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Git Installation Guide

Quick reference for installing Git on your local machine.

Check If Git Is Already Installed

Open your terminal and run:

git --version

If you see a version number (e.g., git version 2.39.0), Git is already installed. You can skip to verification.

macOS

  1. Open Terminal
  2. Run: xcode-select --install
  3. Click Install in the popup dialog
  4. Wait for installation to complete

This installs Git along with other developer tools.

Option 2: Homebrew

If you have Homebrew installed:

brew install git

Windows

Download and Install

  1. Go to git-scm.com
  2. Click Download for Windows
  3. Run the installer
  4. Use the default settings (click Next through the prompts)
  5. Complete the installation

Important Settings During Install

  • Default editor: Select VS Code or Cursor if listed — avoid the default (Vim) unless you're familiar with it
  • PATH environment: Select "Git from the command line and also from 3rd-party software" (recommended)
  • Line endings: Select "Checkout Windows-style, commit Unix-style line endings" (recommended)

Verify Installation

After installing, open a new terminal window and run:

git --version

You should see a version number confirming Git is installed.

Configure Your Identity

Set your name and email for Git commits:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"

Use the email address you plan to use for your GitHub account (set up in the next step).

Troubleshooting

Command not found (Mac)? - Close and reopen Terminal after installation - Try running xcode-select --install again

Command not found (Windows)? - Close and reopen your terminal - Make sure you selected the PATH option during installation - Reinstall and select "Git from the command line and also from 3rd-party software"

Permission errors? - On Mac, you may need to enter your password during Xcode tools installation - On Windows, run the installer as Administrator

Ask AI for help

If you're stuck, paste this into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini:

I'm trying to install Git on [Mac / Windows] and getting this error: [paste the error message]. I followed the steps from the official guide. What should I try next?

Next Steps

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