spec: Watch remote refs for updates

app/src/ai/skills/file_watchers/skill_watcher_tests.rs

@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ fn test_handle_repository_update_single_skill_added() {
             moved: HashMap::new(),
             commit_updated: false,
             index_lock_detected: false,
+            remote_ref_updated: false,
         };
 
         skill_watcher_handle.update(&mut app, |skill_watcher, ctx| {
@@ -105,6 +106,7 @@ fn test_handle_repository_update_skill_modified() {
             moved: HashMap::new(),
             commit_updated: false,
             index_lock_detected: false,
+            remote_ref_updated: false,
         };
 
         skill_watcher_handle.update(&mut app, |skill_watcher, ctx| {
@@ -141,6 +143,7 @@ fn test_handle_repository_update_skill_deleted() {
             moved: HashMap::new(),
             commit_updated: false,
             index_lock_detected: false,
+            remote_ref_updated: false,
         };
 
         skill_watcher_handle.update(&mut app, |skill_watcher, ctx| {
@@ -181,6 +184,7 @@ fn test_handle_repository_update_multiple_skills_deleted() {
             moved: HashMap::new(),
             commit_updated: false,
             index_lock_detected: false,
+            remote_ref_updated: false,
         };
 
         skill_watcher_handle.update(&mut app, |skill_watcher, ctx| {
@@ -223,6 +227,7 @@ fn test_handle_repository_update_skill_moved() {
             )]),
             commit_updated: false,
             index_lock_detected: false,
+            remote_ref_updated: false,
         };
 
         skill_watcher_handle.update(&mut app, |skill_watcher, ctx| {
@@ -290,6 +295,7 @@ fn test_handle_repository_update_non_skill_directory_added_queues_project_direct
             moved: HashMap::new(),
             commit_updated: false,
             index_lock_detected: false,
+            remote_ref_updated: false,
         };
 
         skill_watcher_handle.update(&mut app, |skill_watcher, ctx| {
@@ -337,6 +343,7 @@ fn test_handle_repository_update_non_skill_file_modified_in_repo_does_not_queue_
             moved: HashMap::new(),
             commit_updated: false,
             index_lock_detected: false,
+            remote_ref_updated: false,
         };
 
         skill_watcher_handle.update(&mut app, |skill_watcher, ctx| {
@@ -380,6 +387,7 @@ fn test_handle_repository_update_non_skill_file_added_does_not_queue_project_dir
             moved: HashMap::new(),
             commit_updated: false,
             index_lock_detected: false,
+            remote_ref_updated: false,
         };
 
         skill_watcher_handle.update(&mut app, |skill_watcher, ctx| {

app/src/code_review/diff_state/local.rs

@@ -29,8 +29,9 @@ use crate::features::FeatureFlag;
 use crate::util::git::get_pr_for_branch;
 use crate::util::git::{
     detect_current_branch, detect_main_branch, get_unpushed_commits, parse_unified_diff_header,
-    run_git_command, Commit, PrInfo,
+    Commit, PrInfo,
 };
+use warp_util::git::run_git_command;
 
 use crate::code_review::diff_size_limits::compute_diff_size;
 use crate::code_review::is_file_autogenerated;
@@ -1233,9 +1234,10 @@ impl LocalDiffStateModel {
             moved,
             commit_updated,
             index_lock_detected,
+            remote_ref_updated,
         } = update;
 
-        if commit_updated {
+        if commit_updated || remote_ref_updated {
             self.load_diffs_for_current_repo(false, ctx);
             // Don't emit MetadataRefreshed here — metadata hasn't been
             // recomputed yet. NewDiffsComputed handles the immediate UI

app/src/code_review/git_status_update.rs

@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ impl GitRepoStatusModel {
         if update.is_empty() {
             return false;
         }
-        if update.commit_updated || update.index_lock_detected {
+        if update.commit_updated || update.index_lock_detected || update.remote_ref_updated {
             return true;
         }
         // Check if any non-ignored file was touched.

app/src/util/git.rs

@@ -3,79 +3,14 @@ use std::path::Path;
 
 use anyhow::{anyhow, Result};
 use warp_core::safe_warn;
+use warp_util::git::run_git_command;
+#[cfg(feature = "local_fs")]
+use warp_util::git::run_git_command_with_env;
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 #[path = "git_tests.rs"]
 mod tests;
 
-/// Runs a git command and returns the output as a string.
-/// Thin wrapper over [`run_git_command_with_env`] with no `PATH` override.
-#[cfg(feature = "local_fs")]
-pub async fn run_git_command(repo_path: &Path, args: &[&str]) -> Result<String> {
-    run_git_command_with_env(repo_path, args, None).await
-}
-
-/// Like [`run_git_command`] but sets `PATH` on the child when `path_env` is
-/// `Some`. Used by callers whose hooks need user-installed binaries (e.g.
-/// the LFS `pre-push` hook → `git-lfs`). See `specs/APP-4188/TECH.md`.
-#[cfg(feature = "local_fs")]
-pub async fn run_git_command_with_env(
-    repo_path: &Path,
-    args: &[&str],
-    path_env: Option<&str>,
-) -> Result<String> {
-    use command::r#async::Command;
-    use command::Stdio;
-
-    log::debug!(
-        "[GIT OPERATION] git.rs run_git_command git {}",
-        args.join(" ")
-    );
-    let mut cmd = Command::new("git");
-    cmd.arg("-c")
-        .arg("diff.autoRefreshIndex=false")
-        .args(args)
-        .current_dir(repo_path)
-        .stdout(Stdio::piped())
-        .stderr(Stdio::piped())
-        .env("GIT_OPTIONAL_LOCKS", "0")
-        .kill_on_drop(true);
-    if let Some(path_env) = path_env {
-        cmd.env("PATH", path_env);
-    }
-    let output = cmd
-        .output()
-        .await
-        .map_err(|e| anyhow!("Failed to execute git command: {}", e))?;
-
-    let stdout = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout).to_string();
-    let stderr = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr);
-
-    // Handle git diff specific behavior:
-    // - Exit code 0: no differences
-    // - Exit code 1: differences found (this is normal for diff commands)
-    // - Exit code > 1: actual error
-    if output.status.success() || (output.status.code() == Some(1) && !stdout.is_empty()) {
-        Ok(stdout)
-    } else {
-        Err(anyhow!("Git command failed: {}, {}", stderr, stdout))
-    }
-}
-
-#[cfg(not(feature = "local_fs"))]
-pub async fn run_git_command(_repo_path: &Path, _args: &[&str]) -> Result<String> {
-    Err(anyhow!("Not supported on wasm"))
-}
-
-#[cfg(not(feature = "local_fs"))]
-pub async fn run_git_command_with_env(
-    _repo_path: &Path,
-    _args: &[&str],
-    _path_env: Option<&str>,
-) -> Result<String> {
-    Err(anyhow!("Not supported on wasm"))
-}
-
 /// Returns the set of local branch names for the repo at `repo_path`.
 /// Uses a synchronous subprocess call — suitable for call sites in
 /// synchronous view handlers where the result is needed immediately.

app/src/warp_managed_paths_watcher.rs

@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ fn filter_repository_update(
     let mut filtered = RepositoryUpdate {
         commit_updated: update.commit_updated,
         index_lock_detected: update.index_lock_detected,
+        remote_ref_updated: update.remote_ref_updated,
         ..Default::default()
     };
 
@@ -195,6 +196,7 @@ fn filesystem_event_to_repository_update(event: &BulkFilesystemWatcherEvent) ->
             .collect(),
         commit_updated: false,
         index_lock_detected: false,
+        remote_ref_updated: false,
     }
 }
 
@@ -411,6 +413,7 @@ mod tests {
             moved: HashMap::new(),
             commit_updated: false,
             index_lock_detected: false,
+            remote_ref_updated: false,
         };
 
         let filtered =
@@ -436,6 +439,7 @@ mod tests {
             )]),
             commit_updated: false,
             index_lock_detected: false,
+            remote_ref_updated: false,
         };
 
         let filtered =

crates/repo_metadata/src/entry.rs

@@ -426,6 +426,48 @@ pub(crate) fn is_shared_git_ref(path: &Path) -> bool {
             .unwrap_or(false)
 }
 
+/// Returns `true` for loose remote-tracking refs under the shared `.git`
+/// directory, e.g. `.git/refs/remotes/origin/main`.
+pub(crate) fn is_remote_tracking_ref(path: &Path) -> bool {
+    if extract_worktree_git_dir(path).is_some() {
+        return false;
+    }
+    let components: Vec<_> = path.components().collect();
+    let Some(git_index) = components.iter().position(|c| c.as_os_str() == ".git") else {
+        return false;
+    };
+    let after_git = &components[git_index + 1..];
+    after_git.len() >= 4
+        && after_git[0].as_os_str() == "refs"
+        && after_git[1].as_os_str() == "remotes"
+}
+
+/// Returns true for Git files that can change the current branch's tracked
+/// upstream ref.
+pub(crate) fn is_tracking_state_git_file(path: &Path) -> bool {
+    let Some(suffix) = git_suffix_components(path) else {
+        return false;
+    };
+    suffix.len() == 1
+        && matches!(
+            suffix[0].as_os_str().to_str(),
+            Some("HEAD" | "config" | "config.worktree")
+        )
+}
+
+/// Returns true for `.git/config` in the shared Git directory.
+pub(crate) fn is_common_git_config(path: &Path) -> bool {
+    if extract_worktree_git_dir(path).is_some() {
+        return false;
+    }
+    let components: Vec<_> = path.components().collect();
+    let Some(git_index) = components.iter().position(|c| c.as_os_str() == ".git") else {
+        return false;
+    };
+    let after_git = &components[git_index + 1..];
+    after_git.len() == 1 && after_git[0].as_os_str() == "config"
+}
+
 /// Returns true for `.git/HEAD` and `.git/refs/heads/*`
 /// (and their worktree equivalents `.git/worktrees/*/HEAD`, etc.).
 pub(crate) fn is_commit_related_git_file(path: &Path) -> bool {
@@ -452,15 +494,18 @@ pub(crate) fn is_index_lock_file(path: &Path) -> bool {
 
 /// Determines if a git-related path should be ignored by the filesystem watcher.
 ///
-/// Uses an allowlist approach: only commit-related files (HEAD, refs/heads/*)
-/// and the index lock file are allowed through. Everything else inside `.git/`
-/// is ignored.
+/// Uses an allowlist approach: only commit-related files (HEAD, refs/heads/*),
+/// loose remote-tracking refs, tracked-upstream state files, and the index lock
+/// file are allowed through. Everything else inside `.git/` is ignored.
 pub fn should_ignore_git_path(path: &Path) -> bool {
     if !is_git_internal_path(path) {
         return false; // Not a git path, don't ignore
     }
     // Ignore everything inside .git/ except the allowlisted patterns.
-    !is_commit_related_git_file(path) && !is_index_lock_file(path)
+    !is_commit_related_git_file(path)
+        && !is_index_lock_file(path)
+        && !is_remote_tracking_ref(path)
+        && !is_tracking_state_git_file(path)
 }
 
 pub fn path_passes_filters(path: &Path, gitignores: &[Gitignore]) -> bool {

crates/repo_metadata/src/entry_tests.rs

@@ -221,7 +221,10 @@ fn test_path_passes_filters_windows() {
 
 #[test]
 fn test_git_path_filtering_allowlist() {
-    use super::{is_commit_related_git_file, is_index_lock_file, should_ignore_git_path};
+    use super::{
+        is_commit_related_git_file, is_common_git_config, is_index_lock_file,
+        is_remote_tracking_ref, is_tracking_state_git_file, should_ignore_git_path,
+    };
     use std::path::Path;
 
     // Non-git paths should not be ignored
@@ -250,14 +253,20 @@ fn test_git_path_filtering_allowlist() {
     assert!(!should_ignore_git_path(Path::new(
         "/home/user/project/.git/index.lock"
     )));
+    assert!(!should_ignore_git_path(Path::new(
+        "/home/user/project/.git/config"
+    )));
+    assert!(!should_ignore_git_path(Path::new(
+        "/home/user/project/.git/refs/remotes/origin/main"
+    )));
+    assert!(!should_ignore_git_path(Path::new(
+        "/home/user/project/.git/refs/remotes/origin/feature/nested"
+    )));
 
     // Everything else in .git/ IS ignored
     assert!(should_ignore_git_path(Path::new(
         "/home/user/project/.git/index"
     )));
-    assert!(should_ignore_git_path(Path::new(
-        "/home/user/project/.git/config"
-    )));
     assert!(should_ignore_git_path(Path::new(
         "/home/user/project/.git/COMMIT_EDITMSG"
     )));
@@ -271,7 +280,7 @@ fn test_git_path_filtering_allowlist() {
         "/home/user/project/.git/refs/tags/v1.0"
     )));
     assert!(should_ignore_git_path(Path::new(
-        "/home/user/project/.git/refs/remotes/origin/main"
+        "/home/user/project/.git/refs/remotes/origin"
     )));
     assert!(should_ignore_git_path(Path::new(
         "/home/user/project/.git/objects/abc123"
@@ -290,6 +299,9 @@ fn test_git_path_filtering_allowlist() {
     assert!(!should_ignore_git_path(Path::new(
         "/home/user/project/.git/worktrees/my-wt/index.lock"
     )));
+    assert!(!should_ignore_git_path(Path::new(
+        "/home/user/project/.git/worktrees/my-wt/config.worktree"
+    )));
     // Non-allowlisted worktree paths are still ignored
     assert!(should_ignore_git_path(Path::new(
         "/home/user/project/.git/worktrees/my-wt/index"
@@ -328,6 +340,39 @@ fn test_git_path_filtering_allowlist() {
     assert!(!is_index_lock_file(Path::new("/repo/.git/HEAD")));
     assert!(!is_index_lock_file(Path::new("/repo/.git/index")));
 
+    // Remote-tracking refs
+    assert!(is_remote_tracking_ref(Path::new(
+        "/repo/.git/refs/remotes/origin/main"
+    )));
+    assert!(is_remote_tracking_ref(Path::new(
+        "/repo/.git/refs/remotes/origin/feature/nested"
+    )));
+    assert!(!is_remote_tracking_ref(Path::new(
+        "/repo/.git/refs/remotes/origin"
+    )));
+    assert!(!is_remote_tracking_ref(Path::new(
+        "/repo/.git/worktrees/wt/refs/remotes/origin/main"
+    )));
+    assert!(!is_remote_tracking_ref(Path::new(
+        "/repo/.git/refs/heads/main"
+    )));
+
+    // Tracking-state files
+    assert!(is_tracking_state_git_file(Path::new("/repo/.git/HEAD")));
+    assert!(is_tracking_state_git_file(Path::new("/repo/.git/config")));
+    assert!(is_tracking_state_git_file(Path::new(
+        "/repo/.git/worktrees/wt/config.worktree"
+    )));
+    assert!(!is_tracking_state_git_file(Path::new(
+        "/repo/.git/refs/remotes/origin/main"
+    )));
+
+    // Common config
+    assert!(is_common_git_config(Path::new("/repo/.git/config")));
+    assert!(!is_common_git_config(Path::new(
+        "/repo/.git/worktrees/wt/config.worktree"
+    )));
+
     // Test Windows-style paths (only on Windows, as path parsing is platform-specific)
     #[cfg(windows)]
     {