How to use the Homebrew installed git on Mac?

Question

I have installed the newest version of git (1.8.3) using homebrew but when I type

git --version

in my terminal, it prints:

git version 1.7.10.2 (Apple Git-33)

What should I do to replace the old version of git with the new one?

Answer 1

Status 2022

All the tricks mentioned here in several answers are not necessary anymore on Intel Macs running macOS Sierra or higher with the latest Homebrew. Forget export PATH="..." and modifications to ~/.bash_profile.

You simply do

brew install git

and you're done.

To confirm, open a new terminal window/tab and type

git --version

Please don't forget to open a new window. Terminals that were open before you started to install will not inherit any changes.

Answer 2

If on Intel, add

export PATH="/usr/local/bin:${PATH}"

if on ARM/M1, add

export PATH="/opt/homebrew/bin:${PATH}"

in ~/.bash_profile followed by

source ~/.bash_profile

solved the problem for my user.

Answer 3

Ok, I'm ready to get serious about scm.

$ git --version
git version 1.9.5 (Apple Git-50.3)

Nope, that's not what I wanted. I <3 homebrew, so:

$ brew install git

All set?

$ git --version
git version 1.9.5 (Apple Git-50.3)

Doh! (scratches head)

$ which git
/usr/bin/git

Ah, Apple's git is in /usr/bin, so it trumps the homebrew one. What to do?

(A) Just rename Apple's binary

(B) Let homebrew-managed one take precedence:

[edit PATH export e.g. in ~/.zshrc (oh-my-zsh + iTerm2 FTW! /tangent)]

[specifically: move /usr/local/bin/git: before /usr/bin:]

... and/or (e.g. to more broadly let homebrew stuff trump system installs, and have the precedence apply to all shells and users) also edit /etc/paths file, [moving /usr/local/bin above /usr/bin]

But assuming just the simplest / least invasive approach:

$ sudo mv /usr/bin/git /usr/bin/git-apple

Did it work?

$ which git
/usr/local/bin/git

So far so good, now the moment of truth:

$ git --version
git version 2.2.1

w00t! :) Time to go read http://git-scm.com ! :)

Answer 4

I tried this and it works for me.

brew link --overwrite git

Answer 5

Once you've installed the latest git via brew (brew install git), run this one-liner (as suggested by brew doctor) if it isn't already there:

echo "export PATH=/usr/local/bin:$PATH" >> ~/.bash_profile

Then quit Terminal an open it again (restart your bash session). You need to do this even if your PATH was already correct, as ZSH and Bash cache the contents of PATH (see the documentation on the built-in command hash).

That should fix things really fast.

Answer 6

When you use brew install git for the installation, notice that it install git under:

==> Summary
  /usr/local/Cellar/git/2.29.2: 1,480 files, 39.7MB

You will also get an error, which appears earlier in the log and probably you missed it:

==> Downloading https://homebrew.bintray.com/bottles/git-2.29.2.big_sur.bottle.t
Already downloaded: /Users/chadjinik/Library/Caches/Homebrew/downloads/08165d120fcebc7823c487a6778b2ea0e67fd2cd9177d6e7d656268f474ab5da--git-2.29.2.big_sur.bottle.tar.gz
==> Pouring git-2.29.2.big_sur.bottle.tar.gz
Error: The brew link step did not complete successfully
The formula built, but is not symlinked into /usr/local
Could not symlink bin/git
Target /usr/local/bin/git
already exists. You may want to remove it:
  rm '/usr/local/bin/git'
To force the link and overwrite all conflicting files:
  brew link --overwrite git

Just run:

brew link --overwrite git

and you should be good.

Answer 7

When you type

git --version

in Terminal.app or console, your comment on another question indicated the version it returns is the git in /usr/bin/git

If you installed Xcode 4.5 (and newer), and type

xcrun git --version

in Terminal.app or console, the version it returns is the git in the Xcode app bundle.

If you are using Homebrew to install and update git, the simplest solution is to

1. make sure you have admin rights as you'll be asked for the password for the admin

2. rename the original location by renaming it using mv. For example

   sudo mv /usr/bin/git /usr/bin/git-ORIGINAL

3. create a soft link using 'ln -s' to the git binary you installed with Homebrew.

Note that MattDMo has a better solution in the comments.

Answer 8

Install git with brew, the run this.

brew link --force git

Close and reopen terminal to run which git.

Answer 9

Do a simple alias to avoid changing path:

alias git=/usr/local/bin/git

Answer 10

Ok so I ran brew doctor and I saw this:

Warning: You have unlinked kegs in your Cellar.
Leaving kegs unlinked can lead to build-trouble and cause formulae that depend on
those kegs to fail to run properly once built. Run `brew link` on these:
git

Of course I run brew link git. Then I got:

Error: Could not symlink bin/git
Target /usr/local/bin/git
already exists. You may want to remove it:
  rm '/usr/local/bin/git'
To force the link and overwrite all conflicting files:
  brew link --overwrite git
To list all files that would be deleted:
  brew link --overwrite --dry-run git

I ran brew link --overwrite git and it worked!

Answer 11

You have to rename the original git by apple in /usr/bin/ to e. g. git-org since /usr/bin is normally before /usr/local/bin in your path directory where the brew stuff is.

So:

cd /usr/bin
sudo mv git git-org

and do not forget to link the brew git

brew link git

This assumes that /usr/local/bin is in your $PATH environment variable. If you still have problem try to run

brew doctor 

and fix the problems mentioned there.

Answer 12

If you are installing git from git-scm.com directly and would want to use the latest downloaded git instead of apple(old) version of git.

1. Install git from git-scm.com
2. Most probably new git will be installed in /usr/local/bin/git
3. Try git --version, if it returns Apple old version of git then proceed below
4. cd ~ (change directory to your home directory)
5. type vi .bashrc
6. Use i (to insert text in vi editor)
7. If you find a line with export PATH......., press enter on top of the export and type the following: export PATH=/usr/local/:$PATH (Pay extreme caution with PATH variable do not mess it up else it will cause problems for your OS) (hopefully new git should be installed in /usr/local/git)
8. Press esc
9. Enter :wq (to save the .bashrc file)
10. Exit out of terminal and start new terminal
11. Now try git --version (you should see new version)

Answer 13

I've tried many things including all of this post's answers. Finally I was able to get brew's version of git to run instead of Xcode's by simply deleting Xcode's additional tools folder:

sudo rm -rf /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools

Answer 14

It depends on where your git comes from. Xcode brings a version for example, maybe that is upfront in your path.

Maybe typing

which git

will show where the old one is.