v0.39.0

## Release Notes

### Improved

- **Aliases dispatch from top-level `wt <name>`** (and graduate from experimental): Configured aliases now resolve as first-class commands — `wt deploy` works the same as `wt step deploy`, reading better as an everyday shortcut. Precedence is built-in → alias → `wt-<name>` PATH binary → unrecognized-subcommand error, matching git's model where `[alias]` entries shadow `git-foo` externals. The old "alias shadows a built-in" warning is gone; an alias named `commit` now simply runs via `wt commit` (only `wt step commit` remains shadowed). ([#2266](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/pull/2266))

- **`wt switch --base` accepts `pr:N` / `mr:N`**: `--base` now routes through the same resolver as the positional branch argument, so `wt switch -c feat-x --base pr:42` works symmetrically with `wt switch pr:42`. Same-repo PRs/MRs resolve to the source branch name; fork PRs/MRs fetch `refs/pull/N/head` (GitHub) or `refs/merge-requests/N/head` (GitLab) and use the resolved SHA, avoiding fork-branch pollution in the local namespace. ([#2263](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/pull/2263), thanks @jrdncstr for the request in [#2261](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/issues/2261))

- **`WORKTRUNK_PROJECT_CONFIG_PATH` env override**: Mirrors the existing `WORKTRUNK_CONFIG_PATH` (user) and `WORKTRUNK_SYSTEM_CONFIG_PATH` (system) overrides for the project config. Missing files at the overridden path resolve to no project config, same as a missing `.config/wt.toml`. `wt config show --format=json` now reports the overridden path in the `project.path` field. ([#2267](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/pull/2267))

### Fixed

- **`wt list` handles `[gone]` upstreams gracefully**: When a branch's configured upstream ref is gone (remote branch deleted, local tracking ref pruned), the Remote column was surfacing a raw `fatal: ambiguous argument 'origin/<branch>'` error from `git rev-parse`. Upstream resolution now reads `%(upstream:track)` and treats `[gone]` the same as no upstream, so the row renders cleanly. ([#2262](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/pull/2262))

- **Nix flake build with vendored skim-tuikit**: The `[patch.crates-io]` path dependency on `vendor/skim-tuikit` was being stubbed out by crane's `mkDummySrc` during `buildDepsOnly`, breaking downstream skim resolution. The flake now preserves real sources for vendored path deps while still benefiting from dependency caching. ([#2265](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/pull/2265), thanks @nickdichev)

### Documentation

- **Renamed "external subcommand" to "custom subcommand"**: The user-facing name for `wt-<name>` PATH-dispatched subcommands is now "custom subcommand" in docs and internal code, matching cargo's vocabulary. Avoids overloading "external," which the codebase already uses for `shell_exec` subprocesses. Internal renames: `src/commands/external.rs` → `custom.rs`, `Commands::External` → `Commands::Custom`. ([#2270](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/pull/2270))

- **Trimmed filler in prose docs**: Removed sentences that restated obvious error behavior, duplicated nearby prose, or added visual weight without information across `extending.md`, `faq.md`, and `tips-patterns.md`. ([#2271](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/pull/2271), [#2272](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/pull/2272))

### Internal

- Extracted a shared `did_you_mean` helper used by both top-level and `wt step` suggestion sites, so the 0.7 Jaro-Winkler threshold and sort order are defined in one place. ([#2268](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/pull/2268))

## Install worktrunk 0.39.0

### Install prebuilt binaries via shell script

```sh
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -LsSf https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/releases/download/v0.39.0/worktrunk-installer.sh | sh && wt config shell install
```

### Install prebuilt binaries via powershell script

```sh
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -c "irm https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/releases/download/v0.39.0/worktrunk-installer.ps1 | iex"; git-wt config shell install
```

### Install prebuilt binaries via Homebrew

```sh
brew install worktrunk && wt config shell install
```

## Download worktrunk 0.39.0

|  File  | Platform | Checksum |
|--------|----------|----------|
| [worktrunk-aarch64-apple-darwin.tar.xz](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/releases/download/v0.39.0/worktrunk-aarch64-apple-darwin.tar.xz) | Apple Silicon macOS | [checksum](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/releases/download/v0.39.0/worktrunk-aarch64-apple-darwin.tar.xz.sha256) |
| [worktrunk-x86_64-apple-darwin.tar.xz](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/releases/download/v0.39.0/worktrunk-x86_64-apple-darwin.tar.xz) | Intel macOS | [checksum](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/releases/download/v0.39.0/worktrunk-x86_64-apple-darwin.tar.xz.sha256) |
| [worktrunk-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc.zip](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/releases/download/v0.39.0/worktrunk-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc.zip) | x64 Windows | [checksum](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/releases/download/v0.39.0/worktrunk-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc.zip.sha256) |
| [worktrunk-aarch64-unknown-linux-musl.tar.xz](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/releases/download/v0.39.0/worktrunk-aarch64-unknown-linux-musl.tar.xz) | ARM64 MUSL Linux | [checksum](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/releases/download/v0.39.0/worktrunk-aarch64-unknown-linux-musl.tar.xz.sha256) |
| [worktrunk-x86_64-unknown-linux-musl.tar.xz](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/releases/download/v0.39.0/worktrunk-x86_64-unknown-linux-musl.tar.xz) | x64 MUSL Linux | [checksum](https://github.com/max-sixty/worktrunk/releases/download/v0.39.0/worktrunk-x86_64-unknown-linux-musl.tar.xz.sha256) |



### Install via Cargo

```sh
cargo install worktrunk && wt config shell install
```

### Install via Winget (Windows)

```sh
winget install max-sixty.worktrunk && git-wt config shell install
```

### Install via AUR (Arch Linux)

```sh
paru worktrunk-bin && wt config shell install
```