repository connected

When you connect a repo to a workspace, Whim creates a mirror — a bare clone stored on Whim’s infrastructure.
2

Mirror stays in sync

Each push to your repository triggers a webhook that syncs the mirror with the latest changes.
3

Tasks clone from the mirror

Containers clone from the mirror over a local network instead of the public internet.
4

Fallback to GitHub

If the mirror is unavailable, containers clone directly from GitHub. Task execution is never blocked by mirror issues.

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Why mirroring matters

Without mirroring, each container clones directly from GitHub — slower for large repos, uses more GitHub API quota, and varies with network conditions. The mirror eliminates these issues.

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Troubleshooting

  • Slow task startup — the mirror may be temporarily unavailable. The container falls back to GitHub, which is slower but still works. Mirror issues resolve on the next push event.
  • Recent commits missing — the mirror syncs on push events. If you pushed very recently, there may be a brief delay. The container falls back to GitHub if the mirror hasn’t caught up.
  • Mirror not updating — verify the Whim GitHub App is installed with webhook permissions. Check webhook delivery logs in GitHub Settings > Webhooks.

Pull Requests

Create PRs from task branches and track their status.