Git for Windows doesn't execute my .bashrc file

Question

I've just installed Git for Windows 2.5.0 on Windows 7, and it appears that my .bashrc file is not being executed when I run Git Bash.

I created the file like so:

Administrator@HintTech-Dev MINGW64 /
$ pwd
/

Administrator@HintTech-Dev MINGW64 /
$ cd ~

Administrator@HintTech-Dev MINGW64 ~
$ pwd
/c/Users/Administrator

Administrator@HintTech-Dev MINGW64 ~
$ touch .bashrc

Administrator@HintTech-Dev MINGW64 ~
$ vi .bashrc

[... I insert the line "ZZZTESTVAR=234" (without the quotes) into the file in vim ...]

Administrator@HintTech-Dev MINGW64 ~
$ exit

Yet, when I next run Git Bash:

Administrator@HintTech-Dev MINGW64 /
$ set | grep ZZZ

Administrator@HintTech-Dev MINGW64 /
$ cat ~/.bashrc
ZZZTESTVAR=234

Administrator@HintTech-Dev MINGW64 /
$ ZZZTESTVAR=234

Administrator@HintTech-Dev MINGW64 /
$ set | grep ZZZ
ZZZTESTVAR=234

Administrator@HintTech-Dev MINGW64 /
$

Why isn't my .bashrc being run? It seems to be in the right place and have the right permissions.

Answer 1

OK, I found out the problem. Quite simply, the bash terminal used by the latest Git for Windows 2.5.0 (mintty) doesn't bother to read .bashrc - it reads .bash_profile. So you can set up your environment in .bash_profile and/or put this code at the start to read .bashrc:

if [ -f ~/.bashrc ] then     . ~/.bashrc fi 

Answer 2

Same thing happened to me when I upgraded to Git Bash 2.5.0 in Windows 10. I renamed my '.bashrc' -> '.bash_profile' and relaunched Git Bash. Everything's working as usual again.

mv ~/.bashrc ~/.bash_profile

Answer 3

It appears the latest version of git for Windows (2.8.3.windows.1) uses a 'profile' file now instead of the .bash_profile. I assume this is so it isn't hidden and a valid file name. Didn't seem to cause any issues before, but maybe it was confusing to people.