## Introduction

Git is the most widely used version control system in the world. Before you can start tracking changes to your code, [creating repositories](/git/creating-a-repository), or collaborating with other developers, you need to install Git on your machine.

The installation process varies by operating system. Choose your platform below:

- [Instructions for Windows](#install-git-on-windows)
- [Instructions for Mac](#install-git-on-mac)
- [Instructions for Linux](#install-git-on-linux)

Once installed, jump to [Global Configuration](#global-configuration-for-git) to set up your identity before making your first commit. New to version control? Our [Git glossary of common terms](/git/glossary) explains commits, branches, remotes, and the rest of the vocabulary you'll meet along the way.

## Install Git on Windows

### Option 1 - Git for Windows (Recommended)

The official [Git for Windows](https://gitforwindows.org) installer is the most common way to get Git on a Windows machine. It includes Git Bash, a terminal emulator that provides a Unix-like command-line experience on Windows.

Head over to [gitforwindows.org](https://gitforwindows.org), download the latest installer, and run it. The default options work well for most users, but pay attention to these settings during installation:

- **Default editor**: Choose your preferred text editor (VS Code is a popular choice).
- **PATH environment**: Select "Git from the command line and also from 3rd-party software" so you can use Git in both Command Prompt and PowerShell.
- **Line ending conversions**: "Checkout Windows-style, commit Unix-style line endings" is the recommended default.

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### Option 2 - Install with winget

If you have Windows 10 or later, you can install Git using the built-in Windows Package Manager from PowerShell or Command Prompt:

```bash
winget install --id Git.Git -e --source winget
```

This downloads and installs the latest version of Git for Windows automatically.

### Verify installation on Windows

To verify that Git has been installed, open **Command Prompt**, **PowerShell**, or **Git Bash** from the Start menu.

{screenshot: 333}

Enter the following command:

```
git --version
```

You should see output showing the installed version:

```
git version 2.x.x
```

If you see a "command not found" error instead, see the [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting-common-issues) section below.

You are now ready to [add some global configuration](#global-configuration-for-git) for Git.

## Install Git on Mac

### Option 1 - Homebrew (Recommended)

[Homebrew](https://brew.sh) is the most popular package manager for macOS, and it is the preferred way to install and keep Git up to date. If you do not have Homebrew installed, open **Terminal** and run:

```bash
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
```

Once Homebrew is installed, install Git with:

```bash
brew install git
```

To update Git later, run `brew upgrade git`. This keeps you on the latest stable release without needing to download installers manually.

### Option 2 - Xcode Command Line Tools

Open the **Terminal** app (found in **Applications** > **Utilities**) and type:

```
git --version
```

If Git is not already installed, macOS will prompt you to install the Xcode Command Line Tools. Click **Install** and wait for the download to complete. This installs a version of Git maintained by Apple, though it may lag behind the latest release.

### Option 3 - Git Installer for Mac

There is also an official standalone [Git installer for macOS](https://git-scm.com/download/mac). Download it, open the installer, and follow the wizard using the default options.

### Verify installation on Mac

Open **Terminal** and enter:

```
git --version
```

You should see output like:

```
git version 2.x.x
```

If you installed via Homebrew and still see an older Apple version, you may need to restart your terminal or adjust your shell PATH so that `/opt/homebrew/bin` (Apple Silicon) or `/usr/local/bin` (Intel) comes before `/usr/bin`.

You are now ready to [add some global configuration](#global-configuration-for-git) for Git.

## Install Git on Linux

Git is available in the default package repositories of virtually every Linux distribution, and many distros ship with Git pre-installed. Open your preferred terminal emulator and run the command for your distribution:

```bash
# Debian / Ubuntu / Linux Mint
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install git

# Fedora
sudo dnf install git

# Arch Linux / Manjaro
sudo pacman -S git

# openSUSE
sudo zypper install git

# Alpine Linux
sudo apk add git
```

### Verify installation on Linux

Run the following command to confirm Git is installed:

```
git --version
```

You should see output like:

```
git version 2.x.x
```

You are now ready to [add some global configuration](#global-configuration-for-git) for Git.

## Global configuration for Git

Before you start [committing file changes](/git/committing-file-changes), you should configure Git with your identity. This information is embedded in every commit you make and is visible to anyone with access to the repository.

Open **Terminal** (or **Command Prompt** / **Git Bash** on Windows) and run:

```bash
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"
```

### Set your default branch name

Recent versions of Git default to `main` as the initial branch name, but you can set this explicitly to avoid warnings:

```bash
git config --global init.defaultBranch main
```

### Set your preferred editor

Git occasionally opens a text editor for commit messages and interactive operations. Set your preferred editor:

```bash
# VS Code
git config --global core.editor "code --wait"

# Nano
git config --global core.editor "nano"

# Vim (default on most systems)
git config --global core.editor "vim"
```

### Verify your configuration

To review all of your Git settings, run:

```bash
git config --list
```

This reads from the `.gitconfig` file in your home directory, which will look similar to:

```
[user]
    name = Your Name
    email = you@example.com
[init]
    defaultBranch = main
[core]
    editor = code --wait
```

Both your name and email address will be visible to anyone who has access to your repositories, so make sure you use an email address you are comfortable sharing.

## Troubleshooting common issues

### Windows: "git is not recognized" error

If you see `'git' is not recognized as an internal or external command` after installation, Git is not in your system PATH. Try these fixes:

1. **Restart your terminal** or computer to pick up PATH changes from the installer.
2. **Re-run the installer** and ensure you select the option to add Git to your PATH.
3. **Manually add Git to PATH**: Open **System Properties** > **Environment Variables**, then add `C:\Program Files\Git\cmd` to your `Path` variable.

### Mac: Xcode license agreement error

If you see a message about accepting the Xcode license, run:

```bash
sudo xcodebuild -license accept
```

Then try your Git command again.

### Mac: Homebrew Git vs. Apple Git

After installing Git via Homebrew, your shell may still use the older Apple version from `/usr/bin/git`. Check which version is active:

```bash
which git
```

If it shows `/usr/bin/git` instead of `/opt/homebrew/bin/git` (Apple Silicon) or `/usr/local/bin/git` (Intel), add the Homebrew path to your shell profile (`~/.zshrc` or `~/.bash_profile`):

```bash
export PATH="/opt/homebrew/bin:$PATH"
```

Restart your terminal and verify with `git --version`.

### Linux: permission denied errors

If you see "permission denied" when installing packages, make sure you are using `sudo` with the install command. If you encounter permission errors when running Git commands on a repository, check the directory ownership:

```bash
ls -la /path/to/your/repo
```

You can fix ownership with:

```bash
sudo chown -R $(whoami) /path/to/your/repo
```

## Next steps

Now that Git is installed and configured, you are ready to start using version control:

- [Create your first repository](/git/creating-a-repository) to start tracking files
- [Learn how to commit changes](/git/committing-file-changes) to save snapshots of your work
- [Clone an existing repository](/git/cloning-an-existing-repository) to work on a project that is already hosted remotely
- [Explore branching and merging](/git/branching-and-merging) to work on features in isolation
- [Publish your changes](/git/publishing-local-changes) to share your work with your team

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