How to get started with Git on Mac

Question

I installed Git on my Mac but I do not know how to run it or access it. From the terminal I type git but it says "command is invalid."

I downloaded git from http://code.google.com/p/git-osx-installer/downloads/list?can=3 and I downloaded the package "Git Installer 1.7.3.5 - OS X - Leopard - x86_64."

UPDATE 1:

The content of the package is the following:

• README.txt
• git-1.7.3.5-x86_64-leopard.pkg
• setup git PATH for non-terminal programs.sh
• uninstall.sh

When I execute "setup git PATH for non-terminal programs.sh," I get the following messages:

No change to PATH in ~/.MacOSX/environment.plist
~ /Volumes/Git 1.7.3.5 x86_64 Leopard /Volumes/Git 1.7.3.5 x86_64 Leopard -MacBook-Pro:Git 1.7.3.5 x86_64 Leopard$ $PATH -bash: /usr/local/bin:/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/libexec: No such file or directory

UPDATE 2:

The content of my profile file is the following one:

# System-wide .profile for sh(1)

if [ -x /usr/libexec/path_helper ]; then
    eval `/usr/libexec/path_helper -s`
fi

if [ "${BASH-no}" != "no" ]; then
    [ -r /etc/bashrc ] && . /etc/bashrc
fi

Answer 1

The git-osx-installer that you used should have installed git into /usr/local/git. See if you can cd into that directory. If you can, then check that your PATH was correctly set by running echo $PATH from the terminal and making sure that you see /usr/local/git/bin in the included PATH. If not, you need to add it to your PATH.

Did you run the included shell script setup git PATH for non-terminal programs.sh?

Update 1: How to run the included shell script

1. Mount the git-osx-installer disk image by double-clicking git-1.7.3.5-x86_64-leopard.dmg, which should be located in your Downloads folder.
2. Open Terminal from /Applications/Utilities/Terminal
3. Type cd /Volumes/Git 1.7.3.5 x86_64 Leopard/
4. Type ./setup git PATH for non-terminal programs.sh and hit Enter to run the shell script. Note: Once you type ./setup you can hit the Tab key and it will autocomplete for you.
5. Open a new Terminal and type echo $PATH
6. Confirm that you see /usr/local/git/bin in your PATH.

Update 2: Show Git Who's the Master

Open Terminal and issue the following commands:

echo "/usr/local/git/bin" > git
sudo mv git /etc/paths.d

When you run sudo it will ask for your OS X password.

After issuing those two commands, you should be able to open a new Terminal window and see /usr/local/git/bin when you run echo $PATH.

For this to work you have to have the following in /etc/profile, which it does by default:

if [ -x /usr/libexec/path_helper ]; then
    eval `/usr/libexec/path_helper -s`
fi