I have a dream wherein future developers don’t even have to install Git for themselves in order to be able to use it. Apple has shown a very forward thinking attitude towards shipping OS X with various programming languages and version control systems. Right now is a critical time in which we can help push to have Git preinstalled on the next version of their operating system. The more people that use Git, the better the ecosystem becomes, and removing the installation barrier is a big step in that direction.
I’m told, on good authority, that the best way to make this happen is to let Apple know that it’s something we desire. So if you’d like to be able to fire up a fresh Mac and type `git` without ever installing it, open a ticket on Apple’s bug reporting site:
Let them know that you’re using Git on your mac, and that you’d love to see it shipped with the next version of OS X so that even more developers can experience the joy of distributed version control!


Aye aye captain.
Done. Would love to see native support for it in editors like Coda and Espresso as well.
I love this in theory, but I’m not so sure I’d like it in practice. I have a feeling Apple will somehow manage to botch the shipment like they did with the Ruby that ships with Leopard.
Still, git rocks.
@ripta what’s the matter with the Ruby that ships with Leopard?
Great idea!
Is there a ticket already open that we all can comment spam on?
The Ruby that ships with Leopard works just fine – and there’s even less to “botch” with git – so I’m all in.
Done!
For those who like copypasta:
Summary: I use git, and I’d love to be able to give other Mac users instructions for installing my software that didn’t require them to install git first. You gave us Ruby, now give us git!
Steps to Reproduce: Type `git` in bash.
Expected Results: Have git run.
Actual Results: “-bash: git: command not found”
Regression: Occurs: On any current out-of-the-box Mac OS X system Doesn’t Occur: On my box, because I manually installed `git`.
Notes: Workarounds: Install `git` yourself, by hand, in the most tedious of processes (from a new users’ perspective).
I submitted all of this as bug #6540700.
Done
Done.
Wow, that’s a lot of bugs. Keep them coming, this would be great to have.
Submitted as bug #6541204
done
I’d like to see XCode support git the way it supports a few other version control systems.
I might ask for git integration into xcode whilst I’m on radar raising tickets
With the rate of development in Git it seems that the version that ultimately ships will quickly be “old”. Still, I suppose it would be nice to some version there. Okay, I’ll go do it. Xcode support too.
Done.
bug report. check.
bug submitted!
done and +1
I submitted as bug # 6542586. I asked for Git to be included with the Developer Tools install. I also requested Git to be included in xCode.
Xcode support would be worthy to bug Apple engineers about, but I’m guessing that they already have their eye on it, since people at WWDC ’08 even bugged them about it.
Having git installed on OS X by default would be nice, but it might also be annoying having to install new versions in /usr/local (or, god forbid, /opt) while the default is in /usr. That’s always a problem with pre-installed software on OS X.
#6543320! :)
Wouldn’t it be more productive to ask them to help make macports not suck?
Done. Glory to Git!
done. :)
Done.
Although I agree with the other comments about macports. It makes more sense to have macports pre-installed. I guess one step at a time.
some sort of integrated package management for development tools would be really nice, maybe not macports
I’m not sure this is the best idea. For examples of why this is a bad idea: does anyone here use the installed copy of Ruby? Has anyone here been able to upgrade the pre-packaged copy of Ruby? Most of the Ruby developers I know have had to use macports or have installed from source because there is no clear upgrade path.
Installation of git on OSX is a no-brainer for anyone who has compiled anything before. Asking Apple to get involved means things turning out to be installed in the wrong place, hard to update and starting out with a really old version of GIt (as the lead times for shipping are months long). I have a 10 line shell script that can download, deflate and install Git. It takes < 1 minute on my MacBook Pro to do this whenever a new version comes out. If Apple provided easy ways to update things (i.e. Ruby, Git, Gems, etc.) I would be pleased to have them pre-install it but as it is, I’m perfectly happy (and prefer!) to do it myself so it doesn’t get screwed up.
Couldn’t agree with you more, FlyboyArt.
Why wouldn’t you use the packaged version of Ruby? Works like a charm.
It has been done.
It has been done.
done. fingers crossed.
done – let’s hope!
Subject: bash and updates regarding my installation of my development environment
hi,
I have decided to erase my old OS and reinstall my development environment using every step the you made here credit card processing. i had problems doing the open .bash_profile part. my computer prompts that i do not have a .bash_profile file. this are the steps i did to create my .bash_profile file:
In the terminal
I typed vi .bash_profile to run vim then i to insert text then wrote: # bash comment which I erased later on wireless internet providers. Hit the escape key.
Typed a : (colon) + enter then wrote wq + enter to quit vim
this made my bash_profile file.
If Apple provided easy ways to update things (i.e. Ruby, Git, Gems, etc.) I would be pleased to have them pre-install it but as it is, I’m perfectly happy (and prefer!) to do it myself so it doesn’t get screwed up.
Essays | Research Papers | Term Papers
Most of the Ruby developers I know have had to use macports or have installed from source because there is no clear upgrade path. Dissertations | Theses
Submitted Bug ID# 7286977