Installing Git¶

Before we can start using Git, we need to install it on your system. This guide covers installation for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Check if Git is Already Installed¶

First, let's check if you already have Git installed on your system:

git --version

If Git is installed, you'll see output like:

git version 2.40.1

If Git is not installed, you'll see an error message, and you'll need to install it using the instructions below.

Installation by Operating System¶

Windows 🪟¶

Download Git for Windows
Visit the official Git website: https://git-scm.com/download/win
Click the "Download" button to get the latest version
Run the Installer
Run the downloaded .exe file
Follow the installation wizard with recommended settings
Important: Git for Windows includes Git Bash, which provides a Linux-like terminal environment
Verify Installation
Open Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Git Bash
Run git --version to confirm installation

Git Bash Recommendation

Git Bash provides a consistent command-line experience across different operating systems. It's especially useful if you're learning Git commands that work the same way on Linux and macOS.

macOS 🍎¶

Option 1: Download from Official Website¶

Visit https://git-scm.com/download/mac
Download the installer for your macOS version
Run the installer and follow the instructions

Option 2: Using Homebrew (Recommended)¶

If you have Homebrew installed:

brew install git

Option 3: Using Xcode Command Line Tools¶

Git comes bundled with Xcode Command Line Tools:

xcode-select --install

Linux 🐧¶

The installation method depends on your Linux distribution:

Ubuntu/Debian¶

sudo apt update
sudo apt install git

Fedora¶

sudo dnf install git

CentOS/RHEL¶

sudo yum install git

Arch Linux¶

sudo pacman -S git

Verify Your Installation¶

After installation, verify that Git is working correctly:

# Check Git version
git --version

# Check Git help (optional)
git help

You should see: - The Git version number - Help information if you run git help

Troubleshooting Installation Issues¶

Command Not Found¶

If you get a "command not found" error:

Restart your terminal after installation
Check your PATH: Make sure Git's installation directory is in your system PATH
Reinstall Git following the instructions above

Permission Issues (Linux/macOS)¶

If you encounter permission issues:

# Check if git is executable
which git

# If needed, make it executable
chmod +x /usr/local/bin/git

Windows-Specific Issues¶

Make sure you're using the correct terminal (Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Git Bash)
Try running as Administrator if you encounter permission issues
Verify that Git was added to your system PATH during installation

Next Steps¶

Great! Now that you have Git installed, let's move on to configuring Git for first-time use.

Still Having Issues?

If you're still having trouble with installation, check our troubleshooting guide or consult the official Git documentation.