Chapter 2: Git Install

Git Install today, full teacher mode, like I’m right there in Hyderabad helping you on your laptop. ☕

It’s February 13, 2026, so we’ll use the most current real-world methods (as of early 2026, Git is at version 2.53.0, released February 2, 2026).

Goal today: Get Git running properly on your machine + do the first important setup steps so you never get “command not found” or weird errors later.

We’ll cover the three main OS families: Windows (most common for beginners in India), macOS, and Linux (Ubuntu-style, very popular on servers & among devs).

Step 0: First — Check if Git is already there (very important!)

Open your terminal / command prompt / PowerShell / Git Bash and type:

• If you see something like git version 2.53.0.windows.1 or git version 2.53.0 → already installed! → skip to Post-Install Setup at the bottom.
• If “command not found” / “git is not recognized” → let’s install.

1. Installing Git on Windows (Windows 10 / 11 — 2026 way)

Recommended method: Use the official installer from git-scm.com (includes Git Bash — a mini Linux-like terminal that’s super useful).

1. Go to official site → https://git-scm.com/download/win (or just Google “download git” — first result is safe)

   → It auto-detects and offers 64-bit setup (most laptops 2026 are 64-bit). Direct link (as of Feb 2026): https://git-scm.com/install (click Windows)

2. Download Git-2.53.0-64-bit.exe (or whatever the latest says — ~50–60 MB)

3. Double-click the .exe file

   Important choices during installer (2026 defaults are good, but here’s what smart people usually pick):

   • Licensing → Next
   • Select Destination Location → Default is fine (C:\Program Files\Git)
   • Select Components → Keep defaults + check:
     • “Git Bash Here” (right-click magic)
     • “Git GUI Here”
     • “Windows Explorer integration”
   • Select Start Menu Folder → Default
   • Choosing the default editor → Pick Visual Studio Code if you have it (very popular), or Nano (simple), or Vim (if you’re brave)
   • Adjusting your PATH environment → Choose Git from the command line and also from 3rd-party software (recommended — most flexible)
   • Choosing HTTPS transport backend → Use OpenSSL library (default & secure)
   • Configuring the line ending conversions → Checkout Windows-style, commit Unix-style line endings (best for cross-platform teams)
   • Configuring the terminal emulator → Use MinTTY (default — looks nicer than old console)
   • Default behavior of git pull → Default (fast-forward or merge)
   • Choose a credential helper → Git Credential Manager (modern, works with GitHub, GitLab, etc.)
   • Extra options → Enable file system caching + symbolic links (both checked)
   • Experimental features → Usually leave unchecked unless you want to try new stuff

4. Install → wait 1–2 minutes → Finish

5. Open Git Bash (search in Start menu “Git Bash”)

   Test:

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   git --version # should show git version 2.53.0.windows.1 or similar

Alternative super-fast way (if you have Winget — comes with modern Windows):

2. Installing Git on macOS (2026 — Ventura / Sonoma / Sequoia / whatever Apple calls it now)

Two easy ways — pick one.

Way A — Easiest (Xcode Command Line Tools — Apple official)

1. Open Terminal (Spotlight → Terminal)

2. Type any git command:

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   git --version

   → Popup appears: “The xcode-select command requires the command line developer tools. Would you like to install the tools?”

3. Click Install → agree → wait 5–10 min (downloads ~500 MB)

   → Done! Git version usually 2.39.x or newer (Apple lags a bit)

Way B — Latest version via Homebrew (recommended for devs)

1. Install Homebrew if not present (paste in Terminal):

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

2. Then install Git:

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   brew install git

3. Verify:

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   git --version   # should be 2.53.0 or very close

3. Installing Git on Linux (Ubuntu / Debian / Pop!_OS / Mint — most common)

Open terminal:

For Fedora / RHEL / CentOS:

For Arch / Manjaro:

Verify:

Post-Install Setup — Do this on EVERY machine (very important!)

Once installed, tell Git who you are (this appears in every commit):

Recommended extras (2026 best practices):

Now test everything:

You should see your name, email, etc.

Quick Troubleshooting Table (common 2026 issues)

Done! 🎉 You now have Git installed and configured like a pro.

Next step? Create your first repo:

Any trouble during install? Tell me your OS + exact error — we’ll fix it together step by step. You’re almost ready to push to GitHub!

Keep going! 🚀