diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/git/init.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/git/init.lua
index 7fd03a02..22dd70e4 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/git/init.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/git/init.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 local log = require("nvim-tree.log")
 local utils = require("nvim-tree.utils")
 local git_utils = require("nvim-tree.git.utils")
-local runner = require("nvim-tree.git.runner")
+
+local GitRunner = require("nvim-tree.git.runner")
 local Watcher = require("nvim-tree.watcher").Watcher
 local Iterator = require("nvim-tree.iterators.node-iterator")
 local DirectoryNode = nil -- circular dependency
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ local WATCHED_FILES = {
 ---@param toplevel string|nil
 ---@param path string|nil
 ---@param project table
----@param statuses GitStatusesXYByPath?
+---@param statuses GitXYByPath?
 local function reload_git_statuses(toplevel, path, project, statuses)
   if path then
     for p in pairs(project.files) do
@@ -105,7 +106,7 @@ function M.reload_project(toplevel, path, callback)
     return
   end
 
-  ---@type RunnerOpts
+  ---@type GitRunnerOpts
   local runner_opts = {
     toplevel = toplevel,
     path = path,
@@ -115,15 +116,15 @@ function M.reload_project(toplevel, path, callback)
   }
 
   if callback then
-    ---@param statuses GitStatusesXYByPath
+    ---@param statuses GitXYByPath
     runner_opts.callback = function(statuses)
       reload_git_statuses(toplevel, path, project, statuses)
       callback()
     end
-    runner(runner_opts)
+    GitRunner:run(runner_opts)
   else
     -- TODO #1974 use callback once async/await is available
-    reload_git_statuses(toplevel, path, project, runner(runner_opts))
+    reload_git_statuses(toplevel, path, project, GitRunner:run(runner_opts))
   end
 end
 
@@ -203,16 +204,16 @@ local function reload_tree_at(toplevel)
   end
 
   log.line("watcher", "git event executing '%s'", toplevel)
-  local root_node = utils.get_node_from_path(toplevel)
-  root_node = root_node and root_node:as(DirectoryNode)
-  if not root_node then
+  local base = utils.get_node_from_path(toplevel)
+  base = base and base:as(DirectoryNode)
+  if not base then
     return
   end
 
   M.reload_project(toplevel, nil, function()
     local git_status = M.get_project(toplevel)
 
-    Iterator.builder(root_node.nodes)
+    Iterator.builder(base.nodes)
       :hidden()
       :applier(function(node)
         local parent_ignored = node.parent and node.parent:is_git_ignored() or false
@@ -224,7 +225,7 @@ local function reload_tree_at(toplevel)
       end)
       :iterate()
 
-    root_node.explorer.renderer:draw()
+    base.explorer.renderer:draw()
   end)
 end
 
@@ -248,7 +249,7 @@ function M.load_project_status(path)
     return status
   end
 
-  local statuses = runner({
+  local statuses = GitRunner:run({
     toplevel = toplevel,
     list_untracked = git_utils.should_show_untracked(toplevel),
     list_ignored = true,
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/git/runner.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/git/runner.lua
index 1a9000f9..d4163905 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/git/runner.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/git/runner.lua
@@ -4,21 +4,21 @@ local notify = require("nvim-tree.notify")
 
 local Class = require("nvim-tree.class")
 
----@alias GitStatusesXYByPath table<string, string>
+---@alias GitXYByPath table<string, string> -- short-format statuses
 
----@class (exact) RunnerOpts
+---@class (exact) GitRunnerOpts
 ---@field toplevel string absolute path
 ---@field path string? absolute path
 ---@field list_untracked boolean
 ---@field list_ignored boolean
 ---@field timeout integer
----@field callback fun(statuses: GitStatusesXYByPath)?
+---@field callback fun(statuses: GitXYByPath)?
 
----@class (exact) Runner: Class
----@field opts RunnerOpts
----@field statuses GitStatusesXYByPath
----@field rc integer? -- -1 indicates timeout
-local Runner = Class:new()
+---@class (exact) GitRunner: Class
+---@field private opts GitRunnerOpts
+---@field private statuses GitXYByPath
+---@field private rc integer? -- -1 indicates timeout
+local GitRunner = Class:new()
 
 local timeouts = 0
 local MAX_TIMEOUTS = 5
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ local MAX_TIMEOUTS = 5
 ---@private
 ---@param status string
 ---@param path string|nil
-function Runner:parse_status_output(status, path)
+function GitRunner:parse_status_output(status, path)
   if not path then
     return
   end
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ end
 ---@param prev_output string
 ---@param incoming string
 ---@return string
-function Runner:handle_incoming_data(prev_output, incoming)
+function GitRunner:handle_incoming_data(prev_output, incoming)
   if incoming and utils.str_find(incoming, "\n") then
     local prev = prev_output .. incoming
     local i = 1
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ end
 ---@param stdout_handle uv.uv_pipe_t
 ---@param stderr_handle uv.uv_pipe_t
 ---@return uv.spawn.options
-function Runner:get_spawn_options(stdout_handle, stderr_handle)
+function GitRunner:get_spawn_options(stdout_handle, stderr_handle)
   local untracked = self.opts.list_untracked and "-u" or nil
   local ignored = (self.opts.list_untracked and self.opts.list_ignored) and "--ignored=matching" or "--ignored=no"
   return {
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ end
 
 ---@private
 ---@param output string
-function Runner:log_raw_output(output)
+function GitRunner:log_raw_output(output)
   if log.enabled("git") and output and type(output) == "string" then
     log.raw("git", "%s", output)
     log.line("git", "done")
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ end
 
 ---@private
 ---@param callback function|nil
-function Runner:run_git_job(callback)
+function GitRunner:run_git_job(callback)
   local handle, pid
   local stdout = vim.loop.new_pipe(false)
   local stderr = vim.loop.new_pipe(false)
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ function Runner:run_git_job(callback)
 end
 
 ---@private
-function Runner:wait()
+function GitRunner:wait()
   local function is_done()
     return self.rc ~= nil
   end
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ function Runner:wait()
 end
 
 ---@private
-function Runner:finalise()
+function GitRunner:finalise()
   if self.rc == -1 then
     log.line("git", "job timed out  %s %s", self.opts.toplevel, self.opts.path)
     timeouts = timeouts + 1
@@ -207,8 +207,8 @@ function Runner:finalise()
   end
 end
 
----@return GitStatusesXYByPath? statuses nil if callback present
-function Runner:run()
+---@return GitXYByPath? statuses nil if callback present
+function GitRunner:execute()
   local async = self.opts.callback ~= nil
   local profile = log.profile_start("git %s job %s %s", async and "async" or "sync", self.opts.toplevel, self.opts.path)
 
@@ -238,16 +238,18 @@ function Runner:run()
   end
 end
 
----Runs a git process, which will be killed if it takes more than timeout which defaults to 400ms
----@param opts RunnerOpts
----@return GitStatusesXYByPath? statuses nil if callback present
-return function(opts)
-  ---@type Runner
+---Static method to run a git process, which will be killed if it takes more than timeout
+---@param opts GitRunnerOpts
+---@return GitXYByPath? statuses nil if callback present
+function GitRunner:run(opts)
+  ---@type GitRunner
   local runner = {
     opts = opts,
     statuses = {},
   }
-  runner = Runner:new(runner) --[[@as Runner]]
+  runner = GitRunner:new(runner) --[[@as GitRunner]]
 
-  return runner:run()
+  return runner:execute()
 end
+
+return GitRunner